The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
MAY 17, 1937
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WASHINGTON, Sunday—Friday afternoon the graduating class of The Todhunter School came down for the week end. They have been busily sight-seing yesterday and today. Both evenings we have had movies and our two sons, James and Elliott and their wives, enjoyed them as much as the young people. Friday night we had "Lost Horizons". I could not help wondering as I looked at all the young people what Shangri-La meant to them, either in the book or in the movie.
One of the newspapers down here is sponsoring a contest in which people are invited to express in twenty-five words their ideas and I would be curious to know what the majority of people give. From my own point of view, it is the attainment of what peace and contentment one can only have within oneself if one feels that whatever ideal of happiness one has created for those one truly loves, is actually attained.
"Captain Courageous" our last night's movie left most of us in tears and I was glad that my husband had decided on work rather than on an evening of entertainment, though I think the movie is really lovely and well worth seeing.
Yesterday I had my first garden party for the women executives in the various departments. It was a beautiful day and I was glad of the opportunity to be out of doors, not only during the garden party, but during a picnic lunch which I had in the garden for the senior class from Arthurdale, West Virginia, and their accompanying teachers, and our own household group.
From the picnic, I went with Mrs. Helm and Mrs. Scheider to Secretary and Mrs. Woodring's lovely place which they allowed the Women's National Democratic Club to use for their annual spring party. This house was begun by General Washington for Nellie Custis His adopted daughter, and though it was not finished for five years, and Washington did not live to see it completed, the setting, the trees and the house itself are reminiscent of the taste which developed so much beauty at Mount Vernon. The two houses are fairly close together, and on the road between them is Washington's old grist mill, which has also been restored and I think is very interesting.
In the morning I visited the Girl Scouts' practice house and we planted a tree as part of their participation in Better Homes Week. I am glad that the Scouts make a point of learning something about landscaping and gardening, for they certainly add charm to any home.
The family all went to church this morning, and this afternoon I have one or two engagements, but Sara and Chandler are going up together to ride on Sara's pony, which sounds like a perfect Sunday afternoon for them!
E.R.
About this document
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, May 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 May 1937, AERP, FDRL