John Gardner
John Gardner
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Full Name and Common Aliases
John William Gardner was born on October 8, 1912, in Los Angeles, California. He is commonly known as Jack Gardner.
Birth and Death Dates
Born: October 8, 1912
Died: August 5, 2002 (aged 89)
Nationality and Profession(s)
Gardner was an American scholar, educator, author, and consultant. Throughout his career, he held various positions in academia and government.
Early Life and Background
John Gardner grew up in a family that valued education and encouraged intellectual pursuits from an early age. His parents, however, struggled financially, which led to the family moving frequently during his childhood. Despite these challenges, Gardner's parents instilled in him a love for learning and a strong work ethic.
Gardner's academic prowess earned him a scholarship to Stanford University, where he studied philosophy and literature. After completing his undergraduate degree, he went on to earn his master's and Ph.D. from the same institution. His educational background laid the foundation for his future accomplishments in academia and beyond.
Major Accomplishments
Gardner's career spanned multiple fields, including education, government, and the non-profit sector. Some of his notable achievements include:
Serving as the United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare from 1965 to 1969
Founding the White House Conference on Youth in 1960
Establishing the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
Playing a key role in the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)
Notable Works or Actions
Gardner was an prolific author, publishing numerous books on topics such as education, youth development, and American culture. Some notable works include:
"Excellence: Can We Be Arranged?" (1984)
"Youth UnEmployed" (1963)
* "The Arts and the Human Experience" (1977)
Impact and Legacy
Gardner's contributions to education, youth development, and arts policy have had a lasting impact on American society. His work has inspired generations of educators, policymakers, and artists.
As Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, Gardner implemented significant reforms in education and healthcare. He also played a crucial role in the creation of the NEA and NEH, recognizing the importance of arts and humanities in shaping American culture.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Gardner's quotes and writings continue to resonate with people today due to his insightful perspectives on American society. His emphasis on the importance of education, youth development, and arts policy has influenced many notable individuals, including President Lyndon B. Johnson, who appointed him Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.
As a thought leader in his time, Gardner's ideas continue to inspire new generations of leaders and thinkers. His legacy serves as a reminder of the power of education, innovation, and public service in shaping a better future for all.
Quotes by John Gardner
John Gardner's insights on:
The child of the lower or lower middle class is urged in both overt and subtle ways to surpass his background, his well-meaning parents and friends never anticipating that if their dream of upward mobility is realized, the child may adopt the prejudices of the class to which he’s lifted and, with a touch of neurotic distress, may permanently scorn his former life and also, to a certain extent, himself, since the class he’s invaded is unlikely to accept him fully.
As in the universe every atom has an effect, however miniscule, on every other atom, so that to pinch the fabric of Time and Space at any point is to shake the whole length and breadth of it, so that to change a character’s name from Jane to Cynthia is to make the fictional ground shudder under her feet.
People will tell you that writing is too difficult, that it’s impossible to get your work published, that you might as well hang yourself. Meanwhile, they’ll keep writing and you’ll have hanged yourself.
Another irritant is accidental rhyme, as in the sentence “When the rig blew, everything went flying sky-high – me too.” Notice here that the rhyme is offensive because both rhyme words, “blew” and “too” are stressed positions; that is, the voice comes down hard on them. The rhyme is not offensive, to most ears, if the writer can get one of the rhymes out of stressed position: “The rig blew sky-high, and everything went flying, me too.
It is the nature of stupid people to hide their perplexity and attack what they cannot grasp.
Were they my brothers, my uncles, those creatures shuffling brimstone-eyed from room to room, or sitting separate, isolated, muttering forever like underground rivers, each in his private, inviolable gloom?
