[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 83 (Monday, June 14, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S6966]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RETIREMENT OF JOHN JERMAIN SLOCUM, JR.

 Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, today, I wish to pay tribute to Mr. 
John Jermain Slocum, Jr., who has served at the Preservation Society of 
Newport County in Newport, Rhode Island, and is retiring as President 
and Chairman of the Board.
  Jerry Slocum's work is well known to me. I have had the pleasure of 
knowing the Slocum family for many years. Rhode Island has benefited 
greatly from their involvement in the community. In fact, during my 
years as Governor, Jerry assisted me in a variety of functions. Among 
his duties in my office, Jerry worked as a drafter of proclamations and 
handled constituent services. In this capacity, Jerry displayed the 
qualities of a problem solver and a facilitator, which are very 
important in the workplace.
  When Jerry joined the Preservation Society of Newport County in 1990, 
he brought with him the support and appreciation of historic houses 
instilled in him by his parents. Since becoming President, the Society 
has expanded its number of historic structures from 18 to 23--not an 
easy feat! The Society now hosts structures ranging from the Hunter 
House, built in 1748, to the Vanderbilt family's Newport summer house, 
the Breakers, to its newest acquisition, the Isaac Bell House.
  However, Jerry did not stop there. During his tenure, the educational 
programs offered by the Society have expanded to include: its annual 
International Symposium, the John Winslow Lectures, the Noreen Stonor 
Drexel Lecture Series and the Newport Flower Show. Jerry Slocum 
certainly is a believer in community involvement. He has worked 
tirelessly to extend the outreach of the Society and its facilities to 
the community, and in doing so, he has drawn people to Newport from 
across the country.
  This hard work and dedication has brought the Society national 
recognition. In 1998, the National Trust for Historic Preservation 
awarded the Preservation Society with a stewardship award for its 
exceptional contribution to preserving the historic and architectural 
heritage of Newport. Also, various properties of the Preservation 
Society have been recognized and used in films such as ``The 
Buccaneers,'' ``Mr. North,'' and the Arnold Schwarzenegger action film, 
``True Lies.''
  As Jerry prepares for his private life away from the duties of his 
terribly demanding job, I want to congratulate and thank him for all 
that he has given to the Society and the community.

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