[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book I)]
[May 4, 1994]
[Pages 845-846]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at the Andrew W. Mellon Dinner
May 4, 1994

    Thank you very much, Mrs. Stevenson, Mr. Smith, members of the 
Mellon family, distinguished Justices of the Supreme Court, Members of 
Congress, Secretary Riley, Mr. and Mrs. Powell. To the many patrons of 
the arts and supporters of education who are here, it is an honor for 
Hillary and for me to be here at this special event at this wonderful, 
special building, truly our national monument to art.
    It's a pleasure to be among so many of you who have done so much to 
support our country's cultural heritage. Without our Nation's 
magnificent tradition of philanthropy, Americans from all walks of life 
would never have the chance to enjoy art and culture, to find true 
education.
    I first came here as a young student at Georgetown. Then, when I was 
in my twenties, after I had left school, I came to this gallery almost 
every time I came back to Washington. When Hillary and I met in law 
school and came from time to time to Washington, we would come to the 
National Gallery. Later when I was a Governor and came here only for 
stuffy old meetings, on occasion I would sneak away from wherever we 
were supposed to be convening and come here and look at these pictures 
and think I would never do anything remotely as important as paint some 
of the things that hang on these walls.
    For all of you who have given, I thank you. The spirit of giving 
really creates America's sense of common bond, our sense of community. I 
want to especially thank the members of the Mellon family and other 
patrons of this gallery. Andrew Mellon somehow knew that throughout the 
ages, art could make a difference in the lives of people and nations. 
Thankfully, that was a gift he passed along to his children, who 
represent the best tradition of service to others.
    I do want to thank, since it's been mentioned, the National Gallery 
for the gifts of art to the White House--on loan. [Laughter] And I do 
want to say that I'm glad you've got enough left over to fill these 
wonderful buildings with so many extraordinary works of art.
    Tonight we honor not only the contributions of Andrew Mellon and his 
family, but we take time to underscore the partnership between the 
United States and the citizens who have done so much to preserve and 
enhance artistic institutions in the United States.
    In this time of budget-cutting and belt-tightening, the Federal, 
State, and local governments together only provide a small fraction of 
the support for our common cultural life. That's why the contributions 
of people like those of you

[[Page 846]]

who are here tonight are crucial to the continuing vitality of our 
institutions.
    I must say that one of the most difficult things that I have to face 
as President is the sure knowledge that if I fail to relieve the burden 
on future generations of the enormous debt which has been built up, I 
will be saddling our children, our grandchildren, with something that 
will always handicap our economy. And yet, it is difficult for me and 
for the Members of Congress not to be able to give more funds to things 
that we really believe in. We will continue to do what we can to support 
the arts, but we need for you to continue to do what you can as well. We 
would all be not only less well-educated but, in a fundamental sense, 
less human than we ought to be were it not for the opportunity to spend 
time in places like the National Gallery.
    I also want to say a special word of appreciation to those of you 
associated with the Gallery who support the educational programs and the 
outreach of the Gallery. You know, I grew up in a small town in my home 
State, and I never will forget the first time I went to the State's art 
gallery. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Now there are children 
all across this country that, because of the outreach programs of 
galleries, see pictures, understand art, develop a level of cultural 
awareness and sensitivity that would be absolutely unthinkable without 
these programs. So for the educational efforts you have all made, I say 
thank you.
    And if you'll give me one more indulgence, I want to say a special 
word of thanks for the astonishing generosity of two people who are here 
tonight, Walter and Leonore Annenberg, who have done so much to help us 
to promote education in this country.
    I was pleased when we stood in the line tonight, how many of you 
came through and said something like, ``Well, I'm from a little town in 
Missouri.'' ``I've been to your State,'' or ``I understand something 
about your background.'' I think sometimes people think too quickly that 
these great magnificent works of art can only be appreciated by those of 
us who are fortunate enough to live in the great cities of our country, 
to assume the high positions in business and government and elsewhere. 
But if you look at the life stories of the artists that we honor by 
hanging their wonderful pictures in these galleries, you will see a much 
more typical picture of ordinary life at every age and time. You have 
helped us to bind up one another in a common culture and to understand 
our connections to the past so that we can better hand down our values 
to the future. For that, the United States is in your debt.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 10:10 p.m. at the National Gallery of Art. 
In his remarks, he referred to Ruth Carter Stevenson, chair, and Robert 
H. Smith, president, board of trustees of the National Gallery of Art; 
and director of the National Gallery of Art Earl A. Powell III, and his 
wife, Nancy.