The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
AUGUST 16, 1937
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HYDE PARK, Sunday—Another glorious day today! Yesterday was absolutely perfect, the sun was hot but there was a cool breeze and I spent a completely lazy day. We have acquired an archery set, together with a book telling us what one should do and in the internals of lying in the sun and of swimming yesterday, we took our first lessons in archery from the book. Like everything else in this world, there is more to it than you think when you see people who know how taking part in a contest. It wasn't until late afternoon that I was able to get an arrow on the target! It always takes me longer than anybody else to learn to do anything that requires physical coordination and skill, but if I stick at it, I usually can get to the point where at least I can have some fun, though I never hope to compete on an equal basis with any of those who play with me!
A funny thing happened to me this morning! For weeks I have been thinking how I wanted to write a certain thing, and every attempt I have made seemed to me hopeless. I woke up this morning and suddenly I knew just how I wanted to write it and the whole thing seemed clear in my mind. Queer quirks in one's subconscious mind, I suppose. There is so much that we do not understand about the human brain. I suppose there are many scientists who really do know a great deal, but I remember once hearing Dr. Carrel say that that was the branch of medicine which the world knew least about, and as far as the layman is concerned I am sure that that is true.
The golden rod is just beginning to come out and the yellow mixed with the purple of the loose-strife is very lovely. I have learned so much about colors and their mixture from nature. Almost any colors, if you get the right shades, can be put together and nature seems to know just what these shades should be, and you want to watch her closely for sometimes combinations made by human hands are not so successful.
I have seen some handwork done in various parts of this country where the combination of colors positively shocked you. They were crude and hard and there was no possibility of blending them together, but those same colors in different shades might have made something really beautiful.
There is an opportunity for education along artistic lines which the children in our rural schools very often miss because their teachers frequently do not realize themselves that nature study can also be an education in art. Art is not something which lives only in picture galleries, or beautiful buildings and museums. If we have eyes to see, we can see art in nature for there is the foundation of all art. Appreciation is open to everyone, though creative ability may only be given to a few. I often wish that this realization of the importance of learning to understand and appreciate our surroundings from many different points of view could be brought home to every teacher so that she might pass it on to her pupils.
E.R.
Names and Terms Mentioned or Referenced
Geographic
- [ index ] Hyde Park (Dutchess County, N.Y., United States)
About this document
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, August 16, 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, 15 August 1937, AERP, FDRL