Nation's First Lady Came To Breathitt County In 1938

Editor's note: In late January of 1938, just after a large snowstorm, Mrs. F.D. Roosevelt came to Jackson to dedicate the new building at Breathitt High School. Many Breathitt County elders probably attended those ceremonies some fifty years ago. Here is a news article which appeared in the Louisville Courier-Journal the day following the dedication.

By J. Howard Henderson - 1938

Jackson, Ky., Jan. 27.-The bond of common interest that drew America's First Lady to the mountains of Kentucky found expression today in simple language as she talked to the people here.

She was concerned with their problems; there was no mistaking that. They understood, and while she put in simple words the hopes she held for their betterment - "the betterment of all of us" - they listened attentively.

Introduced By Boy, 14.

What they thought of her, even before she spoke, found expression in the introduction Shafter Watts, 14-year-old freshman, gave her:

"I introduce to you," he said, "the most wonderful, the kindest, and the most wonderful woman in the world, Mrs. Franklin-Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt."

Shafter barely stood half as high as the microphone in front of him. His halting speech was not in keeping with his demeanor, for he approached and completed his task with all the confidence of one who never knew stage-fright. He merely corrected his lines as the errors crept in.

And Mrs. Roosevelt and the crowd thought he did a good job, too, when, with a sweeping gesture that found him pointing to her, he presented Mrs. Roosevelt. Later he won her admiration again by the simple sincerity with which he filled the photographers' requests that he pose as if he were telling her something confidentially.

And in that mood she spoke to the people about their problems. Governor A.B. Chandler had talked before her, telling her that here were a people from whom no man went by compulsion to the great war - "the quota had been filled voluntarily before the draft was applied."

Mrs. Roosevelt went on from there to say that now a people must be ready for responsibilities as these people were then. As much, she said, as we abhor war it may come and we must be willing to assume our responsibilities.

She told of her work at the Washington Railroad Station during the World War (I) and the impression an incident made on her. A rather striking-looking young soldier would not buy a post card to write home. She busied herself to find out why, and learned his home folks could not read any message he would send, and he could not read anything they might send to him.

"It always has seemed tragic to me," she said, "that there could exist anywhere in this country a method of living under which it would be possible that one who was going away from home to he knew not where could leave with the distressful feeling that he could not write to those he left behind or himself read what they might send to him."

Thus stressing one responsibility of citizenship, and one problem of citizenship, she dedicated the new Breathitt County High School building.

And then to Quicksand Experiment Station for lunch with thirty others. There Mrs. Roosevelt asked about reforestation in the 5,000-acre tract, whether nature was replanting the land or men had to give it a start; which type of timber was reproducing itself.

Yellow poplar, she was told, is coming back of its own accord. And she wanted to know about protection against forest fires, and whether the State had a well developed reforestation program under way.

Governor Chandler told her it did not-that the State had been handicapped with a heavy debt and had been neglectful of its reforestation problem, and it had neglected many other problems. But the debt will be paid in two years and then the State will be in position to push ahead on many fronts, he said.

Mrs. Roosevelt observed that riding into the mountains this morning on the train she thought she saw the need of reforestation.

She came in by special train when road conditions made travel hazardous. With her came Mrs. Henry Morgenthau, Governor Chandler, Dr. Frank L. McVey and Mrs. McVey, Dean Thomas P. Cooper, State Auditor E.E. Shannon, Senator Ervine Turner and Mrs. Turner, who is superintendent of Breathitt County schools. About twenty others were on the special, and even more made the return trip to Winchester, where Mrs. Roosevelt and Mrs. Morgenthau boarded a train for the East.

Mrs. Morgenthau spoke at the Jackson meeting, as did Dr. McVey and Dr. O.L. Hatcher, president of the Alliance for Guidance of Rural Youth.

Mrs. Roosevelt visited several classrooms, talking with pupils about their painting and pottery work. All the speakers were introduced by high school pupils.

Mrs. Roosevelt was up early after a strenuous day in Lexington yesterday. She reached the Lexington railroad station at 7:10 A.M., greeting Governor Chandler:

"Good morning, Albert, you look so bright this morning."

On the train she was generous with her time, members of the party taking turns talking to her during the three-hour trip to Jackson and on the way back. Late in the afternoon she was as considerate in her reception of these visitors as she had been during the day, and whatever way the conversation went she brought to it inquisitive interest that seems so natural with her.