There is little that I might add to Checker and Mike's wonderfully fitting tribute to Graham Down. They captured the very essence of a remarkable, multi-faceted, true Renaissance man.
Graham and I were personal and professional friends for better than three decades and crossed paths often in foundation offices as we both constantly sought revenue for our respective organizations: Graham for the Council for Basic Education and me for the Institute for Educational Leadership, which I led for twenty years. Indeed, our tenures as leaders of our respective organizations overlapped for almost two decades.
Despite this ostensible competition and eternal scrambling for scarce funds for our non-profits, we developed a unique and wonderful friendship with good natured, irrepressible humor. I unfailingly would tease Graham about his "Bronx accent" and the decline of his beloved British Empire. He in turn would respond to my taunts (in an infinitely more refined and articulate way) with acerbic comments about the immaturity of the American colonies.
Graham had superb people skills. His leadership of CBE was notable for many reasons. Most importantly, his special ability to bridge and connect diverse individuals and ideologies stands out in stark contrast in the contemporary, polarized education-policy context. Graham's energetic, impeccable persona and commitment to the highest academic standards and liberal arts gave him great credibility in the ranks of reformers and critics of the quality of American education. At the same time, Graham related wonderfully to mainstream educators and their "establishment" organizations.
In other words, he was credible with all the very diverse elements engaged in the fragmented education enterprise. His bridging skills and diplomacy could certainly be used in today's dysfunctional milieu in which people with diverse perspectives are not connected and do not communicate with one another.
Graham loved the Cosmos Club, to which he contributed so much. His engaging personality evoked universal respect and admiration among both members and staff who loved this gregarious man. Indeed, flowers now adorn the table in the bar in which Graham held forth so wittingly for so many years.
He will be sorely missed. He was one of a kind, and leaves a wonderful legacy for those of us fortunate enough to have known him.
Michael Usdan is a senior fellow at the Institute for Educational Leadership