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

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WASHINGTON, Tuesday—Yesterday I went to New York City for the dedication of our old houses, which were bought by the Hillel Foundation for Hunter College to be used as an interfaith house by the girl students. We lived in one of these houses off and on for a number of years, but my mother-in-law lived in hers steadily for many years. My husband is particularly glad that something, which he feels she would have approved, is going to be carried on in her house.

My mother-in-law had travelled a great deal all of her life, beginning with her trip to China when she was a very small child, so she had a liking for many different countries and their people. Though she had been brought up as a Unitarian and became an Episcopalian after her marriage, she was very tolerant of all other religions. I think she would have been interested in having work go on in these houses which will bring about greater understanding and tolerance in young people.

I use the word "tolerance" with some hesitation, since hearing Dr. Frank Kingdon in the closing speech at those exercises yesterday. Dr. Kingdon remarked with great force that he did not wish to be "tolerated" or to "tolerate" other people. He wished to get on with them and to enjoy them.

That is, of course, what we ought to mean when we say we are tolerant. Tolerance ought only to be the preliminary step which allows us to get to know other people, and which prevents us from setting up bars, just because they may be of a different race or religion. The real value of any relationship is the fact that we learn to like people in spite of our differences.

Dr. Kingdon also emphasized that it was from people who are "different" that we all gain something. If everyone agreed with us, all our conversation would come to an end, and much of the stimulation which comes from meeting new people would be lost.

Last night I attended, at the Mosque Theatre in Newark, N.J. the musical revue directed by Philip Loeb and sponsored by the National CIO War Relief Committee. Since it was a first night performance, there were still many rough spots to be ironed out. It was longer than it will be in the future, I am sure, but there are songs which I know will become familiar in every home.

There is much amusement and real interest to be derived from an evening at this performance. The cast is good, Beatrice Kay, Norman Lloyd and Jack Marshall do a good job, and they couldn't ask for better support.

E.R.

(COPYRIGHT, 1943, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.)


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About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, November 24, 1943

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
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Digital edition created by The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project The George Washington University 312 Academic Building 2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007

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MEP edition publlished on June 30, 2008.

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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.
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