Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 895 › Conversation 895-016

Nixon, Gaylord & Jarman on Frontiers of Science Foundation and Oklahoma

Friday, April 13, 1973 · 11:41 AM–11:50 AM ET · Oval Office · 10 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Gaylord, Edward King; Kennedy, Donald S.; Webb, James E.; Draper, Stanley C.; Goldman, Sylvan N.; Everest, Harvey P.; Ingram, Charles C.; Ellison, C. D.; Williams, Garland R.; Pate, Stanton S., Jr.; Pate, Margaret F.; Jarman, John; Friedersdorf, Max L.; White House photographerConversation895-016 on Tape 895StartFriday, April 13, 1973 at 11:41 AMEndFriday, April 13, 1973 at 11:50 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 895-016 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with a delegation from the Frontiers of Science Foundation of Oklahoma, led by Edward King Gaylord and accompanied by Congressman John Jarman, to recognize the organization's contributions to scientific education and research. During the brief, ceremonial Oval Office session, Nixon commended the role of voluntary organizations in American life, arguing that private sector initiative often produces more value than government spending. The President presented the group with commemorative gifts and engaged in light conversation regarding his experiences with science education, his past visits to Oklahoma, and the logistical challenges of presidential communications via satellite.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Mr. President, Congressman John Charman.
Good morning, Mr. President.
How do you see it?
Yes, I know.
Yes, I see.
Thank you.
It would be very nice if you could give this honor.
Well, let me step over here so you can see.
Come on, step over here so we can take a picture before the flag.
Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, do this man.
Just the two of us here.
All right.
All right.
All right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
Well, that's a great offer.
This is a standard rate.
It's brilliant.
It's brilliant.
Don't get excited.
Don't get excited.
Don't get excited.
Is that all right?
I don't know
You're always welcome.
Just saying, Mr. Webb, he's been in his office many times, and his service as former president, he's always welcome.
Thank you.
There are some people you know in government that we don't think are Democrats or Republicans, and he's one of them.
That's right.
We should talk about Oklahoma.
That's right.
I'll get the center here to the picture.
Let me see.
Why don't we put you next to me?
I think that's better.
I'll take it.
I want a little of your secret as long as I can rub it on me.
Oh, John, you should be in this one.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Well, I want to say that I know President Eisenhower many years ago tried to give some support for the great work you've done, and I'm glad to follow suit to this.
We often, when we sit here in government and are talking about
John and I who did this last night, whether we hold a budget of $268 billion or so, you don't think much of what people do in their voluntary capacities.
And here you've got a group of people that are helping hundreds of thousands, hundreds of thousands in a voluntary way.
And that's really the heart of the American system.
The government can do a lot, but even with that $200
I was thinking that $268 billion, that's only one-fifth of what this country produces.
So for every dollar that government produces, if it produces our spends, we have to realize that people in their individual capacity produce five times as much.
And particularly in this field, where it'd be so easy to say, well, that's the government, and it's impersonal.
It doesn't have it.
But if you bring that impersonal quality to it, you inspire young people, and they'll go on to
shall we say, to the frontiers of science and any other fields.
So I just wanted to express my congratulations.
I wish you good luck for 100 more years.
I'm impressed with Mr. Kaler's speed for all of us.
Sure.
Sure, indeed.
Mr. Kaler is always welcome to speak.
I do recognize for any amount of time you want.
Thank you.
Well, we deeply appreciate it, Mr. President, the honor of doing the Frontier to Science on this occasion.
It's a sort of a climax to the publicity we've had for the past 18 years.
And we feel that we've helped a great deal in the stimulation of scientific study and the number of students that have gone into scientific pursuits.
We feel that it's been a great thing.
We deeply appreciate what you've done today in recognizing this.
Well, I want to say, incidentally, that one of the reasons I like to give you support is that I had a fairly good record in school that science was one of my poorest subjects.
I remember my daughters years ago, they were attending preparatory school.
They came in and wanted me to help them with the man, and it's the new man.
And I said, look, I couldn't even understand the old man.
I want to give you something that's of a matter of these people that contributed their time and get nothing back from it.
These are the presidential convicts, and they're colored.
the seal of the President, which is on the flag over there.
I gave you the first one, and this is my old one.
Thank you for having us.
And so since ladies can't wear coverings, here's the seal and the floor.
And up there, there it is for you.
So if you... And incidentally, just to show you that it's totally...
The crab apple blossoms are in the rose garden here, and it's the most beautiful time of the year, actually, with the tulips.
I just took some jack-o'-lanterns out of the shop.
It's sunshine today.
Yes, it is cold.
Oh, there it is.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I just, I haven't been down to the basin, but I knew where my helicopter was.
It's so cold.
Remember when I spoke to the editor-in-chief many years ago in Oklahoma City?
We haven't changed a bit.
Well, goodbye.
Goodbye.
Thank you very much.
Bye.
That's right.
We took over all of it.
That's what I do.
Thank you.
Can we hand it over?
Yes, sir.
You did a great job.
Thank you.
Good to see you.
You know, we put up the satellite that showed you to a billion people when you were in the...
I can go.
We did that against the opposition of everybody else in the country.
Because the military notice said we don't need them.
Is that good enough?
Yeah, they wanted to use the property, the U2s and all that.
No, they don't use the private access.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
We've been mad at you.
I see.
I see.
You're over my head already.
All right.
I'm glad you did.
I, this morning, listened to your schedule.
I mean, I'm glad you did.
This is a job for our...
Either R or D or I.

NARA Description

On April 13, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Edward King Gaylord, Donald S. Kennedy, James E. Webb, Stanley C. Draper, Sylvan N. Goldman, Harvey P. Everest, Charles C. Ingram, C. D. Ellison, Garland R. Williams, Stanton S. Pate, Jr., Margaret F. Pate, John Jarman, Max L. Friedersdorf, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:41 am to 11:50 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 895-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 895-16

Date: April 13, 1973
Time: 11:41 am - 11:50 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Edward King Gaylord, Donald S. Kennedy, James E. Webb, Stanley C.
Draper, Sylvan N. Goldman, Harvey P. Everest, Charles C. Ingram, C. D. Ellison, G. Rainey
Williams, Garland R. Hadley, Stanton S. Pate, Jr., Margaret F. Pate, John Jarman, and Max
Friedersdorf. The White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

     Greetings
           -Introductions

     Photographs
          -Arrangements

[General conversation]

           -Introduction
           -Oklahoma
           -Luck

     James E. Webb
          -Visits to the Oval Office
          -Career
          -Photograph

     Frontiers of Science Foundation of Oklahoma, Inc.
           -President’s work with Dwight D. Eisenhower
           -President’s conversation with Jarman
                 -Federal budget
                       -Work of volunteers
                       -Limitations
                             -Creation of wealth by individuals
           -Personal quality
           -Youth inspiration
                                              -31-

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                             Conversation No. 895-16 (cont’d)

             -Gaylord’s comments
                  -Appreciation
                  -Work of foundation
                        -Scientific research
                        -Encouragement of students

      President’s school record
            -Ability in the math and science fields
            -Prepatory studies of Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower

      Presentation of gifts by President
           -Presidential cufflinks
           -Pen
           -Non-partisan nature of gifts

      Rose Garden
           -Blooming flowers
           -U2 planes

      President’s visit to Oklahoma City
            -Appearance before editorial writers

      Satellite
            -Broadcasts of President
            -U2 planes

      John Jarman
            -Republican Part

Gaylord et al. left.
                                            -32-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on April 13, 1973

  • 895-009 10:47 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:47 am and 11:08 am.
  • 895-013 11:08 AM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Morie Kimura, Masanou Kaneko, Taketo Tomono, Yoshio Ogiyama, Kumashi Kakehashi, Masao Kodama, Masakichi Ogowa, Richard L. Schneider, Brevard Crihfield, Henry A. Kissinger, Ichiro Nichimura, and Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:08 am to 11:18 am.
  • 895-014 11:22 AM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 11:40 am.
  • 895-015 11:40 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:40 am and 11:41 am.
  • 895-017 11:50 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:50 am.
  • 895-018 11:50 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Jeni Brown, Herbert G. Klein, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:50 am to 11:53 am.
  • 895-019 11:53 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:53 am.
  • 895-020 11:53 AM · 1 hr 23 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Peter J. Brennan, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:53 am to 12:59 pm.

All 42 conversations from April 13, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 895-016, April 13, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/895-016 (accessed October 12, 2026).