My Best Boss Ever – Labor Day
by Elouise
This morning I woke up thinking about My Best Boss ever: Erwin N. Griswold, Dean of the Harvard Law School, and Solicitor General under President Lyndon Johnson. I worked for him at Harvard Law School for three short years, my first job after D and I married in September 1965.
Most of all, I thought about the letter Mr. Griswold wrote to me. It’s pictured above. A letter totally unlike any letter my father wrote to me. I’ve added a typed version of the text at the end of this post.
Mr. Griswold became my employer at the beginning of my marriage to D in September 1965. We’d just moved from Savannah, Georgia to Cambridge, Massachusetts. We didn’t know anyone. D began a graduate program at Harvard, and I needed a job.
I walked over to Harvard and filled out a form. Mr. Griswold’s office called me and I answered. The best boss ever, though I didn’t know it back then. After three years, I resigned to give birth to our first child.
So today I’m thinking about baby Marie, and how to get in touch with her first 10 months of life. That’s 10 months before The Intruder, my father, arrives on the scene. I want a cloud of witnesses, not to me as I am now, but to me as I’ve always been. I’ve already identified Diane, Sister #3 who died of ALS, as a witness, even though she was born later than I.
This morning I realized I have a strange surrogate father in Mr. Griswold. Why? He wasn’t simply the Best Boss Ever. He was like a father to me, though I didn’t realize it back then.
You can see this in the letter at the top (quoted below). His note stands out for reasons I can’t even explain, except for this: Mr. Griswold saw, named and celebrated the 10-month old child in me, now grown up. The Intruder didn’t destroy me.
Today is Labor Day here in the USA, a day to celebrate workers. I’m proud to have been a worker, and proud to say I worked for Mr. Griswold as one of his secretaries.
Below is the text of Mr. Griswold’s handwritten note.
The Solicitor General, Washington
Erwin N. Griswold, August 12, 1968
Dear Elouise,
I am sorry that I could not be at your farewell party at the Law School, and I do want to send you this note in honor of the occasion.
In all my years at the Harvard Law School, I expect I had close to twenty girls working for me. All were good, some were better, a few were extraordinarily good, indeed, and of all of them you were the best. Your ability was of the highest order, your intelligent contribution to the work was unexcelled, and your calm and matter of fact and unperturbed approach was unique. I was blessed in many ways at the Harvard Law School, but that I should have had you to work with the last two years was more than I deserved.
If there had been any prospect that you could stay on, I would have done all I could to push you on and up. You were worthy of the highest recognition—and always, without fail. It was a very satisfying experience for me and I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am.
Now you go on to a new phase of your life where I know that you will excel, too. But as you go on, I hope it will give you some satisfaction to know that I thought your were superlative—both as a secretary and as a person.
With best wishes to you and David, and my very great thanks.
Erwin Griswold
©Elouise Renich Fraser, 3 September 2018
Dear Elouise,
I remember the first time I read about Dean Griswold, and what a gift you were given in him all those years ago. And here he is, still giving gifts to you today – just wonderful! As the recipient of paternal praise and encouragement from my biological father, I know how and where our fathers’ words hit us, and the lasting impact they have. How good of God to give you Dean Griswold’s person and voice, still imparting encouragement and praise this very day…thank you for reminding us all of this special man who models for all of us an appreciative spirit!
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Dear Debbie,
I don’t know whether to begin with you’re welcome or thank you! I still pinch myself when I read his note–sitting here on my desk right now, looking at me! 🙂 I’d like to believe there are thousands of Mr. G’s out there–for all us girls and boys who need safe, honest and appreciative input about who we already are and just can’t see it yet. I’ve listened to your stories about you and your biological father–so very different than I ever experience. And, even better, it shows up in a really good way (on you)! 🙂
Elouise
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Wow, how lovely!
I’ve often thought that unseen children need very little encouragement, in the sense that one small interaction with a person who really understands them, can sustain and encourage for years afterwards, a reminder of what sanity means in a topsy-turvy world.
You are amazing. 😀
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What a wonderful thought, Fran! I like it. A lot. And I think you’re absolutely correct. As the kind of child I was (and still am in many ways), it didn’t take much to shame me. And it sure wouldn’t have taken much to encourage me in a Big Way. Especially when I was small.
Thanks for your amazing comment. 🙂
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What an amazing person to have in your life! I feel like I’ve just learned so much more about you. Dean reminds me of my teacher who is like a second mom to me. So cool the connections we get to make in this life! 💗
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Thanks, Lea! You’re so right about how important even one person can be in our lives. Thanks so much for your comment. 😊
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That was an awesome letter.
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Yes indeed. It was and is.
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How nice of him to recognize the quality of your work, and of your personhood. How many employers never reassure their staff, only expect? This kind of encouragement motivates even more than money, or a fancy title.
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Yes, it does encourage and motivate–though I promptly put the note back in its envelope and rediscovered it only several years ago. I just couldn’t bear to read it (given lingering shame from childhood and youth). Of all the letters I received from my father (not a huge pile, but quite a few), none even approached Mr. Griswold’s affirmation of me. In fact, they were sometimes the exact opposite. 😦
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Well, I think that is the sort of thing you should have framed and put on a wall. In all my working life I only ever had, or needed, one secretary. She was much more important to me that I could ever have been to her. To have have received such a letter you must have been quite something. (But then I guess all of us would have expected nothing less about you.)
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Well…you and D are cut from the same cloth! Though he gets it now. As I just said to Candice, Mr. Griswold’s letter outshines by far any letter or note my father ever wrote to me. In fact, most of his letters after I’d grown up (become a faculty member at the seminary) were attempts to clear his name and correct my ways.
Thanks for the comment! And kudos for getting a really good secretary when you needed one. It isn’t easy to find them. Your comment makes me reconsider what I have hanging on my walls.
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what an awesome letter, I’d frame that and put it front and center ❤
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