This year the nation honors a great American and a
wonderful father on the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Theodore and Edith Roosevelt with children (I to r), Quentin, Ethel, Kermit, Theodore, Jr., and Archibald in a 1907 photo at their Long Island home.
&. Wf.
Honoring Theodore roosevelt on the centennial
of his birth will be a big job for the United
States. Twenty-sixth President, winner of the
Nobel Peace prize, hero of San Juan Hill, driving
force behind the Panama Canal, trustbuster, con
servationist, hunter, cowboy there were few things
TR didn't try and didn't accomplish.
No glory or ambition, however, interfered with
what he considered his most important role in life
head of the boisterous Roosevelt family of Saga
more Hill. His career often separated him from his
wife, Edith, and their four sons and daughter, but
"The Affectionate Tyrant" as he called himself
kept in constant touch with them.
His letters reveal a full-time father, vitally in
terested in his children's simplest activities, "dee
lighted" with their cute remarks, stern with their
shortcomings, overjoyed by their .triumphs.
No centennial speech will tell more about "Teddy"
than these words from his letters:
To Quentin (the Roosevelts' "baby") while tour
ing California, 1903:
"I loved your letter. I am very homesick for
Mother and you children. Whenever I see a little
boy brought up (to the Presidential train) by his
father or mother, I think of you and Archie (third
eldest son) and feel very homesick,"
To his sister-in-law from Sagamore Hill, 1903:
"I am disconcerted by the fact (the children)
persist in regarding me as a playmate. This after
noon, for instance, was rainy and all of them came
to me to play with them in the barn. I finally gave
in, but upon my word, I hardly knew whether it
Was quite light for the President to be engaged in
such wild romping as the next two hours saw. . . .
However, it was fun!"
To Kermit (second oldest son), written from the
White House, 1903:
Kamlly Weekly, April 13, 19S