For Immediate Release
Office of Mrs. Bush
November 13, 2002
Remarks by Mrs. Bush for 100th Anniversary of the West Wing Symposium
White House Historical Association
AS DELIVERED
Life in the White House
Take a room by room look at life in the White House over the years and view Laura Bush's
tour of the Diplomatic Reception Room.
Thank you for your warm welcome. Today, we celebrate the 100th
Anniversary of the West Wing and 100 years of change in a home that has
shaped - and has been shaped by history. From John Adams to George W.
Bush, every American President and their family have lived in and
transformed this historic landmark, the White House.
Perhaps none have shaped it as much as President Roosevelt and the
renovation of 1902. Roosevelt built the West Wing to separate his
office from his living quarters, where his wife and six children lived.
Until then, what is now the Treaty Room on the second floor of the
White House was variously the Cabinet Room or the President's Office.
What is now the Lincoln Bedroom was once President Lincoln's office. In
this historic room, Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
In Lincoln's day and for many years after, citizens would enter the
White House on the North Side, climb the grand staircase and mill
around outside the President's offices. Citizens who were looking for
jobs or who just wanted to meet the President and shake his hand. In
fact, there is a secret door in the corner of the Treaty Room that
enabled the President to get to his private quarters just down the hall
without encountering the public. Today, thanks to Roosevelt's
renovation of the second floor, the President and his family can relax
in truly private quarters. The President can relax on the couch, watch
baseball and eat pretzels.
The renovation provided office space in the new West Wing. And it
established a visitor's entrance in the East Wing, where my office is.
The East Wing staff is proud to welcome the thousands and thousands of
visitors who visit the White House every year. The East Wing as we know
it today was built by Franklin Roosevelt in 1945 to serve the war
effort, allowing for military office space and an underground bomb
shelter. The shelter was small and cramped with concrete walls. After
President Roosevelt saw it for the first time, he told White House
usher Howell Crim that he would never return. In the event of an air
raid, he said, "I would rather go to the South Lawn and enjoy the
fireworks."
Theodore Roosevelt's original coatroom in the East Wing became the
movie theater in the 1940s. Later, offices for correspondence,
calligraphers and the social secretary were placed in the East Wing.
Mrs. Roosevelt employed the first social secretary. Today, the social
secretary prepares all of the invitations and written correspondence
for every event held at the White House. This office works with me and the West Wing to ensure
that every event is orchestrated perfectly.
But as many presidential families can attest, working in the White
House is different than living there. Although it took her a while to
get used to its magnitude, Abigail Adams, the first, First Lady to live
there, once said of her new home, "This is a beautiful spot.and the
more I view it, the more I am delighted with it.this House is built for
ages to come." Today, 210 years since the cornerstone was laid, the
White House continues to stand as the central symbol of America. Even
with the West Wing and the changes to the East Wing, perhaps the
greatest result of the 1902 renovation was that the White House truly
became a home.
Much of the White House today reflects the Roosevelt's desire to
create a home for America and a home for themselves - one which
exhibited their personal style, where their children could grow and
their pets could play.
The Roosevelt children made every part of the White House their
home and their playground. T.R., as they lovingly called their Dad,
often joined the children for games in the White House attic. The
Eisenhowers established the White House as the most permanent home they
had ever known after a long military career spent moving from post to
post. Mrs. Cleveland and Mrs. Kennedy established kindergartens in the
White House for their children. Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's
thirteen grandchildren grew up in the White House. Eleanor had swings,
sandboxes and slides built on the South Lawn. My children especially
remember rolling down the slope of the South lawn when their
grandfather was president.
All children have found the South lawn a great playground. Once a
year on the Monday after Easter, they gather for an egg rolling party
here. In 1879, this event, which had been held on the Capitol grounds,
was moved to the White House by President Hayes. This year, 35 thousand
cheered the children as they rolled their eggs across the grassy slope
with a spoon. Everyone was a winner. My favorite part of the day was
reading to the children on the lawn. For the past two summers more fun
was had here when the South Lawn Sluggers played the first White House
tee ball games. Many homeruns were hit and the Sluggers and their
families celebrated with hamburgers and hotdogs after the game.
Children are not the only ones who have fun at the White House -
pets do as well. Animals of every kind have entertained and comforted
Presidents, their families, and visitors. President Theodore
Roosevelt's children loved animals, and they literally had a zoo inside
and out - from a bear, to pigs to a calico pony named Algonquin. When
Archie was sick in bed, his brothers brought the pony to visit him on
the President's elevator. Thomas Jefferson had a pet mockingbird, which
he taught to hop up the stairs after him. The Lincolns had dogs and
goats, which kept the boys in constant amusement and occasional
trouble. Lincoln bought the goats Nanny and Nanko for five dollars
each. He got his money's worth in entertainment when the boys hitched
the goats to a kitchen chair and went for a wild ride through a
reception in the East Room.
Our dogs, Barney and Spot and our cat India also feel very much at
home in the White House. In fact, they are the only residents who make
no distinction between the West and East Wings. Spot, an English
Springer spaniel was born in the White House to Millie,
Barbara Bush's dog.
Spot is the only presidential pet known to have lived in the White
House during two administrations. Barney, our Scottish terrier, was a
birthday gift to me from the President. Our cat, India, also known as
Willie, has been our family pet for more than ten years.
Every morning, the President walks the dogs on his way to work. The
dogs spend time playing in the garden and then Spot retires to the Oval
Office for her morning nap. Later, she joins Barney for an adventure
along a well worn path from the West Wing to the East Wing. First stop
is the medical unit for treats. Then to the Social Office in the East
Wing, which has the best treats of all - and finally next door to the
Military office, where Barney barks like mad at the electric shoe
polisher. Spot and Barney particularly enjoy their trek during the
holidays. They not only get treats, but toys as well.
The White House is magical during the holidays and everyday,
because the families who have lived there have always made it special -
creating a home by furnishing it in their own taste. Since the early
Federal period of the Adams, The White House has mirrored America's
everyday furnishings and dcor - and everyday life - from celebrating
holidays to chores to quiet time. During the Adams time, the
presidential laundry was hung to dry in the East Room. Dolley Madison
expressed her personality with bright yellow draperies and upholstery.
Abigail Fillmore, a onetime schoolteacher, built the first library in
the mansion. With a dictionary and sets of Dickens and Thackeray, she
filled the bookshelves in the upstairs sitting room. There, she and
President Fillmore spent many evenings reading and chatting.
But perhaps no First Lady has brought as much style and elegance to
the White House as Jacqueline Kennedy. Mrs. Kennedy was compelled to
transform the White House from the President's home to a glorious
museum of America. She first visited the White House when she was just
11 years old. And she recalled being disappointed. She told then LIFE
magazine reporter and our host, Hugh Sidey, "From the outside I
remember the feeling of the place. But inside, all I remember is
shuffling through. There wasn't even a booklet you could buy." She
changed this dramatically - literally creating a museum in which
visitors can learn and explore.
Like many Presidents' wives, Mrs. Kennedy was intimately involved
with the dcor of the Oval Office. She made the H.M.S. Resolute desk the
centerpiece of the room. This beautifully carved oak desk, given to
President Hayes by Queen Victoria in 1880, was found on the ground
floor of the mansion by Mrs. Kennedy. The original brass presentation
plaque explaining its rich history was still intact. The H.M.S.
Resolute was abandoned at sea in 1854. She was discovered by a United
States captain and sent back to England as a gift to Queen Victoria
from the President and the American people. There, when the ship was
decommissioned, a desk was built from the ship's timbers. The desk was
a given to the President of the United States by the Queen of England.
Many Presidents have used the H.M.S. Resolute as their desk. John
Kennedy Jr. loved his father's desk. He called it "My House." Everyone
remembers the famous photo of John Jr. peeking out from behind the
central panel while his father worked above. The desk has twice been
modified from its original version. Franklin D. Roosevelt requested
that the rear kneehole be fitted with a panel to cover his braces. And
President Reagan requested that it be raised by two inches to
accommodate his 6 foot 2 frame.
President Bush also uses the desk made from the H.M.S. Resolute. He
requested portraits of President Washington and Lincoln for the walls.
The room is decorated with a bust of Winston Churchill loaned by the
British government and a bust of President Eisenhower. A wool rug with
the presidential coat of arms bordered by laurel leaves and bronze
draperies accent the room. In front of the fireplace sits a pair of
blue and gold striped chairs that were reproduced from a favorite
armchair in the White House collection.
We chose paintings of Texas to remind us of home. One of our
favorites is a painting by W.H.D. Koerner called a Charge to Keep. The
picture of a determined horseman charging up a hill is the only
painting the President brought with him from his Texas Governor's
office. It was loaned to us by our dear friends Joe and Jan O'Neill -
the couple who introduced us 25 years ago. The O'Neill's were given the
painting as a wedding present, but Joe wanted the President to be
inspired by it.
Tom Lea's Rio Grande also hangs in the Oval Office and it reminds
the President of our good friend. Tom Lea was a gifted El Pasoan artist
and writer who passed away at age 97 shortly after my husband's
inauguration. The President likes to quote Tom and he used his
favorite lines in his acceptance speech at the Republican National
Convention. Tom once said, "We live on the East side of the mountain.
It is the sunrise side, not the sunset side. It is the side to see the
day coming; not the side to see the day that is gone. The best day is
the day coming with eyes wide open and the heart grateful."
The White House has seen many sunrises. And with all its glory and
strength, it will bear witness to many new days to come. I want to
thank the White House Historical Association and all of you here today
for sharing the enduring history of the White House. Together, we will
ensure that it continues to stand a permanent symbol of our great
democracy - and that the doors always remain open to welcome Americans
home.