THE UNIVERSITY OFCHICAGO g RECOEPSeptember 11,1 973 A n Official Publication Volume VII, Number 7Memorial Tributeto the HonorableWILLIAM BENTONApril 1, 1900—March 18, 19733:00 P.M.June 11, 1973The Joseph Bond ChapelTHE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGOFOUNDED BY JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER© 1973 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.WILLIAM BENTON, 1900-1973William Benton was born on April 1, 1900, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.From 1937 to 1945 he was Vice-President of The University ofChicago. He was named a Trustee in 1946 and a Life Trustee in1965. In 1942 he helped organize the Committee for EconomicDevelopment and in the following year he became publisher ofEncyclopaedia Britannica.In July 1945 William Benton resigned as Vice-President of theUniversity and as the Chairman of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.,to become Assistant Secretary of State under Harry S Truman.During his two years in the Truman administration he organized theprogram which created the "Voice of America" broadcasts. He alsoled U.S. participation in UNESCO.In 1949 William Benton was appointed U.S. Senator from Connecticut; the following year he was elected to fill two years of anunexpired term. After leaving the Senate, William Benton returnedto the active Chairmanship of Britannica.In 1963 President John F. Kennedy appointed him U.S.representative to UNESCO with the rank of ambassador.In 1968 The University of Chicago conferred upon Mr. Benton thefirst 4 'William Benton Medal for Distinguished Service." This wasthe citation:"William Benton, visionary public servant, perceptive student offoreign affairs, staunch supporter of education, discriminatingpublisher, astute businessman, co-founder of UNESCO and of theCommittee for Economic Development, creator of the "Voice ofAmerica," whose talents he has shared freely with his fellow men."This issue of the Record contains the tributes which were paid toWilliam Benton at the memorial service which was held at BondChapel on June 11, 1973.The PreludeEnglish VoluntariesGeorge Frederick Handel • William Boyce • Maurice GreeneMr. Edward H. LeviMr. Orton H. HicksMrs. Anna Rosenberg HoffmanHorn SolosAndante Cantabile . . . Camille Saint-SaensAir: Bist du bei mir . . . Johann Sebastian BachWilliam Klingelhoffer, SoloistMr. Howland H. SargeantMr. Richard H. HowlandThe Honorable Hubert H. Humphrey©$©SongsNun will die Sonn so hell aufgeh'n! . . . Gustav MahlerOft denk' ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen! . . . Gustav MahlerJohn Magnuson, SoloistMr. Harold D. LasswellThe Honorable Nicholas JohnsonMr. Robert M. HutchinsMr. Robert P. GwinnThe PostludeHorn and Organ: Air . . . Jeremiah ClarkeEdward Mondello, OrganistMr. Edward H. LeviThis gathering of family, friends, and colleaguesheld in the University which he served so wellreflects the abiding influence of William Benton.We cannot hope in the brief moments we have toencompass the full scope of his life. Each of us has asomewhat different story to tell as, indeed, it wouldbe appropriate for such a gathering. We are boundtogether by our love and admiration for one uniqueamong us, by the joy of having known one of thegreat spirits of our time. The incredible diversity ofhis career broadened the scope and magic of hiswork, but it reflected at all times the same creativityand enthusiasm, the same courage and intensity ofpurpose, and, more than that, the same devotion toa set of principles which gave unity and completeness to a life of many patterns.William Benton was an officer and trustee of thisUniversity. 'There is something about being atrustee of a college or university. I think it is thehighest honor that can be given a man in privatelife," he said last autumn. Even so, the words"officer and trustee" inadequately measure thisrelationship. It was from this University that hebegan the organizing of the committee on EconomicDevelopment; created "The University of ChicagoRoundtable" as an instrument of public information on an almost international scale; beganthe bridging of an academic and public life and theseeing of international and domestic issues in acommon context ahead of his time; carried themessage of this University and gave it newsignificance as he developed the international exchange of scholars and as he championed intellectual freedom. It was from here that he madepossible the relationship between the University andthe Encyclopaedia Britannica pleading with hisfellow trustees to recognize the importance of thatrelationship to the University and to the society asan instrument to help make possible a learningsociety.Because of his extraordinary leadership for thisUniversity, the Board of Trustees created theWilliam Benton Medal as the University's highestservice award to be given not more than once in afive-year period, and conferred the first such medalupon Senator Benton. I know it gave him greatpleasure to have Paul Hoffman as the secondrecipient. Now the University, enabled to take thisstep through an anonymous donor (matching fundspreviously given by the Mellon Foundation), hasestablished the William Benton Professorship, andin addition an appropriate area of the RegensteinLibrary will carry his name.These signs inadequately express the impact upon our own lives which William Benton had — thedisarming candor, the insistence upon, and devotionto basic principles. But they are in recognition of aninfluence which will remain and grow. WilliamBenton's reach was always for the future. I welcomeyou to this gathering knowing that what we shalltalk about and think about is not just of the past,but of an abiding meaning for tomorrow.Mr. Orton H. HicksFifteen years ago when Dartmouth was about toappoint a Vice-President, President Dickey addressed a memo to the college trustees in which heoutlined the specifications of the job, touched on myalleged qualifications, but did not hesitate tomention my obvious deficiencies. In connection withthe latter, he wrote: "Hicks is not a good publicspeaker, but he has one great asset: he does not talklong!" Except for my proud claim of being BillBenton's oldest friend, that is probably my onlyjustification for my appearing in such distinguishedcompany. At least I shall set a standard of brevityfor my colleagues who follow.The early schoolboy days with Bill at Shattuckgave promise of the man who was to come. Eventhen his persuasiveness was legendary. My senioryear pet project as editor of the school paper was todrive the two wholly worthless and entirely politicalfraternities off the campus. Bill, as head of Tau Phifraternity, came to dissuade me. One hour later wehad not only reversed the editorial policy, but I hadalso joined Tau Phi and was campaigning for Bill tobe class President on the Tau Phi ticket.Forty years later, that same persuasivenessturned the tide when Bill was negotiating with mefor Britannica to acquire exclusive 16mmdistribution of Metro Goldwyn Mayer's library offeature films. MGM's President, Arthur Loew, washesitant to sign the deal because he had heard thatBritannica was "not having a very good year." Iasked Bill for a rebuttal. He replied: 'The rumor istrue. Last year EB made $18 million. This year wewill make only $10 million. But that is still a lotbetter than your $5 million profit at MGM!" (Billhad always done his homework.) And then as anafterthought Bill said: "As further evidence ofBritannica' s inherent stability there is one morething you can tell Arthur: Tf ever he has made asmany mistakes as I have made, MGM would noteven have survived.' " Courage was one of Bill'sgreatest qualities — whether he was standing up tothe school bully, or confronting the infamous JoeMcCarthy, or telling off MGM. That same boldnessfounded the first radio-oriented advertising agency225and brought to this great University of Chicago thelargest gift in the history of fund raising. Yet with itall Bill had fun! He enjoyed life! He might well havewritten that line of Robert Louis Stevenson's fromThe Lantern Bearers: 'They who miss the joy missall."A joyous nature, contagious enthusiasm, boldcourage, and inspiring leadership: these arequalities we will always associate with Bill. And atthe very top was the quality of his friendship. Myown indebtedness to that friendship spans 58 years.Included in that list of debts is the friendship Loisand I enjoy with Helen and her gracious family; thefriendship that has brought me the honor of appearing on this program today.But a far greater debt is owed to Bill by society atlarge. The world mourns the loss of a truly greatman while we in this room mourn the loss of a loyaland honored friend. Bill, our affection for you is bestexpressed in the final line of Dartmouth's AlmaMater: Bill, "there is no music for our singing, nowords to bear the burden of our praise."Mrs. Anna Rosenberg HoffmanOn Bill Benton's last visit to Lyndon Johnson'sranch, only a few weeks before the President'sdeath, President Johnson gave Senator Benton acopy of his book, The Vantage Point, containing thefollowing inscription: "To Bill Benton a man for allseasons. A compassionate leader in all fields thatmake his country and its people better and stronger.Education, relations with other nations, environment, business, and the plight of his fellowman, benefit from this unique and very unusualman — from his friend through all the years, LyndonB. Johnson."All of you here today have in some way sharedthe excitement of working with or knowing thisunique and unusual man.Many of Bill's accomplishments will be part ofAmerica's history.The Senator who had the courage to be the firstto stand up on the floor of the U.S. Senate and tellSenator Joseph McCarthy the truth.The man who had the vision to create the "Voiceof America" when he was in the State Department — a voice that became the voice of hope duringthe troubled war years.The Chairman of the UNESCO Delegation whowon the respect and leadership for the United Statesin the many educational and communications areasall over the world.Yes, Bill Benton dreamed the impossible dream, and fought the unbeatable foe; but he made theimpossible dream come true, and to him there wasno unbeatable foe.He became a leader in business, but his businessventures were not to amass a fortune for himself orhis family, but to make a contribution to educationand knowledge. Under his leadership the Encyclopaedia Britannica became the greatest and thebest. Bill Benton would not settle for less. He was aproponent of visual education in the very early years,and his company, Encyclopaedia BritannicaEducational Corporation became a trail-blazer inthis field. The Great Books, Merriam Webster,Compton's, Praeger, Muzak, these are all venturesmost of you know about and some of you will talkabout today.Some of you will remember the many memosthat Bill Benton sent to all of us, and at times wecomplained about them, and yet, we now all feelthat life lacks some of the excitement and inspiration and how we wish we could still receivethose memos.I am sure some of you here today will talk aboutmany of Bill Benton's accomplishments, but I Wouldlike to share with you a quiet moment of remembrance of Bill Benton — the man — the man who hada quality of friendship that I have known in noother. Many can bear testimony to this wonderfulquality in Bill.My mind goes back to a year ago last May whenBill Benton sat with me in an airless hot corridorhour after hour, day after day, while his friend PaulHoffman was fighting for his life in a hospital intensive care unit. Time and time again I asked Billto leave telling him that there was nothing he coulddo, but he stayed, trying by the force of his friendship and the strength of his love to help Paul in hisfight on the other side of the wall. And I believe thathe somehow did help Paul in that fight.A few days after Bill's death Paul, who read allthe editorials and comments; dictated these fewlines and, as he cannot be here with you, I would liketo read them. They were written by a man who knewand loved Bill Benton as I did:"As was anticipated Bill Benton's death hasresulted in his receiving a large number of eulogiesfrom many parts of the world from many differentpeople. They have one fault in common: they givegreat emphasis to Senator Benton's accomplishments as an advertising man, a businessman, and a politician, but none stress to what in mymind was his most outstanding characteristic;namely, that he was a great human being and alwayslooked for a chance to help other human beingsrealize their full potential. I am one of the many226hundreds of people Bill Benton helped in a mosteffective way because of his human compassion.This explains the reason why he has so manydevoted and intensely loyal friends throughout theworld. He would do anything to help a friendachieve a worthy objective."Bill Benton left a proud heritage to his childrenand his grandchildren, and the great trust andresponsibility to his wife, Helen, who" I know isproud of this confidence and will carry out hiswishes and ideals. And we, Bill's associates andfriends, will give Helen the same loyalty anddevotion we gave Bill.Mr. Howland H. SargeantWilliam Benton labored long to teach me the valueof the short descriptive phrase. I was thinking howhe would have phrased his own life in internationalaffairs. Perhaps like this: A founding father ofUNESCO. Revolutionizer of America's International Information, Educational Exchange andCultural Relations Programs in the face of formidable opposition. Organizer of the "Voice ofAmerica." Vigorous champion of worldwidefreedom of information. Discerning prophet ofeducation as the key to Latin America's future andeloquent advocate of life-long education. Recipientof the State Department's Distinguished HonorAward. First American member of UNESCO'sExecutive Board to hold the rank of Ambassador.I don't know whether Bill would have given me apassing grade. He wouldn't have written this abouthimself, but I think he would have liked the effort tosummarize and try to say in short compass some ofthe things that stand out in a lifetime of diversity.His close friend and colleague from the Senate,Senator J. W. Fulbright, Chairman of the SenateForeign Relations Committee, appraised hissignificance in the field of foreign relations in thesewords in a letter to Charles: "He possessed anenlightened and humane attitude, which helped ourcountry play a constructive role during the years hewas in the Department of State and in the Senate."He was deeply interested in the work ofUNESCO and recognized that good internationalrelations depend upon factors other than frommilitary might-"He thoroughly supported the students exchange program and all other activities designed toencourage the interaction of scholars and of citizensof many nations. He had a strong interest ineducation, and his early reports upon theeducational programs in Russia did a great deal to further the understanding of the people of thiscountry about the Russians. In view of this nation'stragic experience in military intervention, BillBenton's policies and ideas appear more valid withthe passage of time."Yet Bill Benton came late, in mid-career, to mostof these international concerns. The institutions onwhich he left his imprint are for the most partsublimely unconscious of the profoundly shapinginfluence that he exerted. It is an influence thatbecomes more distinct as time passes. For example:UNESCO later rejected its original narrow conceptof concentrating on the "elite of intellectuals," andmoved toward the position that William Benton hadadvocated from the earliest days when he pressed forprograms, including mass communication, to worktoward the "common understanding of the massesof the people in this world." When he came back toUNESCO in 1963, he said his return as a foundingfather could be likened to that of Thomas Jeffersonreturning to Washington of today and trying towend his way through the Pentagon. He found thatUNESCO's programs of material aid and assistancein education and science were by then fulfilling amajor need of the developing member states.The institutions that he did so much to bringinto being as instruments and elements of theworldwide program of information and educationalexchange have been fashionably cycled and recycledin intervening years, but I think the oedrock of hisconviction has stood the test of time. In his letter offarewell to Secretary of State George Marshall, inthe late summer of 1947, submitting his resignationas Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs(and incidentally leaving several lively babies on mydoorstep) he wrote: "The security of this nationdepends upon an informed opinion at home andabroad, and the truth is that although we have wonsuch support for the principle, we have not yetaroused the imagination of our fellow Americans..."If the Foreign Service today is not a limited guildof a traditional Foreign Service elite, but instead abroadly based corps of men and women capable ofmeeting the emerging post-war needs of a new era,only dimly perceived in 1946, then William Bentonhas a large measure of responsibility for thisevolution. Loy Henderson, Career Ambassador ofthe United States, now retired says: "Were it not forhis efforts as mediator I doubt that the ForeignService Act of 1946, which set the tone of theForeign Service for the next 25 years, would havecome into existence."Here is a man, who in the field of internationalaffairs, displayed that same great talent forfriendship, that same zest for promoting and227backing innovation and individual potential, as inall of his major efforts. His continuing significancein international affairs must be seen in part in theinstitutions he helped to shape and in the countlessindividuals — many are in this chapel today — whoselives he enriched and altered, and in that blend ofenlightened courage and willingness to take risksthat he brought to everything that he did. More thana decade ago, I was in Istanbul with Bill and heasked a perceptive lady who had seen at first-handsuccessive generations of ambassadors of this andother countries come and go: "What do you thinkare the three greatest attributes of an ambassador?"This lady replied: "First, courage; second, courage;and again, courage" — an appraisal that WilliamBenton fully shared, often repeated, and fullyexemplified in his life.Mr. Richard H. HowlandI speak the following words on behalf of DillonRipley, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution,who, alas, is in England today, as well as for myself.At the Smithsonian Institution we remember Bill asa Renaissance man dedicated to improving thequality of life in modern times. He was a man ofmany interests, both academic and professional; aman who felt at home on the campus as well as inthe board rooms; a man who was known amongmuseologists, publishers, government leaders, andthe literate for his dynamism, innovations, andenthusiastic endorsements of unpopular as well aspopular enterprises.In a period when there was great discussionabout the need for the business community tobecome interested in art, Senator Benton was apioneer as an advertising executive and publisherwho assembled American paintings of the first halfof our century. I recall him saying: "My paintingsrepresent my own taste, strict and unadulterated,without any advice from anybody. I have neversought any guidance on buying a picture nor have Iconcerned myself with whether the price would goup or down or whether I would be cheated. I buyrecklessly and when I like an artist like TomBenton or Ivan Albright I keep on buying his work."Bill Benton helped to develop the frontier that nowis American corporate involvement in the art world.He sponsored exhibitions of paintings in citiesacross the land as well as overseas. He sought outthe advice of distinguished curators in planningthese exhibits and his corporation, EncyclopaediaBritannica, was one of the first to employ such acurator to take part in planning corporate development activities in the Arts. It is said that BillBenton was the first private collector ever to buypaintings by Reginald Marsh. This was in the 1930s,which reminds us of a story about Bill and his artcollections.During the depression of the 1930s, Marsh cameto the Benton country home in Southport to paintportraits of the Benton children.- He remarked toBill Benton: "Do you know that the WPA is giving$100 a month to artists? And they can paintanything they want. Sometimes I wish I could get adeal like that." To which Benton replied: "Goahead, I'll be* your WPA. Paint anything you wantfor me and bring it in once a month and I'll give you$100 for it." Scores of great Marsh paintings weredelivered to Benton during a three or four yearperiod.He was at his best, perhaps, with a small groupof friends at his generous table at home or abroad.These were exciting events punctuated by ideas andobservations that flowed from him at the rate ofalmost one or two per minute. Bill had varied livesthat covered several worlds. He moved easily andassuredly from the world of economics and politicsto the social and educational universe with a deepbackground of knowledge of many subjects anddisciplines.For a number of years, I was privileged to travelwith him and his family along with a variety ofstimulating guests on several of the great yachts thathe chartered for long voyages to the Mediterranean,seeking the sources and fountainheads of ourcultures in ancient centers of civilization nowyielding their past to the archaeologists' spades. Forme, the most stimulating part of the voyages wereprobably not the sites themselves, but the informalseminars which Bill organized every evening beforedinner on the yacht's deck. These cocktail hoursstretched on, stimulated not by the generous drinksprovided, but by his reactions to the reports andanalyses that he requested of his family and guests,carefully prepared for days ahead, on topics andtopography to be enjoyed the following day. Thestimulation of Bill's responses, observations, andsensitive questioning led the reporting gUest intorealizing new depths and relationships that he hadnot previously suspected in his own topic of investigation.I recall one of those evenings on the fantail ofthat great yacht, the "Flying Clipper," when wewere discussing what, exactly, the SmithsonianInstitution really is. Is it really what it set out to be —fully concerned with the purpose of its founder,James Smithson, who asked in his will that theInstitution be devoted to the increase and diffusion228of knowledge among men? This phrase encompasses two objectives and they are distinct: thefirst implies sponsorship of research, and the secondthe sponsorship of publications and the widestpossible dissemination and exchange of information. Over the years, the Smithsonian hassponsored research into the domains of the planetsand of space, into aspects of our environment onearth and in the atmosphere, and after having doneso handsomely on the increase of knowledge, theSmithsonian has substantially added to its efforts inthe diffusion of knowledge. Diffusion has meantinnumerable publications, not just the results ofresearch, but encyclopedic works and compendia.As we — he and I — considered the millions thatflock out of our buildings touched by our researchand diffusion, it seemed to us that what we haveended up with is an aspect of a university withoutwalls, an open university so to speak, that seeks toexploit the most modern communications as well asthe most lasting ones to diffuse knowledge that isboth significant and sensitive to all mankind. BillBenton was actively concerned all his life with theincrease and diffusion of knowledge, and in manyways was a university himself in our Smithsoniandefinition of the term. He embodied the ideal thatJames Smithson issued as a challenge to us over 150years ago.We shall always honor him as this and as a greatworld leader concerned with progress and hope. Hewas an interdisciplinary man with Renaissancetastes and concerns that he shared not only with ourgeneration, but has passed on to those still to come.The Honorable Hubert H. HumphreyFive years ago, Mrs. Humphrey and I wereprivileged to be here at The University of Chicagowith Bill and Helen Benton on the occasion whenthe University was honoring this fine and good man.It was supposed to be a surprise visit on my part. Iwas occupying another office at that time, and Icame flying out here at government expense to sharein this wonderful occasion. I have to tell you,however, that Bill Benton had wired me. He didn'texpect me, but if I could come, he said, "don't speakmore than two or three minutes."Now can you imagine that loquacious conversationalist, Bill Benton, saying to that superloquacious conversationalist, Hubert Humphrey:"Speak only two or three minutes?" But this was themeasure of our relationship. We could speak withgreat candor, knowing that neither one of us mightpay too much attention to any sharpness in it. I saw in Bill Benton what you have seen in him.Maybe you have seen much that I haven't. Butabove all, I saw in him a restless spirit, but not anangry one— a restless spirit that was a part of thetimes, a part of the action of our century.I saw in him a very, very great love of threeeminent institutions — his Encyclopaedia Britannica, this great University of Chicago, and theUnited States Senate.Of course, for anyone to give a brief glimpse intothe life of Bill Benton is like trying to summarizeEncyclopaedia Britannica in just a few paragraphs.It is literally impossible. So I'm pleased to have thisopportunity to hear from several of his friends sothat we might at least learn a chapter or two of the"Lives of William Benton."I like that title of his biography because, truly,when I was asked recently how long he had lived, Isaid that's not the question. The question is withwhat intensity he lived. Because to Bill Benton, yearswere just a way that some people charted the courseof history. To Bill Benton a year was an opportunityto do several years work and undertake manygenerations of hopes.Now, how do you describe this man? How do youevaluate him or judge him? Well, I've tried and Imust confess that I haven't been able to do a verygood job of it. I have looked over many of the thingsthat others said about him.They said he was "unique." That's the understatement of the year."Courageous?" Indeed."Innovative and creative?" Words we use thatwere just a part of his very being."Conversationalist, engaging?" I should say howmany hours I have enjoyed the privilege of his company — as we tried to speak, both at the same time."Stimulating, exciting?" Surely that is but partof the character."Intellectual and a scholar?" Surely, yet henever really wanted to be known as an intellectual.One of his great talents was exciting intellectuals tobe more intellectual."Educator?" In the best sense of the word. Notonly the formal educator, but the educator of theopen university, of life itself.And "administrator, publisher and author,businessman and salesman." He was not justsalesman of the product, however, but salesman ofthe idea, of a theory, of a philosophy.And, yes, he was Senator and Ambassador.These were honored titles for him.And, of course, as it has been said, he led with"Voice of America" programs of international ex-229change in culture and education — this is BillBenton; not government, Bill Benton.UNESCO was very much his idea and it was oneof his joys of private and public life, being Ambassador to UNESCO. He gave so much and I doubtthat he received very much except the knowledge orthe feeling that he was able to share of his talentswith so many people.As husband and father, he excelled.And many are in his debt as philanthropist,patron of the arts.But I will remember him most as a friend, a goodfriend: accepting you as you are, always willing tohelp you become something better; a benefactor, acritic, a helper, one who was intensely loyal and whoshared openly his love and affection for you."Generous?" Yes, I knew him to be verygenerous, but his greatest generosity was the gift ofhis friendship. I've never known anybody who knewso many people. You could mention a name and BillBenton could give you really a full description, hislife, his works. He knew everybody, as I used to say,and if he didn't, he set out at once to make theacquaintance.May I take a few minutes of your time to tell youabout his politics? He wasn't just a private man. Asa matter of fact, he was very public. He had ideasabout everything and he would tell you. Howrefreshing!No carbon copy, this man. He was open, candid,opinionated, frank, and informed.In politics, he was a democrat — another blessingin his life. But he was not only a democrat, he was anindependent.He knew the great men of our time because hewas one of them. His love for Harry Truman wasknown and he everywhere proclaimed his respect forDwight Eisenhower. His affection for AdlaiStevenson was a rich part of his life. He had deepadmiration for John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson.These are all chapters in the rich and rewardinglife of my friend, Bill Benton.I met him first in Atlantic City when he wasAssistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Iwas Mayor of Minneapolis. We gazed upon eachother, wondering what kind of man is this, and outof that meeting came our wonderful friendship.He came to the United States Senate in 1949. Heonly served there three years, but he did more inthree years than some people do in three decades orthree generations. He didn't wait. I don't believethat he knew that he was a freshman senator, and, ifhe did, it didn't bother him a bit — except to reinforce his view that as a freshman he was supposed toshake up the establishment. He set to work at once. He was in every debates.The subject of education was foremost in all of hisutterances and thoughts.But above all, this man, this friend of mine, BillBenton, was a confirmed enemy of any form ofbigotry and discrimination and he set out early — infact his very first speech in the Senate was on theissue of civil rights at a time, may I say, when mostwere silent and fearful. Bill Benton spoke up for fairemployment practices when others were hiding out.He looked upon the immigration laws of ourcountry, saw in them provisions that were an insultto decency and humanity, and fought hard to makethose immigration laws worthy of a democracy. Hespoke out for effective federal aid to elementary andsecondary education. He did this at a time when itwas unpopular to be for civil rights, to be forliberalized immigration laws, or to be for aid toeducation.Then, how well I remember when he spoke to meof the day, it was in August of 1951 i when hedecided that he would challenge the late SenatorJoseph McCarthy because, as he said, SenatorMcCarthy represented a pattern of fraud and deceit.He called upon the United States Senate to expelhim — an act of immense courage that no one elsewas willing to undertake. I remember Bill saying tome: "I feel that I'm the one that can do it and Ishall."Yes, this man was a man of moral courage. Hewas a public man. Some might say that he is bestcharacterized by his efforts in international affairs,his support of NATO, his leadership in the field ofassistance abroad — the economic and humanitarianare parts and chapters of this man's life.But above all, to me, he was a person dedicatedto public service; His private enterprise was publicservice. He shared, he gave. He did "cast his breadupon the water" and it did come back in richdividends. Not dividends of money, but dividends ofrewards to life — a feeling that he was making acontribution to a better world.Bill was an optimist. I think that I found myfriendship with him, in part, because of thatcharacteristic. He believed that humankind coulddo better, that he could make a difference. Herecognized that institutions of democratic government need constant nourishment and constantprotection.He loved Adlai Stevenson, as I said. In fact,some of the happiest hours of my personal life havebeen in the company of Bill Benton and AdlaiStevenson: the wit, the humor, the arguments, thediscussion. How they would work each other over!And then, after they were through, they would turn230on me. And then I would join with one of them as apartner in working over the other. Oh, thoseprecious hours, and they were hours, believe me,and they were wonderful.Adlai Stevenson summarized for me, and what Ithink would be for Bill, the meaning of democracy. Iread to you what he said in 1963:"Democracy is not self executing. We have tomake it work, and to make it work we have tounderstand it. Sober thought and fearless criticismare impossible without critical thinkers andthinking critics. Such persons must be given theopportunity to come together to see new facts in thelight of old principles and to evaluate old principlesin light of new facts by deliberation, debate, anddialogue. This, as we all know well, although someof us forget from time to time, requires intellectualindependence in penitent speculation and freedomfrom political pressure for democracy's need forwisdom will be as perennial as its need for liberty.Not only external vigilance, but unending selfexamination is the perennial price of liberty,because the work of self-government never ceases."That philosophy represents well the public man,Bill Benton — a man of penitent speculation, intellectual independence, deliberation, debate,dialogue, and discussion, who recognized that thework of self-government never ceases.In all of his life, whatever the demands on histime or his resources, he gave of himself, to hisfriends and family, to the public, to the nation, tothe world, and to the great family that he loved themost of all — mankind.Mr. Harold D. Lass wellThe life of William Benton was a controlled explosion. He could turn a simple game into a tournament, a casual conversation into a commission ofenquiry, a vacation voyage into a floating classroom.Strangers might think that all this pressured livingwould be intolerable. But for those who knewWilliam Benton, there was no more point inresenting his unceasing initiative than there wouldhave been in grumbling about any other naturalforce. The force of gravity may cause us to fall downfrom time to time; but mainly it helps to keep ourfeet on the ground.Thus if William Benton kept asking, commenting, probing, it was not from the sheer pleasureof interfering with others; it was a by-product of an all-absorbing compulsion, a devouring commitmentto act, and to act with relevancy. He was forever insearch of workable ideas. Ideas that would work inthe family, the business, the University, foreignservice, the democratic party, the Senate. Life'sdistinctive and glorious moments were the timeswhen ideas struck. Once the blitz of an idea came,off went the inevitable memorandum and theinimitable letter.In one perspective, this unremitting activity wasintensely personal. William Benton specialized inpeople. He was the center of innumerable pairs andcircles. At the core were family and friends. Thenthe responsible actors in every sphere of operation.He was never more gratified than when these outercircles came closer and stayed intact while thestream of action -oriented communication went on.Seen In another perspective, William Bentonappeared to be remarkably removed from thepersonal. He spent notably few words on anythingthat could be interpreted as reviling his enemies orhurling recriminations after those who betrayed histrust. For him, life was too short for such self-dramatizing acts of self-indulgence. He was alwaysinventing the future. What William Benton did isonly partially to be understood as the characteristicaggrandizement of an ambitious ego. He gainedwealth, though money was no end in itself. Moneymeant personal independence. It implied freedomfrom being overlooked or kicked around. It provided a means of fulfilling family obligations, ofcontributing to the advancement of education,public information, science and the arts, ofstrengthening moral and political causes and institutions.The important point is that the ego wasdisciplined by the loyalties, the beliefs, and thefaiths of the larger self with which he was identified.The unifying goal and continuing justification wasenlightened effort, particularly in latent communication for betterment of the self and of thehuman condition.When we look back at our redoubtable friendand ask how he came to be what he was, we take itfor granted that the available answers must be farshort of the understanding necessary to account forthe distinctive quality of his life. We can recognizepartial clues. The most illuminating indications arein the family environment to whose tradition he wasso unequivocally attached. It is more than thelifelong impact of the strong-willed educator whowas his mother; we must give full weight to thesystem of ideas in which he was brought up. Hisfundamental perspectives were shaped in atheological tradition; in his and our epoch the231dogma continued to secularize. In William Benton'slife we hear the echo of a world view that coupledcommitment to the good with a sense of destiny.This cosmic viewpoint was expressed in any numberof familiar biblical texts. Think of the unquenchablecourage and optimism of our friend and recall asingle quotation: "And we know that all things worktogether for good to them that love God, to themwho are the called according to his purpose."William Benton pursued a vocation on behalf oflove, of enlightenment, of himself, and of others. Itwas a secular equivalent of a clerical vocation of hisforebearers to carry the gospel to all the world. Fromthis background, and the mediating members of thefamily, came his direction and his strenght and hiscontribution to our future history.Mr. Nicholas JohnsonWilliam Benton's accomplishments and energy arelegion. My father first told me about him — and thespectacular Robert Hutchins — when I was growingup in Iowa City, a couple hundred miles to the westof here.Benton mastered virtually everything hetouched. His restless, curious mind touched almostall that life has to offer during the 73 years we wereblessed to have him with us.He was, in turn, a good student, a super-salesman, creative advertising executive, a successful businessman, an energetic Vice-President ofthis great University, an architect of major domesticand foreign policy programs as an Ambassador andstatesman in the Executive Branch of the federalgovernment, a distinguished United States Senator,and, of course, publisher of the EncyclopaediaBritannica and related ventures — surely one of themost distinguished publishing endeavors in theworld.Throughout this zig-zag life, however, there runsa thread. For most of what Bill Benton did involved,in one way or another, the communications process.And much of the history of mass communication inAmerica shows his hand.At Yale, he was chairman of the Yale Record. Assuch he early experienced the process of censorship.In his early years in advertising, radio was justcoming into its own. And Benton was personallyresponsible for many of the program formats andadvertising techniques that are still with us today.I recall his telling me of his walking down astreet in Chicago one summer evening in those earlydays. There was no air conditioning; and thewindows of the homes were open. He could hear the radios playing, and almost all of them he noticed,were tuned in to "Amos 'n Andy." He had earliermade some of the first consumer opinion surveys foradvertisers, but this evening stroll was probably thefirst effort at program ratings. There's somequestion whether today's methods are really anybetter!When he left advertising he soon stoppedlistening to the programs he had created. But henever really lost his interest in radio, and latertelevision, as educational tools. While here atChicago,* he developed the University's role ineducational radio and instructional films. Yearslater, I recall a luncheon in London with him inwhich he was encouraging the creation of the OpenUniversity. He was one of the first to foresee the rolethat radio would play in politics. Many years later,he would be one of the first to use television in hisown successful campaign for the Senate. A study ofthe BBC in the 1 930s quickly convinced him of thesuperiority of that system to the one that he hadhelped create here.Cable television is the hot item in mass communication today. But Bill Benton was dealing in"cable radio" 35 years ago. He called it Muzak.Many have forgotton that Benton was also in thenewspaper publishing business at one time — andthat his paper, PM, was the first to carry radioprogram listings, the predecessor of today's TVGuide."Pay TV," or "subscription television," is alsobeing talked about today. The FCC has recentlyauthorized some experiments. But, once again, itwas Bill Benton who first proposed subscriptionradio to the Federal Communications Commissionin the early 1940s.He saw the uses of radio by government. Heencouraged the short-wave broadcasts after WorldWar II that would become the "Voice ofAmerica" — a name he is credited with creating. Heurged UNESCO — which he would later serve as anAmbassador — to use radio to educate the people ofthe world. His maiden speech in the Senate urgedthe Marshall Plan of Ideas. And, as AssistantSecretary of State, he was to encounter intransigence of the American radio networks inrefusing to provide facilities for Secretary Burns toreport to the people.We are today more sophisticated about the roleof government in intimidating the media for partisan advantage, for we have watched the process forthe last few years. But Senator Benton was one ofthe first to suggest a non-partisan review of theperformance of the media, a press council, about 25years ago. Only in the last few months was it finally232created, as others caught up with his early vision.For Bill Benton knew, from his own experience aswell as his insight, that— and I quote him —"freedom of information . . . means freedom fromany monopoly whatever, public or private. ..."Recently, a network president gave a speech inWashington angrily denying any possibility of "self-censorship"— only to return to New York to announce that his network henceforth would provideviewers no commentary or analysis whatsoeverfollowing Presidential speeches.Benton knew that freedom of information mightbe imperiled as much by those who dispense it as bythe censors in government.And so, from his rich lifetime of participation inthe process of mass communication, came an understanding of the need to reform — reform of, insome instances, forces which he himself had set inmotion. And let history record that he was bigenough to acknowledge that fact, and to act upon it.For he, and his family, have generously establishedthe Benton Foundation to make possible some ofthose badly needed reforms — not in conventionalways but, in the greatest tradition of Bill Bentonhimself, in bold and innovative ways.Even in death, he moves us forward with ideasand insights — and actions — in mass communication that are, so characteristically for him,years ahead of their time. A more precious gift to theAmerican people, a more fitting memorial for BillBenton, could not be imagined.Mr. Robert M. HutchinsI have been asked to say a few words about WilliamBenton and his connection with this University.They burst upon each other like a couple of bombshells. The University had never seen anybody likehim because there was nobody like him. He hadnever seen anything like the University because theinstitutions that he and I had attended bore littleresemblance to this one. The University of Chicagoever since its foundation had been pioneering inways that, forty years ago, few other institutions hadbegun to think about.Bill Benton's essential characteristics have beenmentioned several times today. He had more energythan any living man, he had more ideas than anyliving man, he was a learner, teacher, communicator. He was filled with the missionary spirit.He couldn't meet anybody, read anything, or thinkof anything, and keep it to himself. He became thecenter of a vast communications network that included an ever growing circle of friends and associates who he thought ought to be informedabout the remarkable things he had encountered.The missionary spirit would not permit him to sitselfishly by and allow those he liked or worked withto remain in ignorance. I have myself received asmany as 16 memoranda in a single day. Theycontained admonitions, reproofs, enquiries, reports,most of which had also been sent to others. He hadan aversion to the long-distance telephone, because,I believe, it was impossible at that time, legally atleast, to distribute copies of telephone conversations. One thing is certain, nobody who ever, worked with Bill Benton could pretend not to knowwhat was on his mind.When he and I were negotiating his appointmenthere, I took shameless advantage of all thesecharacteristics. When he agreed to be a part-timeVice-President at a nominal salary, I knew I had at anominal salary a man who would outwork all therest of us who are on full-time and full salary. Whenhe insisted that as Vice-President he could under nocircumstances have anything to do with theUniversity's public relations, I cheerfully assentedbecause I knew that if he thought well of theUniversity, his missionary spirit would force him toshare the revelation he had received with thosewhose souls had not yet been saved. What he didwas to make the University better known to thecitizens of this country than it had been at any timesince Mr. Rockefeller and Mr. Harper, with considerable fanfare, brought it forth in 1892.The missionary spirit did its work through tworadio programs, through countless articles injournals of every kind, through the vast privatenetwork of which he was the center. We can saymore, I think. We can say that from him the peopleof this country began to get some glimmer of an ideaof what a university might be. The popular view ofuniversities at that date was that they were of twogeneral kinds: there were institutions that wereclubs with professional schools attached; these werethe elite universities. Then there were those engagedin applied research and vocational training; thesewere the ccw colleges. (Remember this was 40 yearsago.) There were, of course, all kinds of gradationsin between.But Chicago, somehow, was a little different. Ithad been able to maintain the kind of unity andpower that comes from some singleness of purpose.It had succeeded in building and preserving somesemblance of an intellectual community. Because ofBill's efforts, some notion of the significance of sucha community seeped into the public mind andremained there, for a while, at least. Such a community was made for Helen and Bill Benton.233Bill set about learning at once. I've often thoughthis success in everything he did resulted from hiscapacity for excitement and his ability to communicate that excitement to others. He had thatinstant capacity to size up a situation which can onlybe described as genius. It came into play in everyphase of his life, as when he instantly saw themenace of McCarthyism and instantly understoodthe promise to the University of the EncyclopaediaBritannica. As he gazed upon the University, he wascarried away by it. He liked the idea, program, andthe people, particularly the people. He formed heresome of the most important and durable friendshipsof his life. Many of them were to be mainstays of hisexistence long after he ceased to be an officer of theUniversity. He and Helen made their house into aninterdisciplinary meeting ground, a learningcommunity within a learning community.The story of Britannica has been told manytimes and I shall not repeat it here. However, thereare one or two things that are often overlooked andthat ought not to be forgotton in our effort toelucidate the Benton tradition. In the first place, theobject was education and solely education. Bill triedfrantically to get others to take financial responsibility for Britannica. Neither the University nor thedozens of wealthy men he approached thought itwas a good risk. Management came to Bill bydefault because nobody else had the courage to faceit. The conversation in the boardroom after the votewas taken was marked not so much by enthusiasmfor the project as by sympathy for Bill Benton whohad become the victim of his own propaganda.And then there is the quality of his management,the countless memoranda the officers pf theBritannica received from the Chairman over the last30 years were largely devoted to explaining to themthat they must not sacrifice the reputation and nameof Britannica; they must not indulge in ventures thatmight be immediately profitable but that might inthe long run turn out to be unworthy of theUniversity and of the name and standards ofBritannica. He would not sanction a project that hethought educationally unsound, and on the otherhand, he would insist on enormous expendituresthat might not increase sales, but that would raisethe educational quality of the product. He regardedhimself as a trustee of a great tradition.The questions of the future are those of thepast— how to maintain Britannica as an educationalinstitution, complementing and supplementing thework of this University and others; how to developrelationships between Britannica and the Universityin ways that will strengthen them both. We shallhave to labor on these questions without Bill Benton's personal guidance. We know we shall notlook upon his like again. Fortunately, for over 30years, he established the principles we should follow,and their memory, like his, will not fade.Mr. Robert P. GwinnOne aspect of Bill Benton's will that seems to me toreflect the man faithfully was a preamble, in whichhe accepted the legal jargon as inevitable, butdefiantly insisted on penetrating it with flashes ofhis own humanity."Under protest by me," he began, "but at theinsistence of my lawyers, this will is overwritten withlegal gobbledygook of the kind I deplore. If I werepersonally writing this will, Article First, assuming itis needed at all, would begin something like this.'Please pay all my debts and all expenses — and beliberal, except with the taxing authorities!' ArticleSecond would run along this line: 'Please give allarticles of personal property to my wife, if living;otherwise to my children.' Article Third would readsomething like this: 'Please give all other articles oftangible personal property to my children in equalshares.' However, here goes the legal languagewhich lawyers are not able to resist. (The lack oftraining of lawyers in the writing of clear-cutEnglish, in college and law school, must help explain why so many lawyers are continuously keptbusy arguing over the language of theirpredecessors.)"Now, Bill Benton was not really "down" onlawyers as his indomitable mother was. He liked toquote a letter she wrote him as he was graduatingfrom Yale: "If you can't do something respectable,won't you at least be a lawyer?" It wasn't lawyersthat Bill opposed, but lawyers' jargon, or any jargon.Actually, Benton was a salesman, anothercalling his mother disdained, but he went on tobecome the salesman of ideas that we all remember—of ideas and ideals, of noble goals.Poor as a child, he set out to make money— andbecame wealthy and famous before middle age. At35, he retired to devote the rest of his life to"something worthwhile," as he once put it. Hereagain, he succeeded beyond the dreams of mostmen— carving out memorable careers in education,Statecraft, and publishing — becoming evenwealthier along the way— almost by accident itseems. It was in these later careers that he made themarks of which his mother would have been soproud.Bill Benton revealed a casual and utilitarianattitude toward money as an implement rather than234a goal, an attitude that was refreshing as it wasunusual. He once blandly declined to spell out aplan for repayment when he sought a large loan."You're in the business of lending money; I'm in thebusiness of borrowing it," he pointed out to asomewhat startled banker — who finally agreed thatBenton was a good risk.I remember a number of occasions on which herather startled his own Board of Directors atBritannica by making similar detached statementsabout money. "There is only one reason why Encyclopaedia Britannica should show a profit." hewould say, "and that is to enable the continuingimprovement of the educational and editorial excellence of its products." The Britannica is hismonument and we can dedicate it proudly to him asindeed we shall do in the new 1974 edition.Yes, excellence was his goal, and not riches, andthe fact that his pursuit of excellence brought richeswas to him fortunate but irrelevant. He was impatient of anything that interfered with therealization of excellence. He was impatient ofcommittees, which, he would scoff, usually meet toconfirm the fears of its weakest members. He was impatient with the kind of timidity thatwould keep a man from living up to his fullestpotential for fear of making mistakes. "The manthat never made a mistake never made anything,"he was fond of quoting. Sometimes he urgedassociates to "make more mistakes." He was impatient with perfectionists and the unceasing questfor perfection, which he considered unnecessary aswell as unrealistic, and, worst of all, a waste of time.Improvement, yes; perfectionism, no.In William Benton, we have had a giant amongus, but a giant we could comprehend because he wasso human at the same time that he was larger thanlife. The three months since his death have begun tobring home to us the enormity of our loss. Theshadow that he cast remains, and it will affect theworlds he influenced for many years to come—enabling, exhorting, challenging, and cheering onthose that would use their potential to educate andto learn, to serve and to enjoy. His shadow dares usto emulate him and leave our society better than wefound it.William Benton's life affected untold millions ofother lives. What he set in motion will influenceuncounted millions more.THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO RECORDOFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRSRoom 200, Administration BuildingHX9o£noo8o0o Z i"0 x om £ c 3ZD o 5s > *i 3-»oO r-• r~ >s o— 20>! <332z Q s-* o m•** — OCO 3