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12/9/75 - National Cathedral School Assembly Address
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1133441
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12/9/75 - National Cathedral School Assembly Address
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This file contains material relating to waste.
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Carla A. Hills Speeches
Speeches
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Equal Rights Amendment Project
Natural resources
Sex discrimination
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1975-12-08
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12
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1975
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1975-12-08
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12
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 1, folder "12/9/75 - National Cathedral School
Assembly Address" of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential
Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 1 of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FINAL
NATIONAL CATHEDRAL SCHOOL
ASSEMBLY ADDRESS
DECEMBER 8, 1975
I AM so PLEASED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH
YOU THIS MORNING -- NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT GIVES ME ANOTHER
HOUR WITH LAURIE -- AND NOT ONLY BECAUSE I AM A GREAT FAN
OF NCS, BUT BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE TO TALK WITH HIGH SCHOOL
WOMEN. AND, I EMPHASIZE THE WORD WOMEN.
WE DO NOT OFTEN FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT:
WOMEN CONSTITUTE 53 PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION;
40 PERCENT OF OUR WORK FORCE ARE WOMEN;
45 PERCENT OF ALL WOMEN IN AMERICA WORK.
TODAY, WOMEN ARE ADMIRALS AND GENERALS, JOCKEYS AND
SCIENTISTS, PATENT EXAMINERS AND U.S. MARSHALS, AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROL CHIEFS AND FBI AGENTS, ELECTRICIANS AND JUDGES,
DOCTORS AND PLUMBERS - -- YOU NAME IT AND A WOMAN SOMEWHERE
IS DOING IT.
GERALD R. FORD LIBRART
-2-
IN SHORT, WOMEN HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AT HIGHER AND MORE
DIVERSE LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT THAN EVER BEFORE, AND MORE MEN
AND MORE WOMEN ACKNOWLEDGE AND, ON OCCASION, EVEN ENCOURAGE
THIS FACT.
BUT, IT WOULD WHITE-WASH REALITY TO CONTEND THAT WOMEN
HAVE ACHIEVED TRUE EQUALITY IN THE WORK-PLACE.
IN SPITE OF THE INNUMERABLE SUCCESS STORIES OVER THE
PAST DECADE, ONLY 15 PERCENT OF INDUSTRY'S EXECUTIVES ARE
WOMEN AND ONLY 14 PERCENT OF GOVERNMENT'S EXECUTIVES ARE
WOMEN.
WOMEN DO NOT HAVE THE SAME CHANCE FOR PROMOTION AS MEN,
AND, WOMEN STILL ARE NOT PAID AS MUCH AS MEN FOR THE
SAME WORK. IN FACT WOMEN WITH 4 YEARS OF COLLEGE EARN ON
THE AVERAGE LESS THAN MEN WITH NO COLLEGE TRAINING WHATSOEVER.
OF THE 435 MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
ONLY 19 ARE WOMEN AND THERE ARE NO WOMEN AMONG THE 100
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE.
-3-
To SOME DEGREE THESE STATISTICS RESULT FROM LACK OF
TRAINED AND WILLING WOMEN FOR POSITIONS AS THEY BECOME OPEN,
AND THAT IN MY OPINION IS CAUSED IN PART BY SUBTLE FORMS OF
DISCRIMINATION. BRIGHT WOMEN -- AT JUST ABOUT YOUR AGE --
ARE BEING DISCOURAGED FROM ENTERING CHALLENGING, PERHAPS
RECENTLY OPENED FIELDS AND ARE URGED DOWN MORE TRADITIONAL
PATHS,
THUS, EVEN NOW THAT THERE ARE GRAND OPPORTUNITIES AND
LEGAL RESTRICTIONS ARE GONE, MANY YOUNG WOMEN STILL SEEK
TO BE NURSES NOT DOCTORS, LABORATORY ASSISTANTS NOT SCIENTISTS,
TEACHERS NOT PRINCIPALS.
THERE IS, OF COURSE, NO REASON NOT TO BE A NURSE, A
LABORATORY ASSISTANT, OR A TEACHER; BUT THERE IS GOOD REASON
FOR EACH OF YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DO HAVE A CHOICE.
IT IS IMPORTANT NOW TO KEEP ALL YOUR OPTIONS OPEN so THAT
YOU CAN HAVE THE CAREER YOU REALLY WANT. You ARE AT AN
AGE WHEN YOU CAN THOUGHTLESSLY ELIMINATE OPPORTUNITIES THAT
LATER YOU MAY WISH YOU HAD. A NUCLEAR PHYSICIST CAN BECOME
A LABORATORY ASSISTANT IF HE OR SHE WISHES; BUT THE REVERSE
IS NOT so EASY,
-4-
EACH OF YOU HAS THE OBLIGATION TO YOURSELF TO STRETCH
YOUR ASPIRATIONS AND TO UNDERSTAND THE SELF-SATISFACTION
THAT COMES FROM USING ALL OF YOUR TALENTS AND CAPACITY.
EACH OF YOU HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A TRULY
HISTORIC CONTRIBUTION IN ALMOST ANY ENDEAVOR YOU SELECT.
THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT EACH OF YOU MUST HAVE A PROFESSIONAL
CAREER -- BUT ONLY TO SUGGEST THAT YOU SHOULD IGNORE ALLEGED
BARRIERS TO THE FIELD THAT SPECIALLY INTERESTS YOU AND TO
REACH FOR THOSE HEIGHTS TO WHICH YOU SPIRIT WOULD TAKE YOU!
YOUR SUCCESS WILL HELP OTHERS, FOR SUCCESS BREEDS
SUCCESS, THE PILING UP OF ONE SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE AFTER
ANOTHER IS INDISPENSABLE "TRENCH WORK".
IT MAY NOT BE AS DRAMATIC AS BILLIE JEAN KING'S HOLDING
OUT FOR THE SAME PRIZE MONEY FOR WOMEN TENNIS CHAMPS AS WAS
AWARDED MEN, BUT THEN, BILLIE JEAN MIGHT NOT HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
HER GOAL WITHOUT THE SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCES OF HELEN WILLS,
PAULINE BETZ, AND MAUREEN CONNALLY WHO WENT BEFORE.
-5-
IT IS IN THIS CONTEXT THAT THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
IS so IMPORTANT.
IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF COMPASSION, IT IS A MATTER
OF WASTE. DISCRIMINATION NOT ONLY WASTES A GREAT WELL OF
UNDER-UTILIZED AND NEEDED BRAIN POWER OF MORE THAN HALF
OUR POPULATION. IT ALSO WASTES PRECIOUS TIME ATTACKING
POCKETS OF DISCRIMINATION THAT COULD WELL BE SPENT ON THE
AWESOME PROBLEMS THAT AFFECT ALL MANKIND.
THE NATION SEEMS TO BE IMPLORING ALL OF US TO HELP --
EVERY SOUND THINKING MIND AND VIGOROUS ACHIEVER OF EVERY
COLOR, SIZE AND SEX,
THE PROBLEMS OF HUMANITY ARE CROWDING IN ON US WITH
SUCH FORCE, WE SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO CLOSE THE DOOR TO
ANY WHO WOULD HELP.
LET US FOCUS FOR A MINUTE ON SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS,
As WITH DISCRIMINATION, MANY OF THEM ARE RELATED TO WASTE,
TAKE THE PLIGHT OF OUR CITIES AND OUR URBAN POOR -- WHICH
ARE AMONG THE PROBLEMS HUD ADDRESSES,
-6-
WE MUST REVERSE THE NOTION THAT BLOSSOMED IN THE LAST
DECADE THAT THE BEST WAY TO COPE WITH A WORN-OUT CITY
NEIGHBORHOOD IS TO THROW IT AWAY AND BUILD A NEW ONE A
LITTLE FURTHER OUT IN THE SUBURBS.
FOR YEARS -- IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY -- PRIVATE
AND PUBLIC MONEY LITERALLY UNDERWROTE THE SUBURBAN EXPERIMENT.
TODAY, THAT RING UPON RING OF SPRAWL AROUND OUR CENTRAL
CITIES IS COUNTED IN MILLIONS OF ACRES THAT ONCE WAS OPEN
SPACE -- AND IN THE UNCOUNTED WASTE OF INVALUABLE URBAN
RESOURCES.
OUR NATIONAL WASTE IS NOT MERELY MEASURED IN DOLLARS
-- BUT IN THE HUMANITIES AS WELL.
IN NEW YORK CITY ALONE, LAST YEAR 35,000 UNITS OF
HOUSING WERE ABANDONED.
AN ABANDONED HOUSE WASTES NOT ONLY THE STRUCTURE,
IT WASTES A PART OF ALL THOSE THINGS THAT MADE THAT
STRUCTURE LIVABLE,
-7-
MUNDANE THINGS -- LIKE WATER AND SEWAGE LINES, ROADS
AND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND UTILITIES.
VITAL THINGS -- LIKE THEATERS, SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES,
AND PRECIOUS PIECES OF THE HISTORY AND CULTURE THAT
GIVE THE CITY MAJESTY.
IN THE FORWARD RUSH OF UN-HEEDED TIME THE NATION HAS
RAPIDLY RUN OUT OF EXCUSES.
WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO HELP WITH THE RE-ORDERING OF
OUR PRIORITIES. INSTEAD OF ALWAYS BUILDING NEW HOUSES,
WE MUST SAVE AND REPAIR THE OLD.
AND, A CITY ISN'T A MASSED CONCENTRATION OF STRUCTURES,
IT'S PEOPLE.
A HEALTHY CITY IS MADE UP OF PEOPLE OF EVERY ETHNIC
AND ECONOMIC DESCRIPTION -- WHOSE COMBINED ENERGIES KEEP
THE CITY ALIVE.
-8-
DESTROY THAT BALANCE AND YOU DESTROY THE CITY,
TODAY, IT'S FASHIONABLY "IN" TO USE RECYCLED NEWSPAPERS
AND BOYCOTT NON-RETURNABLE CONTAINERS, THAT'S FINE. BUT
THERE'S MORE TO THE JOB THAN RECYCLING THE DEBRIS THAT LITTERS
OUR HIGHWAYS,
THE REAL CHALLENGE IS TO RECYCLE WHOLE CITIES THAT NOW
LITTER THE VERY LIVES OF 16 MILLION AMERICANS WHO ARE
OFFICIALLY CLASSED AS "THE HOUSING POOR" -- WHICH IS A
BUREAUCRATIC CLICHE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SLUMS.
THERE'S FAR MORE INVOLVED HERE THAN WEARING A PROTEST
BUTTON AND WAVING THE FLAG.
IT TAKES PERSONAL, DRIVING ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BY
ALL OF US.
AND, TO HELP US THE WINDS OF CHANGE ARE BLOWING RIGHT
BACK TO OUR URBAN CENTERS.
-9-
THE ENERGY CRISIS -- AND IT'S A REAL ONE; THE SHRUNKEN
DOLLAR; THE SCARCITY OF NATURAL RESOURCES; AND, THE NEWEST,
RECENT TRENDS OF POPULATION GROWTH -- ALL LEAD US TO CONCLUDE
-- STATISTICALLY -- WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE CONCLUDED --
INTELLIGENTLY -- MORE THAN A DECADE AGO: THAT IT IS FAR
LESS COSTLY TO RE-USE THE ASSETS OF A CITY THAN IT IS TO
BUILD A SUBURB.
IN FACT, IT COSTS ABOUT 50 PERCENT LESS ALL AROUND
-- IN LAND, ENERGY, CAPITAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DISRUPTION,
THERE HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE INCREASE IN SMALLER
HOUSEHOLDS -- PUSHING THE DEMAND FOR LOW AND MODERATE COST
HOUSING, ACCESSIBLE TO OUR URBAN CENTERS,
BETWEEN 1970 AND 1974 -- SINGLES, YOUNG MARRIEDS, THE
CHILDLESS AND THE ELDERLY, ACCOUNTED FOR 82 PERCENT OF THE
NATION'S NET POPULATION GAIN,
-10-
I BELIEVE THAT AMERICA CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF THESE
PEOPLE AND IN THE PROCESS BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO OUR CITIES.
WHETHER WE SPEAK OF WASTED OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN OR
FOR OUR CITIES, WE CAN SPEAK OF DESPARATE PROBLEMS OR GREAT
CHALLENGES,
As ONE WHO WAS INVITED TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT BY
ATTORNEY GENERAL RICHARDSON, WHO LEFT BEFORE I ARRIVED --
AS ONE WHO WAS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE NOMINATION OF THE
INCUMBENT ATTORNEY GENERAL LEVI, WHO CAME AS I WAS LEAVING
-- I HAVE SOME SENSE OF THE FUTILITY OF COUNTING TOO HEAVILY
ON FUTURE EXPECTATIONS.
YET, I AM CONFIDENT THAT IF WE HARNESS ALL THE INGENUITY,
CREATIVITY AND DRIVE OF ALL OUR PEOPLE, WE WILL FIND THE
SOLUTIONS TO OUR MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS,
BUT THE JOB ISN'T GOING TO GET DONE IF THE NATION
WASTES THE TALENTS OF HALF ITS PEOPLE -- OR WASTES TIME
DEBATING ABOUT WHO SHOULD BE RUNNING THE STORE.
-11-
AND YOU, HERE, ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF THAT TALENT
-- AND YOU ARE VERY SPECIAL TO THE FUTURE OF THIS NATION,
THERE'S A TIRED CLICHE -- MUCH OVER-USED -- ABOUT
"DOING YOUR OWN THING". BUT THE ONLY WAY TO DO YOUR THING
IS TO DO YOUR OWN THINKING.
You, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS
HOW YOU THINK, WHAT YOU THINK AND WHY YOU THINK IT.
IN CASE ANYBODY FORGETS TO REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE SPECIAL
AND INDIVIDUAL, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS THOUGHT:
THE DELIGHTFUL ENGLISH HUMORIST, H.H. MUNRO -- WHO
WROTE CHILDREN'S STORIES UNDER THE PEN-NAME OF "SAKI" --
ONCE TOLD OF A VERY YOUNG HEROINE WHO REFUSED TO EAT THE
NODDLE SOUP BECAUSE SHE CLAIMED THERE WAS A LIVE FROG IN IT.
SAID SAKI: "OLDER AND WISER FOLK SCOFFED AT THE CHILD
FOR HER VIVID IMAGINATION. 'TISH,' THEY SAID, 'AND ALSO
TUSH. THERE IS NO FROG IN THE SOUP, GIRL!'
-12-
"BUT SHE KNEW BETTER -- BECAUSE, JUST BEFORE DINNER,
SHE HAD PUT IT THERE!"
AND, so IT IS WITH YOUR THOUGHTS AND AMBITIONS. DON'T
LET OTHERS TISH AND TUSH AND TALK YOU OUT OF THEM. You
KNOW BETTER. AFTER-ALL, THEY ARE IN YOUR MIND, AND YOU PUT
THEM THERE.