The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt

[This column has emendations. View original version]

      

WASHINGTON. Wednesday —We all worked last evening, my husband has to catch up on his old work besides preparing for new. When I went in early this morning to see him, he told me before long he would have some news from Michigan, but the calm with which he takes these things makes the rest of us feel that really nothing very personal is occuring. I am sure that it is the better way, for if you keep an objective point of view about many things in politics, it makes your judgment that much better.

I started a delightful book last night, Ishbel Ross' "Ladies of the Press." I think she has written something which will be interesting historically but which is also like a fascinating story to read. Of course, I suppose because she likes so many of the people whom I like also I am heart and soul in agreement with almost everything she says. We are funny that way!

We admire the person who can be objective, who is not influenced by his friends, who thinks, and does not allow his feelings to run away with him, but isn't it pleasant when some one who has a reputation of having calm, cool judgment, an objective point of view, all of the qualities that men think desirable in women who earn their living is found agreeing with you? And you can read along and not have to stop and argue violently with the printed page?

Long before I ever met met Ishbel Ross, her name as a reporter had been told me by many of her friends. She is right that only a very few women become front page reporters and that is a coveted spot. I do not resent the fact that as the wife of the President it is rarely or never that I can give front page news, that is as it should be. I do, however, resent the fact that so few women writers many of whom are just as capable of handling big stories as the men, get a chance to be front page writers. I know that there are lots of poor women reporters. I know that they want their typewriter ribbons changed, I know if it gets wet or dark some of them do not have the courage to go through with an assignment, but some men don't either! The women haven't had as many years training in physical self-discipline as men.

Real books like this one are a great interest and great help and may it have a record sale!

Mrs. Baxter, Secretary Dern's daughter, came to lunch with me looking very lovely. She is trying to make plans for her new future, and like her mother is a courageous person. There will be other people in to see us during the afternoon. In the meantime there is a blessed interlude and we do not have to run about or attend meetings or receive large groups of people.

E.R.


Names and Terms Mentioned or Referenced

Persons


About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, September 17, 1936

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
[ ERPP bio | LC | VIAF | WorldCat | DPLA | Wikidata | SNAC ]

Digital edition created by The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project The George Washington University 312 Academic Building 2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007

  • Brick, Christopher (Editor)
    [ VIAF | ORCID ]
  • Regenhardt, Christy (Associate Editor)
    [ ISNI ]
  • Black, Allida M. (Editor)
    [ VIAF | ISNI ]
  • Binker, Mary Jo (Associate Editor)
    [ VIAF | ORCID ]
  • Alhambra, Christopher C. (Electronic Text Editor)
    [ VIAF | ORCID ]

Digital edition published 2008, 2017 by
The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project

Available under licence from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

Published with permission from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

MEP edition publlished on June 30, 2008.

TEI-P5 edition published on April 28, 2017.

XML master last modified on May 2, 2022.

HTML version generated and published on May 3, 2022.

Transcription created from a photocopy of a draft version of a My Day column instance archived at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library. My Day column draft dated September 16, 1936, FDR Library, Hyde Park, NY
TMsd, 16 September 1936, AERP, FDRL