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

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NEW YORK—I went to Boston last Sunday to attend a meeting of the board of trustees of Brandeis University. It was a beautiful day for flying and I enjoyed every minute of our time in the air.

Once in Boston, I really went to work. As soon as we reached the Somerset Hotel we had a short TV interview and a press conference, and then we attended a luncheon of the Boston Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy. This luncheon was conducted with extraordinary speed, so I was able to leave at exactly 1:50 p.m., which was the time I had promised I would get away. This is so rare at public luncheons that I think everybody was surprised.

When I reached Brandeis University, I found that the board already was in session. But I never feel that my attendance at these meetings is in any way necessary, because everything is run so smoothly that the trustees are just a good backing for the university administration and faculty.

I realize, however, that we are necessary as a background, and I really enjoy hearing what is going on. The university has a problem now in establishing a procedure for the students and alumni in taking matters before the board. I think, however a satisfactory way will be found to meet the desires of the students and alumni.

After the meeting I flew back to New York where, in the evening, I attended the celebration in honor of A. Philip Randolph's 70th anniversary. Mr. Randolph is president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. He has been a remarkably good labor leader and has advanced the cause of his race generally as well as the welfare of the workers he represents.

He has done this without stirring up hatred between the white people and Negroes, and I have great respect for his ability and calm persistence in accomplishing his ends. He is never, however, flamboyant or inflammatory in his speeches or actions.

I left home at 9:15 o'clock Monday morning to go to a school in Brooklyn. The teacher of an English class there had written me, saying that, since I had heard a great deal about the troubles of New York City school pupils, he wanted me to visit his class to see how good these youngsters could be.

I thought this was a fine idea, so I spent an hour and a half at the school—a good part of the time in this teacher's class. He is a good teacher and knows how to hold his pupils' attention.

The administration of the school seems to be excellent, too, and is sympathetic to both the children and the parents. I hope I will be able to go to this school again.

E.R.

(Copyright, 1960, by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)


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About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, January 28, 1960

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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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.
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