SARASOTA, FLA., November 3, 1975. Re: S.1809 Hon. CLAIBORNE PELL, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: In times of stress we do need a lift or we will all go limp with pain of one sort or another. Your kind support for the National Endowment for the Arts would give the Country a chance to once again get the assist they so rightfully deserve. Very truly yours, EUGENE YOUNG, Jr. Hon. CLAIBORNE PELL, Washington, D.C. MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, DEAR MR. PELL: I am writing to you, as well as to Senator Javits and Representatives Bell and Brademas, to express my concern over the proposed amendment to the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act, specifically, to that section of the amendment that would create State Humanities Councils within the NEH structure. I have read with care the briefing paper on this subject prepared by the National Council on the Humanities and I concur fully with the position taken therein. I would, however, like to add my personal perspective. In my opinion the proposed State Humanities Councils could be useful for only one kind of activity, the kind of local discussion and application of the humanities to matters of puble policy that is already being successfully undertaken by the volunteer state-based Humanities Committees. In my capacity as Executive Director of one of the largest and oldest of the humanistic disciplinary associations I have had many opportunities to work with all of the NEH Divisions, including and especially the Public Programs Division. I have been familiar with and have lent my personal support to the development of the state-based Committees since their inception. As I stated in an address in 1973 in Washington, I believe that the idea of "applied humanities"-humanistic endeavor applied directly to current issues of public policy-is potentially one of the most exciting ventures of our century. I see no reason to think that the proposed State Humanities Councils would be more efficient or less costly than the present volunteer committees; my main concern, however, is that the State Councils would apparently not be limited to the kind of activity presently undertaken by the volunteer committees but would be concerned with other kinds of programs paralleling those in which the National Endowment is involved, for example, the awarding of grants for research programs. Herein, I believe, lies the danger, for to divert to State Councils limited federal funds designated for meeting national needs would result in duplication of effort and, inevitably, the funding of projects of relatively low national priority. As I have always understood it, the National Endowment is meant to be precisely what its title implies-an endowment created to meet national needs in the humanities-and while one might argue that the ultimate goal of all humanistic endeavor is the application of the humanities to public policy, it is national support for basic research, fellowships, and education that creates and sustains that which we mean by the "humanities." Increasingly the NEH has become the major source of support for humanistic study, and any changes in the present act that would reduce or divert funds for basic reearch ou a national level would diminish the entire effort. Many of my colleagues feel that the percentage of Endowment funds presently allocated to the state-based volunteer Committees is excessive, at least in comparison to the percentage allocated for basic research. Priorities in allocating funds within the Endowment can, of course, be reevaluated and altered as needs warrant. But to create Humanities Councils as a permanent part of the NEH structure is a very different matter. The humanities are sorely in need of the kind of federal support that has long been given to the sciences. I can see no value in reducing our present national support by permanently shifting federal funds to state agencies. Although my opposition to the proposed amendment is strong and sincerely held, I would surely be remiss were I not to close this letter by assuring you that the scholarly community is deeply grateful for your past and continued support of higher education in general and of the humanities in particular. I oppose the amendment, therefore, with full recognition that without your efforts there very likely would be no Arts and Humanities Act to which amendments could be proposed. I have no doubt that reauthorization of the Act will have your full support; I only hope that such support will not include an amendment creating State Humanities Councils. Very sincerely yours, WILLIAM D. SCHAEFER, Executive Director. Senator CLAIBORNE PELL, DURON PAINT MANUFACTURING CO., INC., DEAR SENATOR PELL: I am writing to express my deep concern for and support of the reauthorization of the National Endowment for the Arts, due to expire June 30, 1976. The Endowment has been an integral part of the life and success of Center Stage since 1965. Center Stage is Baltimore's only resident theater. In the past three years the Endowment has granted Center Stage a total of $442,000; $202,000 went to upgrade the artistic quality of the theater and expand community services (i.e. workshops for students and educators, performances for senior citizens and the disadvantaged, etc.) and $140,000 to enable the Young People's Theater to tour elementary and high schools in Baltimore City and all the counties in the State. In January, 1974, Center Stage's theater was totally destroyed by fire. Shortly after the fire. Center Stage applied to and was awarded a grant in the amount of $100,000 from the Endowment to cover the architectural and engineering fees necesseary to remove an old Baltimore landmark, Loyola College, as the new home of Center Stage. I urge you to support the reauthorization of the National Endowment for the Arts and thereby help maintain and increase the cultural enrichment of our lives. Thank you. Sincerely, HARRY FEINBERG, President. Hon. CLAIBORNE PELL, BUFFALO, N.Y., November 3, 1975. Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on the Arts and Humanities, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR PELL: I urge your own and your subcommittee's support of and approval for the re-authorization of the National Endowment for the Arts, with funding in accordance with annual levels recommended by the Associated Council of the Arts-180,210 and 250 million dollars per year. Government support has become an increasingly more important factor in the Arts, and in the budgets of most cultural institutions in the United States. With private funding unable to match the inflationary increases in cost faced by these institutions, it is vitally important that this support continues to grow. I don't think $1 per American citizen represents too great a burden on the American taxpayer, in view of the benefits enjoyed by our citizens every year through the Arts. Sincerely yours, DAVID K. DIEBOLD. L. GORDON & SON, INC., Baltimore, Md., November 5, 1975. Senator CLAIBORNE PELL, DEAR SENATOR PELL: I am writing to express my deep concern for and support of the reauthorization of the National Endowment for the Arts, due to expire June 30, 1976. The Endowment has been an integral part of the life and success of Center Stage since 1965. Center State is Baltimore's only resident theater. 66-053 O - 76 - 31 In the past three years the Endowment has granted Center Stage a total of $442,000; $202,000 went to upgrade the artistic quality of the theater and expand community services (i.e. workshops for students and educators, performances for senior citizens and the disadvantaged, etc.) and $140,000 to enable the Young People's Theater to tour elementary and high schools in Baltimore City and all the counties in the State. In January, 1974, Center Stage's theater was totally destroyed by fire. Shortly after the fire, Center Stage applied to and was awarded a grant in the amount of $100,000 from the Endowment to cover the architectural and engineering fees necessary to renovate an old Baltimore landmark, Loyola College, as the new home of Center Stage. I urge you to support the reauthorization of the National Endowment for the Arts and thereby help maintain and increase the cultural enrichment of our lives. Thank you. BERTRAM I. GORDON, President. Hon. CLAIBORNE PELL, HERITAGE REPERTORY CO., Charlottesville, Va., November 3, 1975. Chairman, Special Subcommittee on Arts and Humanities, DEAR SENATOR PELL: I am writing regarding the pending reauthorization for the National Endowment for the Arts. As an arts administrator having worked in several states, I am aware of how valuable to our public the establishment of the National Endowment has been. How especially in these times of economic troubles, citizen distrust of government and other problems that wear the fabric of our society thin, the monies appropriated for the National Endowment can strengthen the fabric of that society by making the arts of the country available to its populace. The arts are integrally linked to the quality of life in America. We pride ourselves on leading the world in many areas. Let us also pride ourselves as leaders in the arts for our own people. I therefore urge you to support the appropriation levels for the National Endowment of $180 million for fiscal 1977, $210 million for fiscal 1978 and $250 million for fiscal 1979. Thanking you for your consideration, I remain Sincerely yours, MARK PAGE, General Manager. SARASOTA, FLA., October 5, 1975. Hon. CLAIBORNE PELL, Senator from Rhode Island, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR, This letter is written to you in relation to Senate Bill 1809 and House Bill 9657. The National Endowment For the Arts is in my opinion a most important program for the continuing education of our people and the improvement of quality of life in our country. I hope that you will strongly support this measure in Committee, and that the final Bill will include funding at present levels for a period of at least three years. Sincerely, THEODORE SCHLESINGER. [Mailgram] SEATTLE, WASH., November 4, 1975. Senator CLAIBORNE PELL, Washington, D.C.: I strongly urge you to work for the increased and continued support for appropriations regarding S. 1809. I feel that Government support for the arts is vital. Mrs. Louis BRECHEMIN. NOVEMBER 3, 1975. DEAR CONGRESSPERSON: I would like to urge you to support the authorization of the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts for the years of 1977 through 1979. I would urge you to support the Endowment for it's full request of: Fiscal 1977, $180 million; Fiscal 1978, $210 million; Fiscal 1979, $250 million. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, RICHARD F. HICKS. WOODSIDE, N.J., November 7, 1975. Hon. CLAIBORNE PELL, Chairman, Senate Special Subcommittee on Arts and Humanities. DEAR SIR: May I urge that the National Endowment for the Arts be reauthorized before it expires next June. I as my parents before me have always supported the live theatre. It is true that none of us purchased a TV. During the last couple of winters as off off Broadway thrived with all types of endeavors I've wateched such genuine acting with special vibrations for us the live audience. It is not up to me to ask for money to be appropriated but I also remember the fine work accomplished by WPA during the other depression. Two thirds of my life I lived in your neighboring State of Massachusetts. INGEBORG C. HAZELTINE. THE BACK ALLEY THEATRE, INC., Senator CLAIBORNE PELL, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR PELL: The Back Alley Theatre is a semi professional community theatre with a broad base of support in the Washington metropolitan area. For the past several years we have conducted city wide Workshop Training programs for young people interested in receiving training in theatre arts. Therefore, we have working relationships with many arts groups and community organizations throughout the city. On behalf of our organization and all of the people we serve, we would like to urge you to vote in favor of the reauthorization of the National Endowment for the Arts, with funding at the highest level possible. We fully support the recommendation of The Associated Councils of the Arts for a three-year authorization with annual ceilings of $180, $210 and $250 million. In the past the National Endowment for the Arts has made it possible for many small arts organizations, such as ourselves, to survive when it would have been otherwise impossible. If the arts are to continue to survive in this country, we feel that it is essential that the National Endowment be reauthorized and that appropriations be increased over previous years. Without the support made possible by the National Endowment, many very creative artists would be unable to contribute to the cultural enrichment of our country. Therefore, we again strongly urge you to vote in favor of the bill which would reinstate the National Endowment at the highest possible funding level. We thank you for your attention and support in this matter. Sincerely, NAOMI EFTIS, Producing Director. THE ROUSE CO., Hon. CLAIBORNE PELL, Columbia, Md., November 4, 1975. Chairman, Special Subcommittee on Arts and Humanities, DEAR SENATOR PELL: I am writing to express my deep concern for and support of the reauthorization of the National Edowment for the Arts, due to expire June 30, 1976. The Endowment has been an integral part of the life and success of Center Stage since 1965. Center Stage is Baltimore's only resident theater. In the past three years the Endowment has granted Center Stage a total of $442,000; $202,000 went to upgrade the artistic quality of the theater and expand com munity services (i.e., workshops for students and educators, performances for senior citizens and the disadvantaged, etc.), and $140,000 to enable the Young People's Theater to tour elementary and high schools in Baltimore City and all the counties in the State. In January, 1974, Center Stage's theater was totally destroyed by fire. Shortly after the fire, Center Stage applied to and was awarded a grant in the amount of $100,000 from the Endowment to cover the architectural and engineering fees necessary to renovate an old Baltimore landmark, Loyola College, as the new home of Center Stage. I urge you to support the reauthorization of the National Endowment for the Arts and thereby help maintain and increase the cultural enrichment of our lives. Thank you. EDWIN A. DANIELS, Jr., Vice President. Hon. CLAIBORNE PELL, MURRAY LOUIS DANCE Co., New York, N.Y., November 6, 1975. Chairman, Senate Special Subcommittee on Arts and Humanities, DEAR SIR: I am writing to you in regard to the reauthorization legislation for the National Endowment for the Arts (House bill H.R. 9657 and Senate bill S. 1809) to urge you to support increased appropriations of $180, $210, and $250 million over the next three years. The National Endowment is one of our most valuable institutions in that it is concerned with the development of the spirit of the citizens of this country and without that nothing else would make much difference. Thank you very much. C. WILLIAM BOURNE, Manager. NOXELL CORP., Baltimore, Md., November 6, 1975. Hon. CLAIBORNE PELL, U.S. Senate, Senate Office Building, DEAR SENATOR PELL: I am writing to express my deep concern for and support of the reauthorization of the National Endownment for the Arts, due to expire June 30, 1976. The Endowment has been an integral part of the life and success of Center Stage since 1965. Center Stage is Baltimore's only resident theater. In the past three years the Endowment has granted Center Stage a total of $442,000; $202,000 went to upgrade the artistic quality of the theater and expand community services (i.e. workshops for students and educators, performances for senior citizens and the disadvantaged, etc.) and $140,000 to enable the Young People's Theater to tour elementary and high schools in Baltimore City and all the counties in the State. In January, 1974, Center Stage's theater was totally destroyed by fire. Shortly after the fire, Center Stage applied to and was awarded a grant in the amount of $100,000 from the Endowment to cover the architectural and engineering fees necessary to renovate an old Baltimore landmark, Loyola College, as the new home of Center Stage. I urge you to support the reauthorization of the National Endowment for the Arts and thereby help maintain and increase the cultural enrichment of our lives. Thank you. Sincerely, GEORGE L. BUNTING, Jr., President. SEATTLE, WASH., November 17, 1975. DEAR CHAIRMAN PELL: I urgently appeal to you in the interest of the Arts and Humanities to do all possible to pass H.R. 9657/S. 1809, reauthorizing this National Endowment funding. |