CALLIGRAPHERS PREPARE WHITE HOUSE INVITES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000300190030-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 17, 1999
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: March 20, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

CPYRGHT
The envelopes arc writtenitgrets for tile P csider t nand;
Vitli a fountain pen in black engrave presi(eni al p oclama-l
Included in the invitations Lions which are given to anhl)as-J&
were the following-a small en- sadors when they present their
graved card designating the af- diplomatic credential. They oc-
and it only takes 30 seconds or fair as "Mack tie " a iar^er casionally ever. frame pictures
so for the?~ecipient to realize, card informing the person in for the first 'family, and once
hc; has been invited to dine at vited that the. dinner is held in designed President Johnson's
the' hate, prase, honor of Mme. C hndhi. and an~birthday Cake.
.taut it takes a good neat tong-I "admission card" which the; "I like to t'aink of calligraphy
as a fine art and an expressive)
tiling," Fox said. `'And it is
good when the lettering or. they.'
page speaks to you. 1
"Lettering is not just marks
on paper, it's also breaking up
ihe menus, the programs and the white spaces and it's good
the seating arrangements.
tior ,begins "The President and
114rs. Johnson request the 'pleas-
'Tor example, the White house
is planning ~a formal dinner ?on
March 28, for the prime minis-
tier of India, Mme. Indira Gan-
have 'been rotted. The Whit
dinner which are filled in by the
callig aphers.
Fox estimates it takes from
'three to five minutes to write
'? in the nappy of eoah person in-
?;er than Q seconds to get anlguest must-present to the White
invitation into the mails. An House guards the night of the
i'fotir calligraphers stuffed into a
(:.small office invitations are only the
off the east, Wing beginning of the : alligraphers'
White House diorer begin
from six weeks to a month in
advance when tlac guest list is
agreed to by N.rs. Jallnson,
the white House chef, nd the
housekeeper, it is giver) to
sign, then sends it to the
rangement," he added.
Sanford L. Fox is a short,
cheery, prematurely wcite-
haired man of 45.
Aithou,, hc has been chief
only five years, Fox has don,
- (part-time calligraphy work. for
Presidents since Franklin Roose-
Each guest also eceives a11944. Until January,1051 his of-
program of the evening's the Central
tainment, also desig, ed by the) -rip, zence Agency, a
calligraphers. Final
e a c h he_descrju'cs_ "admin-
laced istrative'
a>,.says he has always been
cards put together," Fox said l calligraphy after he won a
recently. He explained that last,sciholarship to a commercial il-
minute cancellations can play ~ lustrating school -after high
t,vitcd?, two minutes to write inllhavoc with the seating arrange- school.
the date, and an additional twolmenls of 220 persons "especial- Fox disagrees with those who
minutes fo address the enve-I ly if the absentee was to sit at dismiss calligraphy as a dying
''lope. the head table with President art form. And he insists that it
and Vfrs. Johnson. . . is flourishing. He admits that
The h ld-written portions of When not working, on invita- one of his problems is finding
the hnvit ition,s alyr cTp p ~zl >i}1p,1 lions-which seldom occurs be- calligraphers to work in his of-
It snntc ''gma11ui, ante" Sel,it)t as cause the President entertains lira- "lint wF anrtninli,
rnnni,,
pi t \ tli it only the most eagle ~,~I ite in exquisitely c',etailed 1 as in any job, the specialists are
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