UMUC - European Division - Mason G Daly - Jan Hartman Farewell - Christmas Party 1965

Europe;Hoffmann, RosemaryAnd finally this is the year we lose Jan Hartman to Charles DeGaulle. We will miss this wonderful Czech with his French family, and we know he will miss us. His have been the most reassuring reflexes in divvying up books and in dealing with area directors, even including John Hunt - teachers, centers, language supervisors delaying text selections, and Stars and Stripes that this Divisions has ever enjoyed. He has worked harder and with more devotion to our purpose than any Marylander ever has. And to say that in the presence of all of you without fear of contradiction, places Jan Hartman right in focus. We know that Jan makes his decision to leave with, shall we say, the agony of a Don Totten, without the liquid compensation of a Bill Clutter or a Jack Barnes. We know Jan will succeed in his new post with this Bordeaux firm which, fortunately for us and for our friendship, places the Hartmans for a time in Karlsruhe. We fully expect to see that bent back little citroen come tailing in her for regular visits. And now before we let you go, Jan, even as far as Karlsruhe, this staff wishes to see to it taht you have some items of lasting nostalgic value, items that remind you of your great moments of triumph and of frustration with this outfit. As you all know, Jan has added splash and finesse to our bureaucracy. He has used more color in papers and pads, more shapes in memos and margins, more arrows and urgent reminders, more tabs and ticklers, more carbons and NCR paper than IBM can produce. We are providing him with a supply of some of these genius devices of his and we know the French world and that poor unsuspecting French firm will never be the same, will ultimately never had it so good. We have also taken random samples of the lower-depth supply cabinets which have always been so subtlely raided by Jan, despite the meanest efforts of Elaine Stelter and Otto Schoettner. And we place these items in your own little supply cabinet, Jan. We wish you to note in particular that you have FIVE - repeat FIVE - extra special plastic erasers, an item over which you carried on a valiant and determined war. We have here a special roll of memo paper which you dreamed up for better communication with those miserable, inept, and forgetful Area Directors. The white is your original for the book department files, blue is for Bock, yellow for LeBlanc, pink for Umphrey. You were going to add purple for Hunt but gave up, knowing he ignored everything you sent anyhow. To be completely assured of your continued happiness, Jan, because we all know you would be miserable and unfulfilled if you cannot continue to design forms and memos and pads and paraphenalia to smooth out the bumps of a bureaucracy, we also provide the JAN HARTMAN DO IT YOURSELF FORM DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE KIT. It is absolutely the latest thing, it has a nine way printing plate and permanently inked roller. You probably can print French Francs in it. The Comptroller’s office, also provides - and it is permanently yours this time - a special desk pen in commemoration of your long and regularly lost battle with past and present Comptrollers. We also wish to give you this wood carving to place prominently and with loving recollections, in the center of your attention. It commemorates the great books balancing act you have so magnificently achieved through the years. And Jan, if you do not mind, we insist that you also take with you this rather old machine commemorating your inspiration in introducing to us that magic teletype which has so revolutionized your last happy year with us. We all, God love you Jan, wish you well with DeGaulle and the wonderful country of your choice