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

      

NEW YORK, Friday—It was interesting to read the testimony the other day of Secretary Oveta Culp Hobby on aid to education by the assistance of Federal funds for building schools. Mrs. Hobby would delay giving funds till a further study is made, which to my mind is a good subterfuge for doing nothing. You can go on examining indefinitely and nothing is ever accomplished.

Mrs. Agnes Meyer and the people who really are cognizant of the shortage of space in classrooms all over the country feel that grants should be made so that building can begin at once. Then as the money is used they will know how much more is really needed. But if we don't meet the need immediately the crowding will be so great that anything that can be considered education will be impossible in many of our schools.

Last Wednesday afternoon I attended the ceremonies at which the Philip Murray Memorial Fund gave $75,000 for the educational work of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. I happen to be on both the board of the NAACP and the board of the fund. I had written a letter endorsing the appeal for the NAACP, and I was glad I was not present at the meeting when the request was granted by the fund, but I didn't suppose anyone would notice my absence. The chairman, however, remarked that I had shown a sense of propriety in not being present, and I fear this was a mild and deserved rebuke for my many absences.

It is a fine gesture by the Philip Murray Memorial Fund to give a grant just at this time to the NAACP. There is need for much educational work in the field of race relations, and I don't know of an organization that can do a better job.

Also on Wednesday I attended the luncheon of the Grace Church Women's Auxiliary and spoke on the attacks being made on the United Nations. There is a growing awareness on every hand of these attacks.

Our churchwomen are well informed on the work of the U.N., but they need information as to what goes on the country over. It may be difficult for a liberal group to understand how any of us might be affected by propaganda such as that put out by Gerald L. K. Smith, or Allen P. Zoll, or Merwin K. Hart, or even Facts Forum, but there is so much evidence of the wide distribution of their literature that it is well to have people thoroughly aware of what they are doing.

Last Wednesday night I went to see a play, called "The King of Hearts," which has many amusing lines. I don't think anyone can help finding himself amused and feeling that it is a pleasant way to spend an evening, even though I would not say it is a really good play. The acting is good and the lines, by themselves, are very clever on a variety of subjects.

E.R.

(WORLD COPYRIGHT, 1954, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART PROHIBITED.)


Names and Terms Mentioned or Referenced

Persons
Organizations
Geographic
  • New York (N.Y., United States) [ index ]
Other Terms and Topics
  • King of Hearts (1954 play; Kerr, Jean)


About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, May 15, 1954

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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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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