Poughkeepsie Journal from Poughkeepsie, New York • Page 2B

2ft Poughkeepsie Journal Sunday, October 7, 1984 Book reflects spirit of Eleanor Roosevelt Continued from page IB Roosevelt. An Eager Spirit." It was edited by Ruth McClure of Hyde Park who. when she heard the head of the W.W. Norton publishing house utter the magic words. "If you're Interested, we're interested." became an eager spirit herself.

The words were spoken after he had read only the few Dow letters she sent him. Already praised by the critics, the book, out in time for this week's Eleanor Roosevelt Centennial, is a breezy compendium of Miss Dow's correspondence to her family, starting Sept. S. 1913 with "Dear Mom, I have a new Job. I've been transferred to the White House and this is my first day and continuing through 1945 when Franklin Roosevelt died and she went to Hyde Park to help the former First Lady answer the flood of condolence mall.

The young Dorothy Dow, who came from a Republican family in LaCrosse. Wis. wrote the letters to her mother and sister In Wisconsin and later, when she married, to her husband Bob Butterff in Washington. C. while she was in Hyde Park.

As McClure. a historian, put it. "These were not written for publication. They're off the cuff, with opinions about people. "They describe how those around Eleanor Roosevelt thought and what they did.

their ideas and reactions at the time. In other words, they're a piece of social history out of the '30s and '40s "TheyVe important in that direction, but they're also fascinating reading Anybody can sit down and read them for enjoyment After 1939. Dorothy Dow was assistant to Malvina Thompson. Mrs Roosevelt's longtime personal secretary, often known as Tommy. In that capacity, she took on such tasks as dance partner at summer parties; dog walker, dinner guest lest there be 13 at the table.

And. a former physical education teacher, Dow even taught Eleanor Roosvelt to dive. She wrote her husband in mAKTBsm The letters echo with admiration for, as well as exasperation with, 1940, "Miss Thompson says she has a new name for me "The Fitter inner." But thanks to Ruth McClure and the publication of "Eleanor Roosevelt, An Eager Spirit," Dorothy Dow. now 80 years old and living in Maryland, will likely never again be unknown. Her letters about the Roosevel(s, their friends and official guests, are sure to find a place in Rooseveltiana.

In a 1934 description of a luncheon given by Mrs Roosevelt for the movie stars who attended the President's birthday ball, Dow describes Franklin Jr. as "so much better looking" than the male stars, (including Errol Flynn and Ralph Bellamy) "the contrast was pathetic." The letters capture the spirit of the Depression, the onset of World War II and, finally, the death of the President as experienced by the First Family. And the book McClure has fashioned from them is illustrated with photos not always seen as well as drawings by Olln Dows. friend and noted painter. "Another thing I did.

which I think adds to the book considerably," said McClure, "was to take the name of everyone mentioned In the book and write a few lines of who these people were. So many names were perfectly familiar then, but don't mean much today." A trained historian, McClure realized these were the makings of a book and said so to Bill Emerson, director of the Roosevelt Library, who agreed and contacted the head of W.W. Norton. Ruth McClure's own story If a good one too. Now 68 "In a small town, nobody can He about their age successfully" she did not graduate from college (Vassar) until 1967 and then went on to earn a Ph D.

In history from Columbia In 197S. "I had hoped to teach and although nobody ever flatly said they didn't want to hire an older woman as a faculty member, I heard It through the back door." So when one of her Vassar professors recommended her for a job at Yale Universty editing Horace Wal pele's correspondence, she entered anew field. She later wrote "Coram's Children: The London Foundling Hospital in the Eighteenth Century," an outgrowth of her doctoral thesis and now considers herself a freelance writer. The title of her new book, she said, derives from one of the My Day columns In which the First Lady describes a friend she has visited as "an eager spirit," words the author feels are an apt description of the former First Lady, too. Dow and the woman who edited her letters have become friends "by writing and talking to each other endlessly on the telephone, but we have never met.

She'll be up here next week for the celebration with members of her family." It should provide a happy confluence of events: A meeting of eager spirits, a celebration of a life well lived and the publication of a lovely book about that life. Week honors the lady, her work, her home Val Kill shows the devotion of admirers Continued from page IB Park residents began to realize the historic value of Val Kill and undertook to do something about it Ken Toole, former Dutchess County planning department commission er. recalls that his involvement resulted from a call from a mutual ac quaintance of Nancy Dubner of the Power Authority of the State of New York, who was interested in honoring Mrs Roosevelt in some way Through Toole. Mrs Dubner came down to Hyde Park, visited Val Kill and met with Warren Hill, then superintendent of the Roosevelt Van derbilt site at Hyde Park, and Joyce Ghee This was in the tall of 1975 That same year, a subcommittee called the Eleanor Roosevelt Cottage Committee formed by the visual en vironment committee was set up with Joyce Ghee as chairman and the work really began Ghee said the committee had only JSO to work with but this was soon paid back through sponsorships from local businesses Toole said other people soon became interested in Val Kill. too.

in eluding actress Jean Stapleton. au thor Rhoda Lerman and a Roosevelt grandson, Curtis Roosevelt of New York City The cottage committee soon evolved into Eleanor Roosevelt's Val Kill (ERVK), an organization which now has an office at Bellefield in Hyde Park headed by Peg Za mierowski, another early member of the visual environment committee and the cottage committee ERVK, now known as the Eleanor Roosevelt Center, is a private non profit foundation created to oversee programs at the site. Its 1984 operating budget is (40,000 Friends of Val Kill is a supporting arm of ERVK Center and its president is Ruth Adams of Hyde Park. Adams said that her son. Donald, the first Eagle Scout in Hyde Park Troop 37, had the honor of playing trumpet at the 1956 Memorial Day Services in the Roosevelt site garden After the services, Mrs.

Roosevelt invited the Scouts present and their parents to tea at Val Kill. She said Donald and his brother, Gordon, both saw the First Lady many times when they were in high school and both were impressed by her and her aspirations for world peace "My son. Donald, a clinical psychologist in Raleigh. is especially pleased by what I am doing now," she said. Toole said he never met Mrs.

Roosevelt, but added that as a Hyde Park resident since 1969 "I have met many people who knew her and they had a very warm feeling for her." Mrs. Zamierowski, a Hyde Park resident, says. "I never had the privilege of seeing Mrs. Roosevelt in person." but she. too, was impressed by the support at the Hyde Park hearing called to discuss Val Kill as a historic site.

She guessed that this happened because the First Lady "never forgot Hyde Park." HYDE PARK It will be Eleanor Roosevelt week In Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie, beginning Oot. 10 at Val Kill and winding up Oct. II at Vassar College. "Her glow warmed the world." according to an invitation to the candlelight award ceremony at Val KlU, Mrs. Roosevelt's home, Wednesday, Oct.

10. at 7 30 m. The ceremony not only will honor the former First Lady, who died in 1962, but also will honor a person who is "living Mrs. Roosevelt's values in a quiet and effective way." Sally Mazzarella, Rhlnebeck, is the recipient of this first Eleanor Roosevelt Candlelight Award. Among her activities: Member of the United Way board of directors and allocations and planning division committees chairman of the Town of Rhine beck Planning Board; member Of the Dutchess County and New York State Planning federations: chairman.

Hudson River Shorelands Task Force and project coordinator, Rhinecliff Save the Dock campaign. This program Commemorating Mrs. Roosevelt's birthday on Oct. 11 will be presented by the Friends of Val Kill. Three of Mrs.

Roosevelt sons, James, Elliott and Franklin U. S. Sen. Daniel P. Moynlhan, N.

Congressman Hamilton Fish Mlllbrook, and Gov. Mario Cuomo will be among the many people participating in events at both Val Kill off Route 9 in Hyde Park and the Roosevelt National Historic Site, Route 9. Hyde Park. In addition the 100th birthday celebration will feature the dedication of Val Kill as a national historic site and the issuance of a commemorative Eleanor Roosevelt stamp. Among the speakers will be Postmaster General William F.

Bolger. Wreaths from the Department of Interior. West Point, the U. S. Postal Service, Gov.

Mario Cuomo and Roosevelt family members will be presented at Mrs. Roosevelt's grave site. The Rev. Gordon Kidd. Mrs.

Roosevelt's rector at St. James Episcopal Church In Hyde Park, and who officiated at her funeral in 1962. will offer prayers. The wreath laying will be closed to the public, but it will be followed by public ceremonies at 11 a m. at Val Kill.

They will follow a coffee for program participants at Val Kill from 10 toll. Duane Pearson, superintendent of the Roosevelt Vanderbilt Historic Sites at Hyde Park, will be master of ceremonies at the 11 a m. ceremony, Franklin Roosevelt Jr. will welcome those attending and introduce honored guests The first speaker will be Trade W. Lash, chairman of the National Centennial Commission and the Eleanor Roosevelt Institute She will be followed by Sen Moynlhan and Congressman Fish.

Mrs. Roosevelt's eldest son, James, will introduce Secretary of the Interior William Clark, and Franklin Jr. will introduce sjwf9ti'jrt i Isssssl ssssssl jH ymfml i tiik I II'L sssssl 'ssssssl ssssssl VH' i i ixg'fWMta isssm jaBB UHH ssssT ssssssl i 'ly'MiW AM us I. i HUDSON VALLEY'S MORNING TEAM VAN RITSHIE JACK DANIELS THEIR CRAZY FRIENDS. NEWS "WITH RON LYON BUSINESS WITH GEORGE BERNSTEIN 6k4 ssssssssslfclssssB Brsttwssssssr sPBV sssBsssflNssssssst TSSSSSSSflt ksssssssssssssssssssssssssssssrr ssssr sysssssVSJSSf fl9M sxsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssb JF't aj.

fli Trnmt ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssl Fd aT'Wi Jf IsV flissssssssssssssssssssBI TRAFFIC WEATHER NAME THAT SONG AT 8:45 The Best Mix of 50's 60's 70's 80's Music! I Cuomo. Elliott Roosevelt will Introduce Postmaster General Bolger. Bolger will preside at the sump dedication, and this will be followed by a talk by Mrs. Nina Roosevelt Gib ion, a granddaughter of Mrs. Roosevelt and current president of the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val Kill.

After the program, a luncheon will be put on at 12:30 m. for 250 Invited guests. Including officials, Roosevelt family members, members of the Eleanor Roosevelt Centennial Commission, the Eleanor Roosevelt Institute and the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val Kill. Two days after the Val Kill dedication, Vassar College In the Town of Poughkeepsie will begin a four day conference sponsored by Vassar College and the Eleanor Roosevelt Instl 1 tute In conjunction with the New York State Office of Special Projects headed by Mrs. Fredrica Goodman, Poughkeepsie, director of the National Eleanor Roosevelt Centennial Commission.

The conference theme Is "The Vision of Eleanor Roosevelt: Past, Present and Future." Participants must register for the conference, but three exhibitions on Mrs. Roosevelt's life will be open to the public during the conference. The conference will Include panels and working sessions on five Issues. the quest for peace in a nuclear age, economic and social policy, economic opportunities for special groups, civil rights, and human rights and international organization. Keynote addresses will be given the first day, Saturday.

Oct. 13. by Arthur Schleslnger Jr. and Joseph P. Lash.

A panel has been scheduled for each of the first two days, and there will be three panels on Monday. A feature on Monday night will be highlights from an Eleanor Roosevelt television series presented by a Boston television station between 1959 and 1902 and called "Prospects of Mankind Papers will be presented Sunday, 2 Oct. 14. on "Eleanor Roosevelt's De velopment as a Person and a Lead er." "Eleanor Roosevelt. Human Rights, and the United Nations" and "Eleanor Roosevelt and the Youth Movement." On Monday, papers will be present ed on "Eleanor Roosevelt and Worpfn in Politics," "Eleanor Roosevelt and Civil Rights," "Eleanor Roosevelt and the Problems of Poverty" and "Eleanor Roosevelt and the Art of Biography Tuesday papers are "Eleanor Roo sevelt and Liberal Politics in the McCarthy Era," "Eleanor Roosevelt and the Press," "Eleanor Roosevelt and Equal Rights for Women" and "Interpreting Eleanor Roosevelt to a New Generation." John F.

Sears, professor of history at Vassar College, is the conference director, and among the speakers, in addition to Lash and Schlesinger, will be Anne Roosevelt Johnston. William J. Vanden Heuvel. William E. Leuch tenberg, and Gail S.

Shaffer, New York secretary of state. AP fC iv 8JL21KL Jsf iw wa aBSSSSi BB1 r1EHIl HI Hit uJ BABIES CHILDREN ADULTS FAMILIES 20 Studio Qudlity Color Portraits 70 TWO 8x10 THREE 5x7 15 WALLET SIZE s9 Reg W2 05 Depositee Poses our selection Special effects poses extra One package per subject. SI 00 for each additional subject In portrait Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Satisfaction Guaranteed Hurry Last Visit Before Christmas! DAYS ONLYI Wed. thru Oct.

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