TLS Jim Henderson to John F. Kennedy, 27 January 1962

1/25 JAN 1962 Iona HER Jim Henderson 13720 N. W. McLain Way Portland 10, Oregon John F. Kennedy Office of the President White House Washington D. C. Mr. President I am a senior at Sunset High School, Beaverton, Oregon. I know I still have much education lacking so if I say some- thing that sounds simple or ignorant, please bear with me. I am in the process of making college applications and trying desperately to find a means by which I can attend. Actually what I mean here is that my finances are limited. What I would like to know though, is why we couldn't use some of the money that is blown up on the launching-pad every month to help some of us attend college. I know that beating the Russians to the moon and man's never tiring cur- iosity is a factor, too, but I think it is more important to have an educated country than a man on the moon. (As I said before, I may be wrong in my reasonning here so don't think I am trying to be sarcastic.) With the money that could be alotted out of our space program funds, many people could attend college that normally couldn't otherwise. Here I would like to say that the many people I mean are ones who have a lot of know-how and could make a very successful attempt at college. There are thou- sands of students who don't further there education because 2 of the lack of money, not the lack of brain-power. 1, 1 I know there are many scholarships available each year, and many that go unclaimed each year, but believe it or not, if you don't have some sort of pull or a 3.5 g.p.a., you usually don't have a chance. I know that you are not wasting the money that is used in our missle program, and that you are making great advances in research also. But I still don't see any reason why we need to put a man in space or on the moon. Well, I probably seemed ignorant in some of my argu- ments, but I sincerely don't think so. Thank you for your time and consideration, Sincerely, Jim Henderson Jim Henderson Post Script I am not trying to apply on your sympathies in my letter, or knock you or your position in any way, I have supreme respect for you and your office and am only trying too fulfill my right to present questions to my President. Again I thank you for your time.