"Dear
Folks:
"The
shock of President Roosevelt's death has certainly left it's mark on the
routine of our school.
"Although
classes and tests have continued as usual, a much soberer note has been lent to
the dormitory. Everyday seems like Sunday afternoon with radios broadcasting
only organ music. And even the blatant
jazz of the chow room loud speaker has been replaced by music of a more stately
nature.
"Last
Friday in accordance with the 'Rocks and Shoals', all men put on 3" black
mourning crepe bands. However by noon an
AlNav (rule applying the entire Navy) had come through abolishing this
provision of the Articles for Govt. of the U.S. Navy. Otherwise we would have worn them for 29
days.
"A
number of services have been held in his memory. Yesterday the entire University gathered in
Macky Auditorium to hear Pres. Gustafson speak and tomorrow evening at 8 P.M. a
more formal memorial service will be held.
"Pres.
Truman doesn't appear to be a spectacular man, but apparently he's honest and
determined. There seems to be a tendency
to ridicule the man here; and, true he didn't have a statesmanlike appearance
in Life's recent Picture of the Week which showed him playing a piano
upon which Lauren Bacall was roosted.
"But
I think we should give the man a chance to show what he's made of before
writing him off as another Johnson."
--
Letter from my father, Boulder, Colo., to his family, Bloomington, Kans.,
Saturday, April 14, 1945. Franklin D.
Roosevelt died in Warm Springs, Ga., on April 12, 1945, at age 63, less than
three months after having been sworn in for his fourth term as president. He died of a massive stroke, after months of
declining health. Harry S.
Truman was sworn in as president at the White House within three hours of
Roosevelt’s death.
No comments:
Post a Comment