Assistant Secretary of State

Recently named Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, Howland H. Sargeant '32 undertakes his new position during a period when what the rest of the world learns about the United States rates a high priority. On the international side, his is the top responsibility for cultural relations, including exchange of students, professors and other persons, and for the working out of broad policies to be followed by the government in its international information and propaganda activities. At home, he is responsible for all domestic information activities, except the press division, designed to keep the public informed about foreign policy matters.

Winner of the Barrett Cup award at Dartmouth, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and a Rhodes Scholar, Mr. Sargeant received three degrees from Oxford University: the Bachelor of Arts in 1934, Master of Arts in 1938, and Bachelor of Literature in 1940. Meanwhile he entered the field of government as assistant to the chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board in 1935, where he served in various capacities, including being editor of the FederalHome Loan Bank Review and the director of public relations.

In 1940 he temporarily left government work to help plan a new type of scientific foundation for the National Academy of Sciences. He acted as Chief of the Division of Patent Administration, Office of Alien Property Custodian, from 1942 until 1947; and from 1944 to 1946 was chairman of the Technical Industrial Intelligence Committee, working with the U. S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. This involved the safe handling of over 500 civilian experts who traveled in the European Theater with combat troops before VE day, and resulted in this country's obtaining technical findings of great value to industry. From 1947 until his recent promotion Mr. Sargeant was with the Department of State, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs.

Upon receiving the Superior Service Award of the Department of State in 1949, Mr. Sargeant was cited by Dean Acheson "for superior service, notable achievement and devotion to duty" in instituting organizational changes in the Department, as recommended by the Hoover Commission.

Mr. Sargeant became acquainted with Myrna Loy, the actress, when they were both U. S. delegates to the General Conference of UNESCO, in Florence, Italy, in the spring of 1950. They were married last June.

HOWLAND H. SARGEANT '32