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

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TUSKEGEE, Ala., Friday—Yesterday morning we drove around the grounds of the Georgia State Women's College, where the students certainly have every opportunity for a healthy and happy outdoor life. Available are tennis courts, horses to ride, a beautiful swimming pool, archery and a delightful student activity house, where meals can be served and entertainment of every kind given by the students.

I wish very much that I had had more opportunity to talk with the faculty. They seemed young and progressive. When we finally ended up at the library, which was being dedicated, I felt that one could be justly enthusiastic about the opportunities offered here to girls for a rounded education.

I was told there there was a great difference between the size of the freshman class and the number of graduates, for a good many girls leave to get married. Because the Georgia law allows girls to teach after two years of college, those facing economic difficulties go to earn a living.

From the way people talk, I get the impression occasionally that it is not considered important for girls to be really well educated, if they are going to marry and bring up a family. I would like to register here my thought that marriage and the upbringing of children in the home, require as well trained a mind and as well disciplined a character as any other occupation that might be considered a career.

I think we ought to impress on both our girls and boys that successful marriage require just as much work, just as much intelligence and just as much unselfish devotion, as they give to any position they undertake to fill on a paid basis.

The principles of democratic citizenship are taught in the home and the example is given there of the responsibility assured to the individual under democratic form of government. Every man and woman's college should have that objective in view as part of the educational process. Without it no education is complete.

We left Valdosta, Georgia, about 11:00 o'clock and drove through a sudden heavy rainstorm on the way to Albany, Georgia. Just at its height, one of my tires went flat. Luckily, another car was with us and we drove with Mr. Horace Caldwell, leaving out two chauffeurs to change the tire when the rain stopped and then to follow us. After a very pleasant lunch given by the Rotarians, we proceed to Tuskegee, where we arrived about 5:00 o'clock.

This is a very fine institution which has always interested me very much. Since I am here to attend the Rosenwald Fund Meeting, I expect to learn a great deal. We breakfasted at eight this morning and our first meeting begins in a few minutes.

E.R.


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  • Tuskegee (Ala., United States) [ index ]


About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, March 29, 1941

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

  • Brick, Christopher (Editor)
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  • Binker, Mary Jo (Associate Editor)
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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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