Clayton R. Gaylord, chairman of The Ingersoll Foundation and the first chairman of The Rockford Institute, died on January 3. He had a remarkable career as industrialist, civic leader, and philanthropist. In 1958, he became president of The Ingersoll Milling Machine Company, the firm that has been owned and led by his family since his...
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Clyde A. Sluhan, R.I.P.
Clyde A. Sluhan’s death on November 6 deprived The Rockford Institute of one of its most devoted and effective patrons. One of the original directors of the Institute, Clyde had served a term as Board Chairman, and at the age of 85 was still an active member of the Institute’s Executive Committee. Born in Cleveland,...
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R.I.P. Richard Nixon
Few people know that for eight years Richard Nixon presided over the first federal program using the leverage of government contracts to open jobs for minority workers. In 1953, President Eisenhower, acting on the advice of a task force in the Truman administration, issued an Executive Order declaring that all government contractors must not “discriminate...
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Tolerance As ‘Highest Virtue’
William Bennett, in a speech at Harvard, chided America’s intellectuals for criticizing the war on drugs without having done their homework. As is his custom, Dr. Bennett laid down some bad news that was as well-founded as it was unwelcome. Notable among the poorly informed agitators to whom he referred are the advocates of drug...
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Taking the King’s Shilling
Historically, the primary function of schooling has been to teach the young how to live responsibly and productively in their own society. In our day, the notions of civic, familial, and vocational obligations have been virtually banished from pedagogy. Today’s ethically and morally barren system of education has not only failed to fortify its students...