October 6

"When we are sick, we want an uncommon doctor, when we have a construction job to do, we want an uncommon engineer, and when we are at war, we want an uncommon general. It is only when we get into politics that we are satisfied with the common man." Herbert Hoover, 31st President, 1929-1933- Article Originally Published in the February 6, 1949 Issue of "This Week" Magazine, source found in http://hoover.nara.gov/index.html, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, ADDRESSES UPON THE AMERICAN ROAD,BY HERBERT HOOVER 1955-1960,THE CAXTON PRINTERS, LTD., CALDWELL, IDAHO, 196, p 92 Hoover continued speaking and writing after his Presidency. Here he speaks about recovery after World War II. "In my opinion, we are in danger of developing a cult of the Common Man, which means a cult of mediocrity. But there is at least one hopeful sign: I have never been able to find out just who this Common Man is. In fact, most Americans – especially women – will get mad and fight if you try calling them common. This is hopeful because it shows that most people are holding fast to an essential fact in American life. We believe in equal opportunity for all, but we know that this includes the opportunity to rise to leadership. In other words – to be uncommon! Let us remember that the great human advances have not been brought about by mediocre men and women. They were brought about by distinctly uncommon people with vital sparks of leadership. Many great leaders were of humble origin, but that alone was not their greatness. It is a curious fact that when you get sick you want an uncommon doctor; if your car breaks down you want an uncommonly good mechanic; when we get into war we want dreadfully an uncommon admiral and an uncommon general." The idea appears to have originally been brought forth in a speech entitled "Moral and Spiritual Recovery from War", given at Wilson College, at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, October 13, 1945. "...whoever this political common man is, I want him to have all the unique benefits of the American way of life including the opportunity to rise to leadership...to have leadership in government, in science, in education, in professions and in the home we must find and train some uncommon men and women...One of the great riches of American life is the vast reservoir of leadership in the people. But leaders are not found like queen bees...It is our educational system rooted in the whole people upon which we must depend to develop leaders."