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HARPER, CAPE PALMAS, LIBERIA
c/o AMERICAN EMBASSY
MONROVIA, LIBERIA

MARCH 25, 1953

DR. F.D. PATTERSON
PRESIDENT, TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE
TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE, ALABAMA

Dear Dr. Patterson:

It has come to the attention of the undersigned, by rumor, that you plan to resign from the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in the near future. It is hoped that the above information is premature, but anyway operating on the assumption that the same may be correct; please permit me to tell you that we are very unhappy over the above decision. Nevertheless, we fully appreciate the weight of the responsibility, which you have undergone as President of Tuskegee Institute, and believe that you have done an A_I job.

You became president of Tuskegee Institute in the middle of our recent depression. At a time when millions of our people were roaming the streets unemployed, and at a time when both private and state institutions found it difficult to keep their doors open. Nevertheless, Tuskegee Institute still remained the beacon light for hundreds and thousands of boys and girls who were inspired to seek higher ground.

In the mids of changing social and economic conditions, Tuskegee Institute has enjoyed an unusual-continued high degree of stability, and growth under your administration. Some of which include:

a. The establishment of the Five-Year-Student-Work Plan.
b. The establishment of the Commercial Dietics Department and School.
c. The establishment of the Annual Foods Show.
d. Improvement in the School's Curriculum.
e. Improvement of student scholarship within the student body.
f. The establishment of Graduate Work.
g. The establishment of the Carver Foundation.
h. The building and establishment of the School of Veternairyn? Medicine.
i. The establishment of the School of Electrical Engineering.
j. The introduction of the Low-Cost-Housing Plan.
k. The founding of the Negro College Fund Drive.
l. Major renovation and extension of the School's physical plant.
m. Outstanding contribution to Agriculture, and
n. Many other contributions which are not mentioned above.

You