Spinoza’s observation that ‘All things excellent are as difficult as they are rare,’ has provided me with both the title and theme of my remarks…We have been an ambitious nation in attempting to achieve both equality and excellence in our education system as well as in other facets of our cultural and economic life. And, contrary to the pessimism expressed by our critics, the American educational system has long enjoyed a deserved reputation for both its egalitarian achievements and the excellence of its programs and products. (“Excellence: as Difficult as It Is Rare,” Robert Tait McKenzie Memorial Lecture, Houston, Texas, pp. 9-11)
David Gardner with Secretary Bell and President Reagan at presentation of academic achievement awards,
White House, Washington, DC, 1984—Photo courtesy of The White House
Publications and Speeches
Publications
“Educational Standards: a Moving Target,” Western College Association annual meeting, Addresses and Proceedings (March 9, 1978) 7-11.
“Excellence and Equality of Opportunity,” in Vital Speeches of the Day, Vol. XLIX, No. 6 (January 1, 1983), pp. 172-76. Invited address at Westminster College's Executive Lecture Series, "Education and Society," Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2, 1982.
“Leadership for Excellence,” Forbes (April 16, 1990), 130-31.
Speeches
10-26-1981—“Setting the Scene: the Importance of Quality,” Critical Choices in Western Higher Education: a Regional Conference on Policy Alternatives for Quality, Finance, and Coordination in the 80s, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, Denver, Colorado
4-22-1982—“Excellence: As Difficult As It Is Rare,” Robert Tait McKenzie Memorial Lecture, cosponsored by The American Academy of Physical Education and The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Houston, Texas
3-29-1982—“Excellence and Institutional Mission: Focusing on Quality,” Eighty-Seventh
Annual Meeting of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Chicago, Illinois
6-28-1982—“Educational Excellence and the American High School,” Conference: The American High School Today and Tomorrow, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California
10-7-1982—“Educational Excellence: the Hope of the Future,” Keynote Address, Utah Education Association, Salt Lake City, Utah
3-5-1984—“Excellence in Graduate Education and Research,” Western Association of Graduate Schools, Monterey, California