WEST STUDENTS IMPRESS CIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90G01353R002000030035-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 13, 2012
• Sequence Number: 35
• Publication Date: April 27, 1988
• Content Type: MISC

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THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS
ARE ATTACHED:
(Please do not remove)
_cif /3/6
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OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
To: DDCI
Executive Rcgist
88-1316/4
Date: 11 May 1988
I am sure Public Affairs provided you a
copy of the 27 April Topeka Capital-Journal
article on your interview with two Topeka-West
students. Just in case you have not seen it,.
I am forwarding it to you. An uncle in my
home town of Junction City, Kansas, forwarded
the article to me this week. Obviously you
made quite a hit with these two young men.
I agree with your comment that the Topeka-West
program is impressive. It was great that
you were able to provide them the time ? did.
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28 Wodnosde April 27,1988
The Topeka Capital-Journal LIVING
est students
impress CIA
native
ecin:
y 'applaud
9u, Topeka
est and the
Toheka
By ANN HUNGERFORD
Capital-Journal Living editor
Talton Newell and Mark Rue-
s, der may have been im-
pressed with their VIP treat-
ment from the CIA 'and FBI but
no less so than the staff of the
national agencies were with
them.
Robert Gates, deputy director
of Central Intelligence in Wash-
ington, D.C., and subject of a
Topeka West Aligh School oral
history project, wrote Dr. Rob-
ert McFrazier, principal at To-
peka West, to express how
pressed he was with the two
rung historians.
"I want to commend Topeka
West and Mike Prints for an im-
mensely ambitious and creative
history program. It is testimony
to the confidence of the conunu-
. nity in these high school seniors,
as Well as the maturity of the
students themselves, that you
are willing to send them to dis-
tant cities to carry out these
projects and to do so with obvi-
ous trust in how they will con-
duet themselves.
_ _faStaus. _
SALT talks. He was also with
the National Security Council for
a time.
While in service to the CIA,
Gates earned his doctorate at
Georgetown University, a fact
that would prove to be especial-
ly significant for Roeder.
At the conclusion of their din-
ner together, Gates offere to
write letters of recommendation
for colleges or employment for
either of the young men.
Since he is seeking acceptance
. at Georgetown University, Roe-
, ?
Jason Nowell Mark Roeder
der took Gates
and asked for
mendation..
,offer
1
10'IJ) _ //-
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-
community for
sending such
extraordinary
ambassadors
around our
country.
Jason and .
Mark made an
enormously
favorable
impression on
everyone they
encountered:
?Robert Gates
WW1 1.1 Wet SLIUI.VIIMIIIIMILMV 11111
them is admirable and clearly
well founded," Gates wrote.
Gates invited the students to
Washington for an interview, ar-
ranged a VIP tour of the FBI,
took them for dinner accompa-
nied, of course, by a small en-
tourage of security men.
? "Gates said he considered it
? an honor to be chosen," said
Newell. "We asked him for
whatever time he could give us."
Gates gave them double the
originally scheduled time, never
interrupting to indicate the time
was up.
So special was the treatment
they received, that literally ev-
erywhere they went in the CIA,
they were greeted with "So this
is them."
During their interview, Newell
and Roeder learned that Gates
has been a career intelligence
officer.
Born and educated in Wichita,
Gates eanied his bachelor's de-
gree at William and Mary and
his master's at ,the University of
Indiana when he was recruited
by the CIA. He worked as an
aide under Henry _Kissinger and
was the youngest member \at the
In only three days following
the phone request Roeder re-
ceived a copy of the letter to
Georgetown.
"He wrote it the day after I
asked," said Roeder.
Secondary information from
colleagues of Gates and media
reports indicate that Gates re-
ceives highly favorable response
from both.
"His press is really highly fa-
vorable," said Newell. "He is
considered one of the top two
men in the nation on Soviet af-
fairs."
Colleagues consider him a top
intelligence administrator be-
cause he is not afraid to change
the system and brings an effi-
ciency and industriousness to the
position.
Friends also indicate that his
analytical mind has been a
tremendous asset to the CIA, the
historians said.
Gates arranged for a private
five-hour tour of the FBI for the
historians.
"They showed us everything,"
Newell said. "We got to handle
the weapons used in the St.
Valentine's Day Massacre."
istory projects listed
The Topeka Welt High School Oral History Opening
? 1. Ph& stilLbeghn at 730 p.m. May, 4. Guests and
',hittorlanif..y411* hiroduced in the high school audi-
? tOriini 444 Pio-grain( On notable Kansans will follow
biticattims throughout the high school. Programs run
aniPyerpot 97 30 minutes each and will be repeated
LrYer,t.tinis 4bigultbaui the evening allowing thee*
,t0-Vievt. 11014*.
? 11110-4 caroming oral projects are presented
to Kansas Hist:01qt ,Society.
A list of Kansas subjec.brand their oral historians
follows -
? 'Carole Anatilga, 'choreographer, New York ?
'lad Ervin and Christie Ross. . .
*Marlin Fitzwater, presidential press secretary,
Washington, D.C. ? Chit McIlvaln and Mark Reedy.
? Robert Gates, CIA deputy director, Washington,
D.C. ? Jason Newell and Mark Roeder.
? Dennis Hopper, actor, Hollywood ? Kristie
Green and John Greenwood.
? Jim Slattery, U.S. Congressman, Washington,
D.C. ? Mark Johnson and Kelly Sutherland.
*Steve Tilford, International bicyclist, Topeka ?
High Cooper, Ron Hardin, Bill McLaughlin.
?*Topeka West High School Distinguished Gradu-
ates (Steve Harsha, Michael, Murphy and Janet
Thompson) ? Stephen Durrell, Stacie Harris, Tim
Lee, Greta Norris, Mark Parcells and Brian White.
? U.S.S. Topeka ? Jenni Liles, Nancy Nusbaum,
Myles Schrag and Michael Schwartz.
? Donald Wilson, United States Archivist, Washing-
ton, D.C. ? Kyle Pelton, William Regan and Kevin
Young.
Organizations wishing to schedule a presentation of
one of the projects may call Kay Pin at 272-1643, ext.
81.
-..1???????,,
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The Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Washingon. D. C 20505
STAT
March 31, 1988
Dr. Robert McFrazier
Principal
Topeka West High School
2001 Fairlawn Road
Topeka, Kansas 66604
Dear Dr. McFrazier:
ER 1316/1-88
I had the pleasure this week of spending some time with two
of your students, Jason Newell and Mark Roeder, who are
involved in the oral history program at Topeka West. I want to
tell you how deeply impressed I and others in Washington were
with these two fine young men. We do not get too many
uplifting experiences in this city, especially in my line of
work. However, spending some time with these two smart, well
informed, responsible and mature high school seniors was both
inspiring and a real treat. All who met Jason and Mark agreed
that, based on what we saw of them, the future of the country
is in good hands.
I want to commend Topeka West and Mike Printz for an
immensely ambitious and creative history program. It is
testimony to the confidence of the community in these high
school seniors, as well as the maturity of the students
themselves, that you are willing to send them to distant cities
to carry out these projects and to do so with obvious trust in
how they will conduct themselves. Your trust and confidence in
them is admirable and clearly well founded.
As a native Kansan, I can only applaud you, Topeka West and
the Topeka community for sending such extraordinary ambassadors
around our country. Jason and Mark made an enormously
favorable impression on everyone they encountered. Their
parents must be quite proud of them. And I am reassured.
STATOCI /RMGat es/
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?
STAT
The Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Washington. D. C. 20505
March 31, 1988
Mr. Mark Roeder
Topeka West High School
2001 Fairlawn Road
Topeka, Kansas 66604
Dear Mark:
ER 1316/2-88
I want to thank you for coming to Washington and including
me in your program. I certainly enjoyed the time I spent
talking with you and Jason, both on camera and at dinner. All
those with whom you came in contact here in Washington were
deeply impressed with your character and intelligence.
The program in which you are participating is a remarkable
one and I know an honor and pleasure for you. By the same
token, you will never know what a positive and reassuring
experience it was for us here to get to meet you. It is hard
to imagine better ambassadors than you and Jason for Kansas and
for your generation. Your parents should be very proud.
Best wishes for a very successful future.
Sincerely,
Robert M. Gtres
STAT DDCl/RMGates)
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?
The Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Wihinon.D C.20505
March 31, 1988
Mr. Jason Newell
Topeka West High School
2001 Fairlawn Road
Topeka, Kansas 66604
Dear Jason:
ER 1316/1-88
I want to tell you how much I enjoyed the opportunity to
meet and spend some time with you. I am flattered that I was
chosen to participate in your program. You certainly made a
very positive impression on me and everyone you encountered
here in Washington. Your evident intelligence and character
had a profound impact and, frankly, were immensely reassuring
and inspiring to all of us.
It is hard to imagine better ambassadors than you and Mark
for Kansas or for your generation. Your parents should be very
proud.
Best of luck in what I expect will be a very successful
future.
STAT
Sincerely,
SI-AT DDCI /RMGates
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"
iv
February 19, 1988
The Honorable Robert M. Gates
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, D. C. 20505
Dear Mr. Gates:
During the Bicentennial, Topeka (Kansas) West High School Library Media
Specialist Michael PrintzeIiiped an orat-hIstory program to honor native
Kansans who have gone on to distinguish "titetraTiet-in their respective fields.
A few of the one hundred twenty-six (126) past Oral Histories include projects
on Dwight D. Eisenhower, Alf Landon, Senators Nancy Landon Kassembaum and
Bob Dole, astronaut Steve Hawley, actors Gordon Jump and Ed Asner, Pulitzer
Prizewinning poet Gwendolyn Brooks, and Amelia Earhart.
Completed Oral Histories become the property of the Kansas State Historical
Society, where they are made a permanent part of the Society's research and
educational materials. Scholars and writers from across the country travel
to Kansas to use the over two thousand seven hundred-seventy (2,770) hours of
audio and video recorded interviews that the two hundred one (201) students
who have worked with the Oral History Program have accumulated in the past
twelve years. For example, since the project on Amelia Earhart was completed
in 1978 over two thousand two hundred-twenty (2,220) writers have come to
the Kansas State Historical Society to use the materials prepared by the
students that produced her oral history.
The students that work on each project also present their finished product
to various civic, service, and political organizations throughout the state.
Obviously, a first rate oral history requires extensive travel, time, and
money to interview and research the subject of the documentary and those
that have influenced his life. All expenses are covered by funds raised by
the students through community contributions from the people of Kansas.
We are extremely excited this year to have been selected to complete a
documentary on the life and accomplishments of Robert M. Gates. Our project
will involve extensive research into your life in Wichita and the years since
TOPEKA WEST HIGH SCHOOL, 2001 FAIRLAWN RD. 66604, 913/272-1643
C-0 ? tZlti-r-cLA
TOPEKAPUMJCSCHOOLS
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you left Kansas. We will be interviewing your family, friends, teachers
and other colleagues that have influenced your life. Our research will
culminate with a trip to Washington, D. C. to trace your life in our
nation's capitol.
We are hoping to meet with you at your convenience to conduct a personal
interview for use in our documentary. In addition, we would also like to
interview several of the people associated with your work in Washington,
and we would appreciate any suggestions you might have regarding others
that would contribute to our project.
We are interested in discussing dates that we would be able to meet with
you in Washington. Please feel free to call one of us collect at home
this weekend, or if this is not possible we will contact you Monday,
February 22.
The people of Kansas are always excited to hear about the success of other
Kansans, and we are very enthusiastic about the project. Your cooperation
will enable us to complete a quality documentary, and look forward to
speaking with you soon.
Sincerely,
Jason Newell
2612 SW Osborn Road
Topeka, Kansas 66614
[phone]
Mark Roeder
3225 Westover Road
Topeka, Kansas 66604
[phone]
Mike Printz
4315 W 6th Street
Topeka, Kansas 66606
[phone]
Topeka West Library
[phone], Ext. 80
TOPEKA WEST HIGH SCHOOL, 2001 FAIRLAWN RD. 66604, 913/272-1643
TOPEKA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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