Access
Use
Acquisition Information
Preferred Citation
Chronology
Scope and Content of Collection
Arrangement
Title: Fred M. Hechinger papers
Date (inclusive): 1937-1991
Collection Number: 89019
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
74 manuscript boxes, 8 oversize boxes.
(32.8 Linear Feet)
Abstract: A noted American journalist and education editor, the collection includes speeches and writings, correspondence, reviews,
memoranda, studies, scrapbooks, and printed matter, all relating to education in the United States.
Creator:
Hechinger, Fred M.
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1989.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Fred M. Hechinger Papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Chronology
1920 July 7 |
Born, Nuremberg, Germany |
1943 |
Naturalized; A.B., City College, New York |
1944-1946 |
Member, Office of Military Attach, American Embassy, and with British War Office |
1945 |
Graduate study, University of London |
1946-1947 |
Correspondent,
Times Educational Supplement, London
|
1947-1950 |
Education Columnist,
Washington Post
|
|
Education Editor and Foreign Correspondent,
Bridgeport Sunday Herald
|
1948 |
Special Consultant to the Director, Education and Cultural Relations Division, U.S. Military Government in Germany |
1948-1950 |
Foreign Correspondent,
Overseas News Agency
|
1950-1956 |
Education Editor,
New York Herald Tribune
|
1956 |
Author,
An Adventure in Education: Connecticut Points the Way
|
1956-1959 |
Associate Publisher and Executive Editor,
Bridgeport Sunday Herald
|
1958 |
Married Grace Bernstein. Author,
Worrying About College?
|
1959 |
Author,
The Big Red Schoolhouse
|
1959-1969 |
Education Editor,
New York Times
|
1963 |
Author,
Teen-Age Tyranny (with Grace Hechinger)
|
1968 |
Author,
New York Times Guide to New York City Private Schools (with Grace Hechinger)
|
1969-1977 |
Member, Editorial Board,
New York Times
|
1973- |
Adjunct professor, Hunter College and Queens College, City University of New York |
1975 |
Author,
Growing Up in America (with Grace Hechinger)
|
1976 |
Assistant Editor, editorial page,
New York Times
|
1976-1977 |
Deputy Editor, editorial page,
New York Times
|
1977-1990 |
President, New York Times Company Foundation |
1981 |
Author,
Higher Learning in the Nation's Service(with Ernest L. Boyer)
|
1988-1995 |
Member and Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees, and Senior Advisor, Carnegie Corporation of New York |
1992 |
Author,
Fateful Choices: Healthy Youth for the 21st Century
|
1995 November 6 |
Died, New York |
Scope and Content of Collection
The papers of Fred M. Hechinger, a noted journalist and expert in the field of education, are an important addition to the
education collections already in the Hoover Institution Library & Archives. They will constitute a significant source of information
for students and researchers interested in the issues relating to education in the United States, from kindergarten to the
college level. Fred Hechinger along with his wife, Grace Hechinger, also an author and champion of the cause of literacy,
devoted a significant part of his life to writing about education, and the causes of its decline in the United States, and
suggesting ways to improve it. His contributions were recognized by many educational institutions, as evident in the number
of honorary degrees bestowed upon him.
The correspondence series represents Fred Hechinger's interaction with many individuals and organizations on questions of
education. His opinions and observations about their research and publications were always sought after. The speeches and
writings series testifies to his genuine interest and devotion to the cause of education. He was flooded with invitations
to write, speak, and be interviewed. The comments and reviews of his speeches and writings bear out the level of expertise
he acquired and the appreciation and acknowledgements he received from grateful fellow educators and parents. This series
also includes writings jointly completed by Fred and Grace Hechinger and indicates the prominent role she played in her husband's
career.
Fred Hechinger's association with various newspapers and specially with the New York Times as education ed., member of the
editorial board, and finally as the president of the New York Times Foundation, is illustrated in the newspaper columns series
and the New York Times and New York Times Foundation series. Together, they reveal his level of involvement in the newspaper
and the role he played in the organization, the columns he wrote, the ideas and suggestions he received from his friends,
admirers, and the public, and their opinions about his columns. The career file includes records of his association with different
organizations and is indicative of the high regard in which he was held by his peers.
The papers of Grace Hechinger, found in a separate series, although not large in volume, are nevertheless significant, as
they reflect her own interest in educational issues. Besides biographical material and correspondence, the series provides
samples of her writings.
Arrangement
Arranged into twelve series: Biographical File, Correspondence, Speeches and Writings, Newspaper Columns File, New York Times
and New York Times Foundation File, Career File, Grace Hechinger File, Subject File, Photographs, Computer Disk, Oversize
File, and Scrapbooks.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Journalists
Education -- United States