First Ladies: The Ever-changing Role from Martha Washington to Melania Trump, Fifth Edition, by Betty Boyd Caroli

 My book group read various biographies of the First Ladies.  The discussion was great!  This is the chart of all the First Ladies from the above book.

President and beginning of term	First Lady
George Washington 1789	Martha – involved in President’s work
John Adams 1797	Abigail – involved in President’s work
Thomas Jefferson 1801	Widower – Dolly Madison took over First Lady duties
James Madison 1809	Dolly Madison
James Monroe 1817	Elizabeth – reduced social obligation of First Ladies
John Quincy Adams 1825	Louisa
Andrew Jackson 1829	Widower – niece fulfilled duties
Martin Van Buren 1837	Widower
William Henry Harrison 1841	Anna – sick, young relative stood in for her
John Tyler 1841	Letitia – sick – daughter-in-law Priscilla Cooper Tyler filled in Julia – second wife, instituted “Hail to the Chief”
James Polk 1845	Sarah – very involved, no children, delegated household duties
Zachery Taylor 1849	Margaret – sick, younger stand-in
Millard Fillmore 1850	Abigail – sick, daughter Mary Abigail stood-in, started White House library
Franklin Pierce 1853	Jane – sick, younger relative stood-in
James Buchanan 1857	Bachelor, niece Harriet Lane acted as hostess
Abraham Lincoln 1861	Mary Todd – considered unbalanced, lost two sons, given different circumstances may have had a better influence
Andrew Johnson 1865	Eliza – invisible but influential, daughter Martha Patterson hostess
Ulysses S. Grant 1869	Julia – first “star” family, First Lady becoming more well known
Rutherford B. Hayes 1877	Lucy – first college graduate from a woman’s academy
James Garfield 1881	Lucretia – first to participate in husband’s public memorial service
Chester Arthur 1881	Mary McElroy – sister acted as hostess
Grover Cleveland 1886	Sister Rose Cleveland acted as hostess Married Frances Folsom, 27 years younger than Cleveland
Benjamin Harrison 1889	Caroline Scott Harrison
Grover Cleveland 1893	Frances
William McKinley 1896	Ida Saxton McKinley – became ill through grief, epilepsy
Theodore Roosevelt 1901	Edith Carow Roosevelt Controlled press access to family Hired her own secretary Renovated White House and made separate family area Hired caterers to prepare banquets instead of cooking herself Started White House portrait gallery
William H. Taft 1909	Helen Herron Taft – Stroke two months into term Controlled Taft’s career, kept him off Supreme Court until after presidency Planted cherry trees from Japan First to publish memoirs
Woodrow Wilson 1913	Ellen Axson Wilson – artist, sacrificed career for Wilson, worked to clear slums, housing bill named in her honor, died 1914 Edith Bolling Galt – second wife, very independent, claimed American Indian ancestry, controlled access to Wilson after his stroke
Warren Harding 1920	Florence King Harding – musical training
Calvin Collidge 1923	Grace Goodhue Collidge – first to attend co-educational university, first to prepare for a career of her own
Herbert Hoover 1928	Lou Henry Hoover – Geology degree from co-educational college Public activist, worked with deaf students More outgoing that husband Hoover gave strict rules about what she could do
Franklin D. Roosevelt 1933	Eleanor – during Great Depression Planned to continue teaching and running two businesses: school in NYC and furniture manufacturing in Hyde Park Wrote magazine articles and “My Day” newspaper column Radio broadcasts Donated all money earned Held press conferences Traveled for FDR Promoted aviation
Harry Truman 1945	Elizabeth Virginia “Bess” Truman – cancelled press conferences, very close marriage
Dwight D. Eisenhower 1953	Mamie Doud Eisenhower Thought wife’s role secondary and supportive “Mamie bangs” and “Mamie pink” General poor health Laid foundation for increased staffing for First Lady
John F. Kennedy – 1961	Jacqueline “Jackie” Bouvier Restored White House and authentic furnishings and artwork Avoided traditional luncheons and teas Took extended vacations on her own Maintained own individually
Lyndon B. Johnson 1963	Claudia Alta Taylor “Lady Bird” 1941-2 ran Congressional office while LBJ served in military Substituted often for Jackie while LBJ Vice President Memoir – “A White House Diary” Main project – environment and beautification
Richard Nixon 1969	Pat Nixon Did not settle on one project but made two contributions: 1.) made the White House more accessible and 2.) restored authentic antiques to the state rooms Her early vivacious personality was much different as first lady – uncomfortable speaking to large crowds but at ease and pleasant in private Did not like politics, no input into Nixon’s career Most widely traveled First Lady
Gerald Ford 1974	Betty Ford Known for candor and honesty Worked for Equal Rights Amendment and to have women appointed to important jobs in government Promoted arts and dance
Jimmy Carter 1977	Rosalynn Carter Three areas of interest; mental health, ERA, help aging population and promote volunteerism First to testify before Congress since Eleanor Roosevelt Judged to be more successful than Jimmy Expanded First Lady’s role
Ronald Reagan 1981	Nancy Davis Reagan Thought her career was to see to the well-being of her husband Initially unpopular – a public relations problem for the White House In 1982 tried to rehabilitate image Changed approach to job and became more involved in government 1985 held First Ladies Conference regarding drug abuse
George Bush 1989	Barbara Bush Oldest First Lady – age 63 in 1989 Opposite of Nancy’s emphasis on appearance Project – literacy Also worked to dispel prejudice towards AIDS patients Wrote Millie’s book, as Dictated to Barbara Bush – all proceeds to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy
Bill Clinton 1993	Hillary Rodham Clinton Office in West Wing, next to Oval Office Bill named her head of the Task Force on Health Care Reform First to testify before a Grand Jury - regarding Whitewater  Ran for New York Senate seat and won while still serving as First Lady Record advance for autobiography - $8 million
George W. Bush 2001	Laura Platform – literacy Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries Started National Book Festival Spoke about women’s rights in other countries Hired first female Chief of Staff in White House
Barack Obama 2009	Michelle Projects – reduce children’s obesity and help military families
Donald Trump 2017	Melania First naturalized citizen to serve as First Lady Did not immediately move to White House after inauguration Project – Be Best focusing on opioid abuse and social media (be kinder and more responsible)
Joe Biden	Dr. Jill First to maintain a full time job outside the White House

Finding Dorothy, Elizabeth Letts

 

New York, South Dakota, Illinois 1871 -1898	Hollywood 1938 - 1939
Matilda Gage Henry Gage Julia T.C. Maud   Josie Baum – Maud’s roommate at Cornell L. Frank Baum – cousin   Society of the Broom – with friends in dorm   Maud and Frank’s children: Frank Joslynn Robert Harry Neal Kenneth   Julia – married, in South Dakota James Carpenter – husband Magdalena – daughter Jamie – son, died Infant - aborted	Maud Baum   Judy Garland Ethel Gumm – mother   Louis B. Mayer Ida Koverman - secretary   Mervyn LeRoy – producer   Fleming – director   Yip Harburg – lyricist   Langley – script writer   Mary Smith – publicist   Arthur Freed – acted inappropriately toward Judy

 

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from paperback edition.

1.       Mathilda thought the most important thing was for Maud to get her diploma, but Frank asked her, “Does it delight your heart” (page 106).   Could Maud have both?

2.       Shortly after Julia and James left for the Dakota Territory, Maud received a letter from her recounting mosquitoes, winds, hail, and cramped living spaces.  Maud was worried, but Frank told her to “Believe in Julia.  She’s having an adventure.  Don’t you think that’s what she wanted” (page 143).   He also said “It’s all in the telling” (page 143).    Can we change our minds about how we think about things if we look at them as an adventure instead of a hardship?

3.       When Frank opened Baum’s Bazaar in 1889 in the Dakota Territory, he approached selling differently than most.  He told Maud, “people don’t know what they want.  You have to show them…you create the desire and once people want something, they’ll stop at nothing to get it” (page 234).   Can you think of any current advertising examples that follow this idea?

4.       When Maud visited Julia in South Dakota after Jamie died, she asked Julia why she didn’t leave James and come home with Maud.  Julia answered twice, “you don’t understand” (page 222).  Why wouldn’t Julia leave?

5.       Mathilda felt guilty for Jamie’s death because she did not send money for Julia to come home for the birth but instead used it to pay for a trip for herself to Washington D. C. the for National Woman Suffrage conference.  Maud felt guilty about Julia’s abortion because she would not take in Magdalena when she herself was ill.  Should they have felt guilty?

6.       Were the sacrifices Mathilda asked her family to make so that she could be active in the women’s suffrage movement justified?  Is the greater good more important than individuals?

7.       Judy Garland longed for a sign from her father.  Frank believed in serendipity.   What did you think when Mary Smith showed them the coat that appeared to have been Frank’s?  On page 335 this was confirmed when Judy showed Maud the note in the lining in Frank’s handwriting.  In the “Afterword” the author wrote that the ownership had been confirmed by both Maud and the Chicago tailor. Does this seem too good to be true?

8.       What did you think about Judy Garland as the character in the story as well as a real person?  Do you think she was depicted accurately?

9.       When Judy was doubting herself, Maud told her, “Some people are just born like that, glowing so bright. My Frank was” and Judy’s father told Ethel, “Judy’s not going to be a star.  She already is” (page 96).  Do you think there is some inner quality that is important if someone wants to be a “star” in whatever field they choose?

10.   Did you like the last page of the story when Maud saw the credit to Frank Baum on the movie screen?

11.   In the “Afterword” the author shared information about what was true and what she had invented.  Did that add to the story?  Would you have liked to known this before reading?

12.   The author wrote in the “Afterword” that there is no consensus about the inspiration for the character of Dorothy.  After reading the book, do you have any idea?

13.   While it was a moderate box off success, over time “The Wizard of Oz” has become one of the most-viewed movies of all time.   Why is it so popular?