The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
JUNE 17, 1937
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NEW YORK, Wednesday—We got off the train at seven-fifteen this morning in New York City. We had a young friend breakfast with us, and I was about to start out to do some shopping at nine o'clock when I discovered that the shop didn't open until nine-thirty! This gave me an extra half hour to go over some of my mail and then I started to do some shopping for my new little guest house at Hyde Park.
Home again at eleven and ready to leave at eleven-thirty with President Edward A. Markley of John Marshall College, and two ladies who took me over to Jersey City for luncheon before the graduation exercises at the College. Senator and Mrs. Moore were present, but the poor Senator could not even have any lunch because he had been sent for to return to Washington. When he arose to say a few words, he remarked that he was leaving at one o'clock but would be in Washington at one-twenty, a fact which I have often found very convenient after daylight saving begins in New York City!
Mrs. Moore presented me with a writing case on behalf of the College which will be extremely useful on my travels and then we all proceeded to the building where the exercises were held.
John Marshall College was started a few years ago by a group of young men who felt that an opportunity should be given to the young people of New Jersey to have two years of college and three years of law without leaving their own state. Under the laws of the State of New Jersey they can then take their bar exams. Most of the young people are working their way through so they have afternoon and evening classes. The valedictorian of his class, John O. McGuire, put a great deal of fire into his speech. I am told that since his father's death a few years ago, he has been the head of the family, kept it together and earned his way through college by working in a New York bank. It is easy to see that he has qualities of leadership which should mean that he will make his mark in the next few years.
These boys and girls are fortunate even though they may not know it in that they do have to take up their responsibilities young. They mature more quickly and don't waste so much time.
We had the usual photographs taken before the exercise which took some time, and the exercises themselves were very delightful but somewhat long, so towards the end I began to wonder if I would get home in time to write you this column, but here I am and the day is behind me and I shall long remember the kindness of Dean Ormsby and President Markley, and the evident interest they have in all their graduates. I feel much honored to receive a degree from this college.
This is the last of my commencements I think for this year, and I am sorry for I like the contact with American youth and the confidence that it gives me in the future of the country.
E.R.
About this document
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, June 17, 1937
Digital edition created by The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project The George Washington University 312 Academic Building 2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007
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.
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TMsd, 16 June 1937, AERP, FDRL