Janet Yellen, whom President Obama plans to nominate Wednesday to lead the Federal Reserve, was the editor in chief of the student newspaper at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn. She was also valedictorian of the class of 1963. So in keeping with a school tradition for the editor to interview the valedictorian, she interviewed herself.
Below is the text of the article she wrote for the newspaper, The Pilot, unearthed at the Brooklyn Public Library by Vivian Yee, a Times reporter who’s written more about Ms. Yellen’s high school years on City Room.
It’s worth noting that Ms. Yellen is still in the communications business. Speaking clearly is an increasingly important part of the job of a Fed chief.
Also worth noting: The final line of the article, in which Ms. Yellen demonstrated precocious mastery of the policy maker’s standby: “No comment.”
By Janet Yellen
I entered the den quietly. A small figure sat bent over a desk strewn haphazardly with books and pencils. In a metal wastebasket and on the floor lay crushed balls of carelessly discarded paper. Janet Yellen, this year’s valedictorian, was preparing her graduation speech.
“I’m the editor of The Pilot,” I said, “and I’ve…”
“Just a minute,” said Janet abruptly, “I’m thinking.”
I glanced around the room. A bulletin board was plastered with awards and certificates. It’s too disheveled appearance indicated that great pains had been taken to achieve such “perfect sloppiness.” “National Merit Commendation, Regents Scholarship, Mayor’s Citation…”
Janet looked up. “I understand,” I began, “that you are a versatile, attractive, talented senior.”
“Come now,” Janet replied, “you’re letting The Pilot go to your head!”
I pointed to a certificate on the bulletin board. “What’s that?”
Studied Geology
“In my junior year I studied geology on Saturday mornings at the Museum of Natural History. Mineralogy has always been a major interest.” Leading me to a display cabinet, Janet said, “I’ve been collecting rocks since I was 8 and have over 200 different specimens. Last year I went on field trips in New Jersey and Connecticut. You see,” she indicated, “this purple one is fluorite, and this is wulfenite, and…”
“Yes, yes, that’s very interesting but are you taking any courses this year?”
“Yes, I’m in the Science Honors Program at Columbia University where I have been studying probability, matrix algebra and finite dimensional vector spaces. No — that’s spelt f–i–n–”
A Wide Traveler
Around the room were some arresting wood figures. “Where does that carved mask come from?” I ventured.
“That’s from Haiti. I visited the island during Easter vacation. Last summer we spent a month driving through Italy, Switzerland and France. In 1960 my parents and I visited South America and the Carribbean [sic], and the summer before we took a Baltic-North Cape Cruise which stopped in Scandinavia, Germany, Finland, Scotland, Ireland, Holland and Belgium.”
“May I say then that travel is your hobby?”
“Yes, as well as attending Off Broadway theater, eating, riding the 69 St. Ferry, exploring New York City, and reading philosophy so that I can write unpopular essays. I studied piano for seven years and play for my own enjoyment. This season I also took a course in contract bridge.”
Pilot Editor in Chief
“What are my extracurricular activities? Pilot editor in chief, Psychology Club, Boosters and Arista.”
At the risk of sounding trite I asked: “What are your plans for the future?”
“Next year I will attend Pembroke College where I’ve decided to major in math or anthropology or economics or — by the way, how do you enjoy working on The Pilot?”
My journalism textbook said to think quickly and be diplomatic. I thought. “No comment!”