March 29, 1986
March 29, 1986 Dear
Ron,
As you can p r o b a b l y d et ec t, I am w r i t i n g on a w or d p r o c e s s o r . It is the t a l k i n g c o m p u t e r a b o u t w h i c h you some tim e ago. The e q u i p m e n t a r r i v e d in D e c e m b e r , and e v e r s i n c e t he n I h av e been s t r u g g l i n g to l e a r m ho w to o p e r a t e it. It is q u i t e a s o p h i s t i c a t e d m a c h i n e . Th e s p e e c h e l e m e n t at le as t t r i p l e s the c o m p l i c a t i o n s of l e a r n i n g all the f u n c t i o n s . T h u s far I h a v e not u n d e r t a k e n to try to w r i t e a n y t h i n g r e a l l y s e r i o u s or s u b s t a n t i v e . I have d e c i d e d that w r i t i n g l e t t e r s to f r i e n d s is a g ood w a y to get p r a c t i c e . T h u s I am u s u i n g you as s o m e t h i n g of a g u i n e a pig, a l t h o u g h I h a v e i n t e d e d to w r i t e you in any event. P l e a s e e x c u s e e r ro r s. In the i n t e r e s t of g e t t i n g the out I am not a t t e m p t i n g to c h e c k and all m i s t a k e s . T h i s w e e k we h av e the a n n u a l S o k o l C o l l o q u i u m . Jan and I w ill go to the d i n n e r on F r i a y e v e n i n g , and I may t ak e in some of the d i s c u s s i o n s . My i m p r e s s i o n is that you h a v e n e v e r a t t e n d i n g this o b j e c t of you r c h a r i t y , an o m i s s i a t you s h o u l d c u r e some day. Tw o w e e k s I a t t e n d e d a two day c e l e b r a t i o n at the U n i v e r s i t y of A l a b a m a L a w S c h o o l to m a rk the one h u n d r e t h a n n i v e r s a r y of H u g o B l a c k ' s birth. S e v e r a l p e r s o n s w e r e on hand. The l u m i n a r i e s i n c l u d e d J u s t i c e B r e n n a n , A r t h u r G o l d b e r g , A n t h o n y L e w is , and s e v e r a l f e d e r a l c i r c u i t j udg es . T he a f f a i r c o n c l u d e d w i t h in f o r m a l a n d n o s t a l g i c r e c o l l e c t i o n s by the 18 or so f o r m e r law c l e r k s p r e s e n t . Th e v e r y last i t e m on the p r o g r a m wa s a t a l k by me on J u s t i c e B l a c k and his book s. In the ne w law s c h o o l b u i l d i n g t h e r e t h e y h a v e c r e a t e d H u go B l a c k Room, w h i c h is m o r e or less a r e p l i c a of his s t u d y in the A l e x a n d r i a ho use. In that r o o m are no w h o u s e d all the b o o k s that w e r e in that study. In mi d A u g u s t t h e r e is a g a t h e r i n g in V i e n n a that dl am t h i n k i n g of a t t e n d i n g . Jan ar w o n d e r i n g w h e t h e r you are g o i n g to be in y o u r h o m e s t a t i o n then. If so, and if you c o u l d s p a r e an e v e n i n g , we m i g h t be a b le to nip by for b r ie f visi t. T he d a t es are not yet d e f i n i t e , but I e s t i m a t e that we c o u l d come t h r o u g h at s o me p o i n t b e t w e e n t h e l O t h and 14th. For y e a r s we h a v e been w a n t i n g to get by th er e , and t his l o o k s to be our first c h an c e. If c o u l d let me k n o w w h e t h e r t hi s s u i t a b l e , I w o u l d a p p r e c i a t e it. H o w c an we b es t fly from W a s h i n g t o n to the a i r p o r t n e a r e s t y ou ? O n l y f o u r w e e k s n o w r e m a i n in this s e m e s t e r . In a d d i t i o n to the u s u a l a r r a y of s p r i n g a c t i v i t i e s I m u st go to C a l i f o r n i a for the a n n u a l m e e t i n g of the A m e r i c a n C o l l e g e of T r i a l L a w y e r s and th e n to C h i g o for a m e e t i n g of the A m e r i c a n J u d i c a t u r e S o c i e t y .
ยป
From March
to
late May
is
our
m os t
hectic
time.
I h o p e thi s is r e a s o n a b l y l e gi b l e . N o w if I can get the p r i n t e r to w o r k p r o p e r l y I w i ll put it in the m ai l to you. that t hi s f i n d s all g o i n g w el l w i t h you and your family.
hop e
Ron,
As you can p r o b a b l y d et ec t, I am w r i t i n g on a w or d p r o c e s s o r . It is the t a l k i n g c o m p u t e r a b o u t w h i c h you some tim e ago. The e q u i p m e n t a r r i v e d in D e c e m b e r , and e v e r s i n c e t he n I h av e been s t r u g g l i n g to l e a r m ho w to o p e r a t e it. It is q u i t e a s o p h i s t i c a t e d m a c h i n e . Th e s p e e c h e l e m e n t at le as t t r i p l e s the c o m p l i c a t i o n s of l e a r n i n g all the f u n c t i o n s . T h u s far I h a v e not u n d e r t a k e n to try to w r i t e a n y t h i n g r e a l l y s e r i o u s or s u b s t a n t i v e . I have d e c i d e d that w r i t i n g l e t t e r s to f r i e n d s is a g ood w a y to get p r a c t i c e . T h u s I am u s u i n g you as s o m e t h i n g of a g u i n e a pig, a l t h o u g h I h a v e i n t e d e d to w r i t e you in any event. P l e a s e e x c u s e e r ro r s. In the i n t e r e s t of g e t t i n g the out I am not a t t e m p t i n g to c h e c k and all m i s t a k e s . T h i s w e e k we h av e the a n n u a l S o k o l C o l l o q u i u m . Jan and I w ill go to the d i n n e r on F r i a y e v e n i n g , and I may t ak e in some of the d i s c u s s i o n s . My i m p r e s s i o n is that you h a v e n e v e r a t t e n d i n g this o b j e c t of you r c h a r i t y , an o m i s s i a t you s h o u l d c u r e some day. Tw o w e e k s I a t t e n d e d a two day c e l e b r a t i o n at the U n i v e r s i t y of A l a b a m a L a w S c h o o l to m a rk the one h u n d r e t h a n n i v e r s a r y of H u g o B l a c k ' s birth. S e v e r a l p e r s o n s w e r e on hand. The l u m i n a r i e s i n c l u d e d J u s t i c e B r e n n a n , A r t h u r G o l d b e r g , A n t h o n y L e w is , and s e v e r a l f e d e r a l c i r c u i t j udg es . T he a f f a i r c o n c l u d e d w i t h in f o r m a l a n d n o s t a l g i c r e c o l l e c t i o n s by the 18 or so f o r m e r law c l e r k s p r e s e n t . Th e v e r y last i t e m on the p r o g r a m wa s a t a l k by me on J u s t i c e B l a c k and his book s. In the ne w law s c h o o l b u i l d i n g t h e r e t h e y h a v e c r e a t e d H u go B l a c k Room, w h i c h is m o r e or less a r e p l i c a of his s t u d y in the A l e x a n d r i a ho use. In that r o o m are no w h o u s e d all the b o o k s that w e r e in that study. In mi d A u g u s t t h e r e is a g a t h e r i n g in V i e n n a that dl am t h i n k i n g of a t t e n d i n g . Jan ar w o n d e r i n g w h e t h e r you are g o i n g to be in y o u r h o m e s t a t i o n then. If so, and if you c o u l d s p a r e an e v e n i n g , we m i g h t be a b le to nip by for b r ie f visi t. T he d a t es are not yet d e f i n i t e , but I e s t i m a t e that we c o u l d come t h r o u g h at s o me p o i n t b e t w e e n t h e l O t h and 14th. For y e a r s we h a v e been w a n t i n g to get by th er e , and t his l o o k s to be our first c h an c e. If c o u l d let me k n o w w h e t h e r t hi s s u i t a b l e , I w o u l d a p p r e c i a t e it. H o w c an we b es t fly from W a s h i n g t o n to the a i r p o r t n e a r e s t y ou ? O n l y f o u r w e e k s n o w r e m a i n in this s e m e s t e r . In a d d i t i o n to the u s u a l a r r a y of s p r i n g a c t i v i t i e s I m u st go to C a l i f o r n i a for the a n n u a l m e e t i n g of the A m e r i c a n C o l l e g e of T r i a l L a w y e r s and th e n to C h i g o for a m e e t i n g of the A m e r i c a n J u d i c a t u r e S o c i e t y .
ยป
From March
to
late May
is
our
m os t
hectic
time.
I h o p e thi s is r e a s o n a b l y l e gi b l e . N o w if I can get the p r i n t e r to w o r k p r o p e r l y I w i ll put it in the m ai l to you. that t hi s f i n d s all g o i n g w el l w i t h you and your family.
hop e
