ly N. LA VERL CRRISTENSEN Editor Emeritus When Eleanor Roosevelt died in lim Presidunt John F. Kennedy praised her as “one of the greatest ladies in American histnry” and Unlted Nations Secretary-General U Thant called her “the first lady of tfne world.” Today, the centennial of her birth on Oct 11, 1884, is a good tinrnn to reflect on the achievaments of this remarkable woman, wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 82nd pruidant of the United States. Orphaned in girlhood. Eleanor nose from a perceived “nngly image to become one nof the most influential women of the Nth Century. First lady, dutiful mother, humanitarian, lecturer, columnist, author. globetrotter, U. N. delegate and official v these titles portray the essence of Eleanor Roosevelt. But for the full picture of her leadership and inbred sense of obligation, you have to read her life’s story – especially if you are too young to have followed her career. Good biographies are available. Eleanor began to gann confidence after an hood when at age 15 er grandmother sent her to a school in England. Evan so, her estimate of herself after she retumed three years later was not flattering: “There was absolutely nothing about me to attract anybody’s attenntion.” Franklin Roosevelt, her fifth cousin once removed, a handsome Harvard pre-law student. believed otherwise and recognized Eleanor for what she was under her surface of awkwardness. When they were married March 17, 1805. her uncle Ted (President Theodore Roosevelt) came to New York to give her away. After a dozm years caring for her growing family, Eleanor came face to face with a sudden Y V ‘ r he contig rdog Ef..’ff:l:%’d”?.i-as-rt..t. M. fering during World War I while her husband was serving as assistant secretary of the Navy in Woodrow Wilson’s cabinet. One day she visited a federal insane asylnun where the Navy had taken over a block of buildings for shell-shocked sailors and marines. I-lorrified by conditions that she saw, Mrs. Roosevelt hounded the Secretary of Inte rior until he persuaded Congress to increase the hospitals approprlations; got a charitable organization to donate money for occupational therapy: and convinced the Red Cross it should build a recreation room. 1’hat was a turning point in her life. In Archibald MacLeish’s words, tlte experience taught her this lesson: “Whal. one has to do usually can be done,” meaning that what her conscience demanded she would somehow accomplish. Eleanor soon had a special challenge in her own family. Franklin was hit by crippling pollo in 1921. His political and public life was threatened. But with her help and encouragement he summoned the strength to rebound. She even entered politics herself to draw his interest back to the political world. FDR became govenror of New York, later to be elected U.S. presldmt an unprecedented four times, As first lady. Mrs. Roosevelt supported youth movements, consumer welfare, and civil rights for minorities. She worked to help the “ill-housed, ill-clad and ill-nourished. ” in her many travels she served as the presidents eyes and ears, gathering information to help combat tlte great depression. She broke one first lady precedent after another – held press conferences. refused protection of the Secret Service, served hot do s to King Goerge -‘ ‘ During World War II she traveled to remote military bases in dangerous areas. in her ceaseless activity she became the object of wisecracks, criticism, and vllification which she generally shed as a duck sheds water. President Roosevelt died April 12, IMS, a few months before the war ended. When Eleanor retunned from Washington to New York she told re porters: “The story is over.” She was wrong. President Tnnman appointed her an American delegate to the U.N. General Assembly. later she be came chairman of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. Her tireless dedication to human welfare won plaudits and honor for her throughout the world. As a girl she had considered herself an “ugly duckling” but during her lifetime she found true bunuty through serving humanity. Mrs. Roosevelt died Nov. 7, 1962. President Kennedy and former Presidents Eisenhower and Truman attended the funeral at Hyde Park in New York where she was buried be side her husband. – I-ler former collmgue, Ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson delivered a burtfelt tribute before the United Nations in which he said: “She would rather light a mndle than jzrse the darkness, and he glo rmed the world.”