Eleanor Roosevelt
This article describes Eleanor Roosevelt's vist to ECTC. This and other articles may be found in the University Archives.The citation for this article is: Humphrey, Chris. "Pieces O' Eight Goes to Press Conference with Mrs. Roosevelt," Pieces of Eight, December 1941.
Walking into Miss Grigsby's office on the history-making day of November 17, I found that everyone was ready to go to President Meadows' house, Mrs. Roosevelt having sent word that she would see the "press" any minute now.Miss Jenkins, looking mighty pretty in her light blue dress, had gone on ahead, someone told us; but somehow we beat her there. We pushed through a large crowd in front of the house and wne on the porch, waiting there for Miss Jenkins. She finally bustled up and we went in, being greeted at the door by Mrs. Meadows, who showed us into an informal sitting room, opening onto a sun parlor on the right.
Two representatives from the News Leader were already there, also Miss Gertrude Carraway from new Bern. Mr. Mulholland and Margaret Moore from the high school were also to share the honor of interviewing the First Lady. President Meadows came in and welcomed us and then we sat, or perched, nervously and waited and waited and waited. Spencer chewed all her fingernails off and was about to start on mine when, about twelve-thirty, I saw everyone stumbling to their feet and, looking up, I saw Mrs. Roosevelt come in the door.
She is a perfect specimen of womanhood, with her large, well-proportioned figure. I thought she had especially small feet for her size. She wore black from head to foot, her only ornament being a strand of pearls at her throat. She wore three beautiful rins and a dainty watch. Her hands are beautiful; fingers long and graceful, their every flicker revealing perfect self-control and poise. Her greying hair was arranged in up-sweep curls in front; her eyes were kind and very direct; her smile was pleasant., showing a dimple in each cheek; her carriage was erect and her handclasp firm. I noted all this as she was introduced to each of us in turn. Miss Jenkins, lost behind her, doing the honors.
Mrs. Roosevelt then drew a small upright chair to one side, ignoring the easy chair that had been saved for her, and announced that she was ready for questions, saying charmingly, "Let's get the real press off our hands first." We were arranged in the order that she sat in the center of a semi-circle and questions began at the right, with the News Leader representative beginning. Next to them were Miss Carraway, Mary Horne, Virginia Spencer, Miss Grigsby, yours truly, Walter Tucker, Harriet Marshburn, Leon Meadows, Smut Burks, the high school representative, Mr. Mulholland, and Miss Jenkins, next to Mrs. Roosevelt. I couldn't help but grin at the sight of tiny Miss Jenkins in big chair next to Mrs. Roosevelt in a small one.
The first questions were about the war, the labor problems and national defense and how they affect college students. She was most gracious during the forty-five minutes she gave us, looking directly at the questioner and giving her undivided attention to each in turn. It seemed to me when she answered my question that no one else was in the room except she and I. Her voice was low and soft and very pleasing, and only when she laughed or spoke louder did it become the least bit harsh.
Finally President Meadows came to tell her that a troop of Girl Scouts wanted to see her. She thanked him, but said she would hear the "little girl's question first" meaning the one from the high school.
After that, the Girl Scouts came in and presented Mrs. Roosevelt with a bouquet of chrysanthemums, and shook hands with her. She willingly agreed to pose with them for a picture and went out on the porch to do so, then posed for five or six others for the college paper and the magazine. After shaking hands with all of us again, she went back in the house where guests were beginning to arrive for the luncheon.
Although I have heard that Mrs. Roosevelt awed persons, I did not feel that way myself, being no respecter of persons, unfortunately; but I left her feeling honored at having met such a person. Great could hardly describe her intellect or her graciousness, and her personality is more than striking. Spencer and I crossed the street with a shining light on our faces -- or maybe we needed powder (I know Spencer did) and feeling as though we should cut off our right hands and preserve them. We agreed that should Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt ever decide to run for president, or anything else for that matter, she could certainly count on our votes!
