David E. Bell
Encyclopedia
David E. Bell was a director of the United States
' Office of Management and Budget from January 22, 1961 until December 20, 1962 under President John F. Kennedy
. Kennedy named him director of the Agency for International Development in late 1962. He left government service in 1966 to become the Executive Vice President of the Ford Foundation
.
, to Florence and Reginald Bell. He spent part of his youth in San Francisco, while his father was teaching at Stanford University
.
In 1939 he received a B.A. from Pomona College
, California, and in 1941 a M.A. in economics from Harvard University
.
On November 17, 1943, he married Mary Louise Barry. When they met, Mary worked at the Commerce Department and later was employed as a 4th grade teacher. David and Mary had two children: a daughter Susan, and a son Peter. The Bells and their children traveled extensively in all parts of the world, and lived in several locations, including New York City
, Boston, MA, Washington D.C., and Karachi, Pakistan. He continued to travel the world with his wife up until the time of his death.
Bell died of leukemia
on September 6, 2000, in Cambridge, Massachusetts
. He was 81 years old. He is survived by his two children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Bell was notably tall and thin, and had an avid interest in arts and crafts
. His home was filled with items he and his wife collected on their many trips abroad. Both Bell and his wife loved jazz and had friends in the arts. They were socially progressive for their time, strongly opposed segregation and sent their children to integrated schools.
in December, 1942. He was trained at Fort Benning
, Georgia, Camp Pendleton, California, and Quantico
, Virginia, where he was an instructor. He served on land in Pearl Harbor from July 1945 until he was released from active duty on 21 September of the same year, at which point he was a First Lieutenant
. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 19 July 1948 and was honorably discharged on December 16, 1957.
In 1952, Bell left Washington temporarily to join the campaign staff of the Democratic nominee for president, Adlai Stevenson. Bell served Stevenson as a speech writer and as Stevenson's White House liaison. When the Truman administration ended in January 1953, Bell returned to private life. At the end of 1960, President-elect Kennedy asked Bell to become the Director of the Bureau of the Budget. Bell accepted, and was immediately put to work during the Eisenhower/Kennedy transition helping to formulate the new administration's economic policy. Some of Bell's other tasks were to map out legislative proposals and strategy, and to review the proposals made by other government agencies. At the end of 1962, President Kennedy asked Bell to become the new Administrator for the Agency for International Development, created in response to the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961. In this post Bell worked at developing foreign aid programs and legislation and appealing for funds and fighting budget cutbacks.
, a private independent institution dedicated to advancing social justice in the US and in developing nations. During his time at the Ford Foundation, Bell was a member of a large number of advisory committees dealing with foreign aid and government reorganization. He left the Ford Foundation in 1980.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' Office of Management and Budget from January 22, 1961 until December 20, 1962 under President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
. Kennedy named him director of the Agency for International Development in late 1962. He left government service in 1966 to become the Executive Vice President of the Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
.
Personal life
David E. Bell was born on January 20, 1919, in Jamestown, North DakotaJamestown, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,527 people, 6,505 households, and 3,798 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.7 per square mile . There were 6,970 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile...
, to Florence and Reginald Bell. He spent part of his youth in San Francisco, while his father was teaching at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
In 1939 he received a B.A. from Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
, California, and in 1941 a M.A. in economics from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
On November 17, 1943, he married Mary Louise Barry. When they met, Mary worked at the Commerce Department and later was employed as a 4th grade teacher. David and Mary had two children: a daughter Susan, and a son Peter. The Bells and their children traveled extensively in all parts of the world, and lived in several locations, including New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Boston, MA, Washington D.C., and Karachi, Pakistan. He continued to travel the world with his wife up until the time of his death.
Bell died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
on September 6, 2000, in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. He was 81 years old. He is survived by his two children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Bell was notably tall and thin, and had an avid interest in arts and crafts
Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
. His home was filled with items he and his wife collected on their many trips abroad. Both Bell and his wife loved jazz and had friends in the arts. They were socially progressive for their time, strongly opposed segregation and sent their children to integrated schools.
Military service
Bell joined the United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
in December, 1942. He was trained at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia, Camp Pendleton, California, and Quantico
Quantico
Quantico may refer to:* Quantico , a 2005 science fiction/thriller novel by Greg Bear* Quantico, Maryland, an unincorporated community in Wicomico County, Maryland, United States...
, Virginia, where he was an instructor. He served on land in Pearl Harbor from July 1945 until he was released from active duty on 21 September of the same year, at which point he was a First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 19 July 1948 and was honorably discharged on December 16, 1957.
Government Service
In 1942, he became a staff member at the Bureau of the Budget. During W.W. II (1942 to 1945) he served in the Marine Corps. From 1947 to 1951, Bell alternated between a position on the staff at the Bureau of the Budget, and a position as a special assistant to President Harry Truman. In 1951, Bell became Administrative Executive to the President. In these positions Bell worked on the formulation and evaluation of the administration's economic policies and programs. During this time, Bell also worked as a speech writer for President Truman.In 1952, Bell left Washington temporarily to join the campaign staff of the Democratic nominee for president, Adlai Stevenson. Bell served Stevenson as a speech writer and as Stevenson's White House liaison. When the Truman administration ended in January 1953, Bell returned to private life. At the end of 1960, President-elect Kennedy asked Bell to become the Director of the Bureau of the Budget. Bell accepted, and was immediately put to work during the Eisenhower/Kennedy transition helping to formulate the new administration's economic policy. Some of Bell's other tasks were to map out legislative proposals and strategy, and to review the proposals made by other government agencies. At the end of 1962, President Kennedy asked Bell to become the new Administrator for the Agency for International Development, created in response to the Foreign Assistance Act
Foreign Assistance Act
The Foreign Assistance Act is a United States Act of Congress. The Act reorganized the structure of existing U.S. foreign assistance programs, separated military from non-military aid, and created a new agency, the United States Agency for International Development to administer those...
of 1961. In this post Bell worked at developing foreign aid programs and legislation and appealing for funds and fighting budget cutbacks.
Ford Foundation Work
Bell left the government in the summer of 1966, and became Executive Vice President of the Ford FoundationFord Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
, a private independent institution dedicated to advancing social justice in the US and in developing nations. During his time at the Ford Foundation, Bell was a member of a large number of advisory committees dealing with foreign aid and government reorganization. He left the Ford Foundation in 1980.