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[[handwritten]] Reg letter
404 West 115th Street,New York City, N.Y., 20 April 1953.

Dr. F.D. Patterson, President, Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee Institute, Alabama

Dear Dr. Patterson:
Friday, March 13th  was not exactly a [underline]Black Friday[/underline] but it was pretty gray being overcast by the fresh news of your resignation. My dealy ^[[symbol to indicate reversal of letter position, i.e. delay]] in writing has been deliberate -- based on the thought that I would wait until the hysteria of the Tuskegee faithful and the floodtide of their laments had passed. Well, from the rumblings that reach me the hysteria has reached a new crescendo and the lamentations assumed the threat of a tidal-wave as some contenders for the succession were rumored. So, I guess, I'd just better write my letter and not try to time it for a peaceful lull.

I shall not attempt to say all that I should like to day, and each of the many things I would say would be completely sincere. However, the superlatives of praise have no doubt become meaningless in their repitition throughout the past month. Therefore, I shall not say them to you but will be unstinting in expressing them to others in speaking about you.

Quite simply, may I thank you for the opportunity you gave me for expression and growth. If the abilities and capacities whose development you encouraged should be of use to you in your new area of operations, formally or personally, in any measure, however near or distant in the future, I pledge them to your service. To speak well of you to all persons andto ^[[symbol to indicate space added, i.e. and to]] offer such as I possess in full friendliness is the only way I know of to express my appreciation and regard for you. 

With my warmest good wishes for the future you hope to enjoy, I am

Sincerely yours,
[signed]Lewis W. Jones[/signed]
Lewis W. Jones