George H.W. Bush: “Science and Mathematics Teaching March 12, 1992 Welcome to the chilly Rose Garden. I don't know whose idea this was…”

“Science and Mathematics Teaching March 12, 1992 Welcome to the chilly Rose Garden. I don't know whose idea this was, but--[laughter]. In any event, we are just delighted to have you all here. And it's great to see Lynn Martin, our Secretary of Labor; Dr. Massey; Dr. Wong; and most of all, let me welcome 108 very special men and women chosen from over one-quarter of a million secondary teachers in their fields. And congratulations to all of you in receiving this Nation's highest honor for math and science teachers. As teachers, you know firsthand what the spirit of innovation has brought to this country, though we're not always ready for change. Sometimes I think that if Edison were to invent the light bulb today, newspapers would headline the story ``Candle Industry Threatened.'' [Laughter] The one I like best, though, is one Lyndon Johnson used to tell about. Pointing down to the Potomac, he said, ``If I walked across the Potomac, the press would say `LBJ can't swim.''' [Laughter] You have shown the kind of excellence that will help this country meet the ambitious goals that we've set for our Nation in this America 2000 education strategy, goals worthy of the talent you have and of the potential of these wonderful young kids that you teach. We know we've got to be competitive in math and science in a changing world. Our economic health, our economic strength, our survival, depend on how we educate ourselves to face the challenges of the next century.…”