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

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WASHINGTON, Tuesday—Yesterday evening, in New York City, Mrs. Henry Goddard Leach called for Mrs. Morgenthau and me to go to the Women's City Club dinner. It was the 25th anniversay of the founding of the club. I was sorry that my old friend, Mrs. Norman de R. Whitehouse (de small letters space capital R. period), in whose house the idea of a woman's city club was first discussed, could not be present. But Dr. Josephine Baker, who was among the founders, presided with grace and efficiency.

I did not join the club until my husband returned to New York City in 1920 from Washington, but I have had the good fortune to know many of the original founders. I remember with affection and admiration, Miss Mary Garrett Hay's leadership in the first days when I became active on the board. I was sorry too that Mrs. Edward Dreier (correct) who was president during most of the years when I worked there, was away and could not be present.

I think the women can be proud of the record of their accomplishments. But, above everything else, it seems to me that they should be encouraged by the fact that they have been able to induce a number of women to take an active part on committees, which are really informing themselves on municipal government.

I was particularly pleased last night to note the youth of many of the chairmen of the committees, who stood up to take their bows. I have always felt that when young people come into an organization, that organization is on a firm foundation and will continue to grow.

The platform for next year was read by the club's new president, Miss Bartlett. Then Mr. Newbold Morris, who frequently pinch-hits very successfully for the busy and overburdened Mayor of New York City, discussed this platform and gave the point of view of a city official on some of the things which the women suggested.

His talk was excellent and the audience listened attentively. It was a tribute to him and also to the educational work done by the Women's City Club in the past few years.

Mrs. Morgenthau and I flew to Washington this morning. It was certainly grand to return and be met by so many smiling faces, to find the President feeling much better and our son, Elliott, and his wife, Ruth, still here. In these times, when our children scatter to parts unknown, under orders, even a day or two, or a few hours here and there, make a difference in life. The President started in soon after my arrival with a stream of visitors and I went directly to my press conference.

In a few minutes I shall go to lunch with the ladies of the Senate. So you see, the Washington routine begins again with great rapidity.

E.R.

(COPYRIGHT, 1941, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.)


Names and Terms Mentioned or Referenced

Persons
  • Baker, S. Josephine (Sara Josephine), 1873-1945 [ index ]
         American physician; public health advocate
         [ LC | VIAF | Wikidata ]
  • Bartlett, Elizabeth M., 1897-1979 [ index ]
         President of the Women's City Club of New York
         [ NYT ]
  • Hay, Mary Garrett, 1857-1928 [ index ]
         American activist and suffragist; president of the Woman Suffrage Party and the New York Equal Suffrage League
         [ LC | VIAF | Wikidata | SNAC ]
  • Leach, Agnes Lisle Brown, 1884- [ index ]
         American; participated in the NY Commissions for Health and leaded the Survey Associates; spouse of Henry Goddard Leach
         [ LC | VIAF | SNAC | FAST ]
  • Morgenthau, Elinor, -1949 [ index ]
         American Democratic Party activist; spouse of US Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau, Jr.
         [ LC | ISNI | VIAF | Wikidata | SNAC | FAST | US Nat. Archives ]
  • Morris, Newbold, 1902-1966 [ index ]
         American lawyer, politican, and prsident of the New York CIty Council
         [ LC | VIAF | Wikidata | SNAC ]
  • Roosevelt, Elliott, 1910-1990 [ index ]
         American aviation executive; ER's and FDR's son
         [ ERPP bio | LC | VIAF | Wikidata | SNAC | FAST | US Nat. Archives | ANB ]
  • Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 [ index ]
         American politician; 32nd President of the United States
         [ ERPP bio | LC | ISNI | VIAF | Wikidata | SNAC | FAST | US Nat. Archives | ANB ]
  • Roosevelt, Ruth Googins [ index ]
         American; Second wife ER's and FDR's son Elliott Roosevelt
         [ LC | VIAF ]
  • Whitehouse, Vira Boarman, 1875-1957 [ index ]
         American suffragette; chair of New York Suffrage Party in 1916
         [ LC | ISNI | VIAF | Wikidata | SNAC | FAST | Other source ]
Geographic
  • Washington (D.C., United States) [ index ]


About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, May 14, 1941

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.

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Transcription created from a photocopy of a UFS wire copy of a My Day column instance archived at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
TMs, AERP, FDRL