LETTER: ALS to a Groton instructor.
“Good Luck to you, as ever…”
Roosevelt, Eleanor. Autograph Letter Signed, “Eleanor Roosevelt,” to “My dear George,” May 5, 1931.
One leaf of letterhead, stamped, “Executive Mansion/Albany;” folded to make four pages; creased.
Together with:
Typed letter signed, “Elizabeth B. Drewry,” July 7, 1964.
One leaf of letterhead from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library; creased. Attempting to provide identity of the recipient of Roosevelt’s letter.
The accompanying letter from Elizabeth Drewry at the Roosevelt Library explains that although they have not found a copy of this letter in their files, “My dear George” is most likely George Marvin, a writer, teacher and headmaster of the Groton school from 1899 to 1902; it is during these years at Groton that FDR and Marvin became acquainted, and the friendship persevered. By 1931, Marvin was engaged as a private tutor at Powhatan Hall, in Sewanee, Tennessee.
Roosevelt writes to apologize for changing her and FDR’s plans with Marvin, explaining that “Franklin was worried about his mother & though she is much better he has decided to sail tomorrow night with Elliott & his manservant to spend nine days in Paris with mama” (p. 1). She offers, however, an alternative, “we will be in French Lick, Indiana on the 7th of June for the Governors Conference. On the evening of the 4th we will be in Cincinnati for the night and we wondered if that was not near enough for you to get up & spend the night with us? He wants so much to see you, so do come if it is possible” (p. 3).
It appears that Marvin was lonely after a divorce or separation and Roosevelt provided him with support after this marital rift; she sends sympathy – “the loneliness is very hard to bear but if you can put through one year successfully alone your chances will be so much more secure together!” – and she asks “Is there any way I can help? Franklin is too busy to do little things but for most of us ordinary mortals life is made up of little things & I might fit in there. How are you off for books and magazines?” She offers to lend Marvin tomes from the Roosevelt library: “We are cluttered up with every variety from philosophy to detective stories so almost any mood you may be in I might find something to send you” (pp. 3-4). She also asks if Marvin craves any “certain unobtainable kinds of food,” adding “Franklin has an orgy of caviar and paté every now & then after I’ve insisted too long he must grow thin!” (p. 4).
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