The Calumet news., 1913-11-18
EXHIBIT CHINA
OF WHITE HOUSE
Collection Of That Used by Exc
cutiyes Nearing Completion

on exhibition in the corridors of the
white house basement. Samples of
china of the Tyler and Van Buren ad
ministrations were added last week,
and now the collectors are renewing
their endeavors to find something
harking back to the administrations
of Tyler and Andrew Jackson The
third president who is unrepresented
IS Tart, but the understanding Is that,
at some convenient time, Mr.. and Mrs.
Taft will make an appropriate addi-
tion to the collection.
The Tafts. 1t will be remembered,
purchased no distinctive china. but
used that of the Roosevelts. This is
said to have been the first time i'm the
history Of the white house when ono
president laid In enough china ito last
through the administration of his sue
cessor. Usually. president orders a
certain quantity based on the judg-
ment of the white house experts, and
! II lasts while he is in office. If he
serves for a second term. he generally
renews the order. The Roosevelts,
however at the beginning of their
white house rule, laid i'm large quanti-
ties of the very attractive design Sc
lected by Mrs. Roosevelt. and there
was enough of it to last through the
administration of President Taft.
Roosevelt China Still Used.
As matter Of fact the Roosevelt
china is still used on the table of
President Wilson, but the stock is be-
ginning 20 run low. due to the inevi-
table heavy breakage, and it will
therefore fall to Mrs. Wilson, before
many months, to select her own de-
sign. and refill the white house china
closets with what in the future will be
known as the Wilson china
The contributions of the Tafts to the
present collection, in view of what has
just been said will, of course. not be
china; but it will be something ap-
propriate for the china cabinets which
line the walls of the big basement
corridor. II is whispered that il may
be some article associated with the
Philippine service of Mr. Taft, but
nothing definite will be known until
Mr.. and Mrs. Taft are ready to for
ward 1t to Washington.
While all Of the presidents but three
are represented In these china cabi-
nets. some of them are rpresentd in
adequately. and it is the purpose of
the persons in charge Of the collection
10 do what is possible to correct that
condition
John Adams. for instance. is repre-
scented by only a small drinking glass
while George Washington is represent
ed by only one teacup and saucer. of
the gold border set used at Mount
Vernon, and "A plate and platter of the
set used in his presidential home in
New York, during his term as presi-
dent.
OF both the Adams and the Wash
ington china large quantities are in ex-
istence, the former largely scattered
throughout New England, and the lat
ter scattered throughout Virginia The
largest single lot of Washington china
in the possession of one person is that
owned by Miss Mary Custis Lee, of
Alexandria, Va. daughter of General
great deal of her time in Europe, for
which reason it has not been conven-
lent for the men and women who are
responsible for the white house col
lection to tell her why they believe
she would be performing a patriotic
duty if she were to turn over to them
Il few pieces Of the Washington china
"a, H,, ,,Ia nxhibitinn
The curator of the white house |
china is Mrs. Abbey G.. Baker, of this |
city, who has had charge of it since
the idea of making the collection was |
first suggested during the Mckinley |
Bingham Suggested Exhibit.
The original suggestion came from |
General Bingham, of the army, then
of public buildings and |
grounds and i'm later years connected |
with the management of the police de- |
partment in New York city" said |
Mrs. Baker. He said to President and |
Mrs. Mckinley that he believed II |
would be good plan to place on per-
manent exhibition in the white house |
Ol lIc tIlHd uSeu the
of each OF the presi-
dents. The suggestion was approved |
and the work at once taken up.
Before much could be done, there
was change of administration, but |
the Roosevelts were as enthusiastic |
over the idea as the Mckinlcys had |
been. and Mrs. Roosevelt, like Mrs.
gave 1t much of her person
al attention. The scheme was really |
worked out under Mrs. Roosevelt's di-
rection, for there was no time under
the McKinleys to do more than to give
the idea general approval.
Mrs. Wilson is as enthusiastic as
Mrs. Roosevelt and ii is due to that
that so much headway has
recently been made toward compet
ing the collection"
Tyler China Found.
The finding recently Of samples of
Tyler and Van Buren, china was the
result Of several years of work, stiin-
ulated the past few months by the
interest taken In il by Mrs Wilson.
During the Roosevelt administration.
Mrs. Baker went to williamsburg. the
old capital of Virginia. In the interest