Roosevelt discussed at W.L.U. meeting
The Women’s Literary Union held a membership lunch on Feb. 17 at the Woodfords Congregational Church. The Daily Thymes store and catering service again catered the delicious luncheon of lasagna, green salad, baked breads, and chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, decorated with strawberry slices and blueberries.
President Patricia Shapazian opened the meeting. Shirley Tevanian introduced the speaker, H. Draper Hunt, Ph.D., who received his B.A. from Harvard and his Ph.D. from Columbia University. He is now retired, after teaching history at USM for 32 years, and at Hunter College in the Bronx, N.Y., before that.
His lecture was titled “Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt: The New Deal.” His interesting talk emphasized the partnership of that extraordinary couple, describing Eleanor’s role as Franklin’s eyes, ears and conscience on her extensive travels during his terms as U. S. President.
Franklin Roosevelt lived from1882-1945, and Eleanor from, 1884-1962. Her parents were Elliott Roosevelt (brother of U. S. President Theodore Roosevelt), and Anna Hall Roosevelt. After the death of her parents, she was cared for by her grandmother, and sent to school in England. On March 17, 1905, she married Franklin D. Roosevelt, a distant cousin; she as given away at the wedding by her uncle, President Theodore Roosevelt.
Franklin Roosevelt was born at Hyde Park, N.Y., the only child of James and Sara Delano Roosevelt. His father was vice president of the Delaware and Hudson Railroad for several years, but was mostly interested in his country estate. Sara came from a wealthy family of New York and New England merchant shippers and developers of coal lands. Franklin attended Groton School in Massachusetts, and entered Harvard in 1900. In his senior year he became engaged to Eleanor, who was then active in settlement work in New York City.
Franklin and Eleanor had five children , Anna Eleanor (Mrs. James Halsted), born in 1906; James, born in 1907; Elliott, born in 1910; Franklin D., Jr. , born in 1914 and John A., born in 1916.
In 1913, for his work on behalf of Woodrow Wilson, Franklin was appointed assistant secretary of the Navy. Next, at the Democratic convention in 1920, he was nominated for vice-president, but the Republicans won out.
Suddenly, in Aug. 1921, while on vacation at Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada, he was severely stricken with poliomyelitis. His mother, who often dominated Eleanor, wanted him to retire to the Hyde Park home; but his wife and his secretary, Louis Howe, felt it essential to maintenance of his morale, for him to remain active in his career and in politics. Eleanor was a great help to him, attending political meetings for him. He never did regain the use of his legs as he had hoped he would.
Dr. Hunt gave us many details of their political life, and mentioned that Franklin’s condition was carefully guarded. Franklin was never pictured being lifted up, or carried out to his car, and we always saw his pleasing smile and his confident manner.
In 1928, he won the governorship of New York, succeeding Alfred E. Smith. For his successes, he became recognized nationally in the Democratic Party.
In 1932, he received a big majority of votes to become President of the United States. He was the only U. S. president to be elected four times, in 1932, 1936, 1940 and 1944.
Dr. Hunt quoted these lines from Roosevelt’s inaugural address, in 1932: “this great nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper . . . the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
He had many difficult decisions to make – closing banks, until Congress could help; drafting bills that comprised the early New Deal; creating the Public Works Administration.
In his third term, he asked Congress to declare war on Japan and Germany. Subsequently the U. S. faced many worldwide problems.
His health had been declining since Jan. 1944, and by the time he returned from Yalta to address Congress, he had to deliver his speech sitting down. He went to Warm Springs, Ga. for a rest, and died there of a massive cerebral hemorrhage in April, 1945.
He was a remarkable man. He was unexcelled in winning and holding public support and in retaining, in his administration, leaders of diverse views.
Dr. Hunt gave us a detailed and interesting review of the lives of this famous couple. Our members gave him long applause.
An Olympic review
First, our U. S. countrymen were thrilled when Ted Ligety, of Utah, placed first in the Men’s Alpine Combined in the Olympics in Turino, Italy, winning the gold medal. Unfortunately, Bode Miller, America’s greatest skier, failed, when almost through the course, to make it through a gate, and fell.
In the Feb. 15 Boston Globe, we read that Ligety was very modest about it all, saying “It’s something I never would have expected. I have no idea how this will change my life. I’m pretty satisfied with my life so far, so I hope it doesn’t change much.”
Next, more big news – Seth Wescott, 29, of Farmington, won the gold medal in the snowboardcross race! The Feb. 17 Portland Press Herald reported that Wescott made a daring pass around Slovakia’s Radoslav Zidek, who had been in the lead. About midway down the course, Wescott nudged past Zidek on a harrowing turn, and won, in less than a board length.
It was a thrilling victory. Wescott attended Carrabasset Valley Academy, as did Olympians Bode Miller and Kirsten Clark.
RECIPE
I used this recipe in my column in 1990, when Harry was editor of the Maine State Grange newspaper, “The Grange Herald.” Ruby Harris of Falmouth, who was a hiking friend of my cousin, Betty Stearns and I, gave the recipe to me.
APPLE TAPIOCA PUDDING
Put 4 cups of water in a double boiler, with 3/4 cup of pearl tapioca (not instant), with 1/2 cup of sugar (you can omit the sugar if desired). Add 1/4 tsp. of salt and cook for 15 minutes or longer, stirring frequently. Pare 6 or 8 apples and fix as for pies. Put in baking dish, sprinkle with 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 tsp. cinnamon or nutmeg. Pour the tapioca over the apples and bake until apples are done. Macintosh apples are generally too soft; Cortlands or harder apples are fine.
We enjoyed apple tapioca at our house when I was young.
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