Spencer Heath Archive

Item 1672

Carbon of a letter from Heath at 312 Halesworth, Santa Ana CA to F. A. Harper, The Volker Fund, Box 113, Burlingame CA.

July 22, 1959

 

Dear Dr. Harper: (Baldy)

     It is high time for me to write and thank you for your part in arranging my fine visit with “Bob” LeFevre at The Freedom School from June 29 to July 4. I attended most of the classes during that time (presiding over one of them), had some very fine talks with “Bob” and enjoyed many wonderful hospitalities in and out of the School in its lovely mountain home. The students all were alert and enthusiastic, Frank Chodorov was at his inimitable best and Loy LeFevre and Marjory Llewellyn of the housekeeping department were delightful in many ways. I saw all too little of Ruth Dazy, “Bob’s” lovely secretary, and, of course, not nearly enough of “Bob” himself, but we did find happy agreement on many things of much interest to us all.

     Bob himself is certainly the vital dynamo with a great mind and personality to match. Only a few times in my life have I felt so greatly in the presence of a man.

     I had my first perusal of LeFevre on “Anarchy” and Harper on “Liberty.” Both are timely and quite illuminating. It Is all too widely thought that our only choice Is between tyranny or anarchy — unless there can be some happy compromise or mixture of these two. Freedom, properly understood, is of course, the answer. To me it is not what we can escape from but what we can go for and be after that is important, —- the freedom to do something (Latin, facio, facere, to do, make, create), to engage unhindered in mutually free contractual relationships, as we have been divinely commanded to do by him who was all antithesis to the political power of his time and of all time.

     You of course know my thesis of how this freedom is even now actually, though slowly and unknowingly advancing wherever common or community services are being supplied to occupants and visitors alike on equal terms, as in hotel properties, large residence communities and the varieties of business and shopping centers that are springing up on every hand. When the full implications of this become understood and profitably applied public authority will find it profitable to serve all its patrons, and ruinous to tax or seize. Then none will be hindered in his practice of the Divine Command to serve others as He would be served. Then all can be free.

     Well, surely the forgoing is enough for now. Spencer has left me and the Foundation alone for the summer, and then to the University in Seattle in the fall. He is working hard on a thesis and hoping to get his Master’s next year. I am glad to further (and finance) his ambition but I surely do miss him in many ways. However, we had a fine ten days together at Claremont, even if many fine things do seem best deferred, and he may do better far off and alone. He has a wonderful mind and I have, more or less secretly, great hopes for him.

     One of the fine things that happened at Claremont was our meeting with your Mr. Bierly. He made me wish I had known him for many years before. If he is a fair example of the Volker personnel, I congratulate you a thousand-fold.

     Mrs. Manning joins me in many best wishes to you and your gracious mate and all your house.

                        Cordially,

 

                        Spencer Heath

 

I am returning East at the end of this month and may stop off en route to see Bob again, as he has asked me to do.