acknowledgments

cknowledgments

Many individuals - all good friends and close to me - contributed to

the preparation of this oral history. First of all, my daughter, Joan

Curhan, deserves top recognition for her persistent and affectionate

efforts to persuade me to undertake these memoirs. Aided by my wife,

Muriel, she urged me onward. And once the process started, Joan

became involved in every facet of the work. Wordsmith and

phrasemaker, she read and reread the manuscript, recalling stories,

suggesting revisions, checking for consistency and accuracy,

contributing to the design phase, and holding all participants to

high professional standards. Truly, I am deeply indebted to her for

all that she has done.

It Was Joan who suggested that Carl M. Brauer serve as editor and

narrator of the memoirs. While I had known Carl before he undertook

the commitment to this project, the hours we spent together as he

carefully questioned me about the many facets of my life experience

cemented our friendship. Carl was patient but thorough in his

probing, and brought extensive professional skills to this task.

Next, Joan enlisted Susan Michaelson, a colleague of hers at Harvard

University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, to edit the

manuscript that Carl had woven from our many hours of interviews.

Without Susan, this manuscript would not be in its present form. I

thank her for her fine insights, valuable suggestions, and skillful

editing.

Muriel, my wife, made a prodigious effort to locate and retrieve old

photographs, many of which are now reproduced in the memoirs. A

critical reviewer of the drafts of the memoirs, she often reminded me

of meaningful events that should be cited. Above all, she was very

supportive of me throughout this entire process.

My special thanks go to Stuart Altman, Jenifer and Jared Curhan, Ruth

Fein, Edward Saxe, and Helen Spaulding for their participation in

interviews conducted by Carl Brauer, and to Peter Gunness, former

headmaster of the Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, for his

gracious letter. Their contributions of valued time and considered

thought enrich these memoirs.

As I reviewed this oral history in its final form, I recognized that

many good friends who played a role in my life in various and

effective ways are not mentioned. They must forgive me. From the

outset of this endeavor, I did not intend the memoirs to cover all my

life experiences.

My secretary, Elaine Flynn, was the principal manuscript typist. She

spent many hours transcribing the numerous tapes of the interviews

that Carl had conducted, and then patiently and efficiently typed

successive drafts of the manuscript. I was encouraged by her reported

enjoyment as she read the early versions of the work.

I was very pleased when my long-time friend Gill Fishman of Gill

Fishman Associates agreed to design this manuscript. The expertise,

which he has evidenced on many prior projects in which I have

participated, ensured that the work would be of high quality. I also

gratefully acknowledge the creative contributions to the design

format by Michael Persons, Senior Designer at Gill Fishman

Associates. Once again, Gill, you have my warm appreciation.

I owe much to my son-in-law Ronald Curhan, my grandchildren] Jenifer

and ]ared Curhan, and their friends Peter Beinart and Aaron Panner,

who spent many long hours carefully reading and ably critiquing the

manuscript. Their helpful comments and thoughtful suggestions have

improved the final product. I am deeply touched by Peter's superbly

written and meaningful letter that forms the conclusion of the

memoirs. To my sons, Bill and David, I am grateful for their comments

and suggestions.

Robert S. Cummings, the Managing Partner of Peabody & Brown, kindly

permitted the use of excerpts from Peabody & Brown: A History, and

has always been a supportive friend.

To all of you, I extend my wholehearted thanks.

David R. Pokross September 1994