Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-03-02
CHAPTER VIII.
Tho Home Life of Woodrow Wilson

CHAPTER VIII.
Tho Home Life of Woodrow Wilson.
The personal and impersonal in
Woodrow Wilson's life We're as sep
;Jratc and distinct as if they were de
rived from two different beings. Once
as he stood on the platform of u rail-
road station during the 1912 cam
palgn and saw u big cloth banner
stretched across the street with the
words For President and Vice Presi-
dent, Wilson and Marshall" he said
to the newspaper man with him:
Somehow I cannot bring myself TO
believe that ] am the fellow men
toned on that banner. I never can
get used to it,
And he never did. Yet therein lies
the key to an understanding Of
Woodrow Wilson'S lifelong friend
ships on the one hand and his series
Of breaks on the other with persons
closely associated at times with him
in the business of regulating the af-
fairs of Princeton University or ad-
minlstering the two public offices he
held, the governorship of New Jersey
and the presidency Of the United
states.
Full Of Human Qualities.
AS ii husband aud father, us :; chum
of his college classmates. as Il host at
family reunions Woodrow Wilson
was full of human qualities. AS =:
trustee of the public interest. as Il
crusader for large policies of state,
lie knew neither friendship nor COM
passionate was as stern as he was
inflexible.
II is. therefore. in the home that
one glimpSeS a Woodrow Wilson lit
tie known to the public.
The home life of the Wilson family
was simple, modest. congenial and
Iefined. TIE Wilson's We're closel "
knit by family ties. especially during
their life at Princeton and the early
days al the White House. Cousins to
the nth degree We're welcomed to the
house, made much of and revisited i'll
turn. Special occasions were always
dear to the hearts of all in the family
group. Christmas. other holidays and
birthdays were remembered and OBJ
served by special gatherings. If a.
Wemher of the family had intended
20 he away or to have guests. plans
would be changed 50 that on New
Year day or birthday or on other
special occasions the whole family
bcr of the household was to go away
for any length of time all the others
would make it Il point to be there the
last few days and refrain from inNit-
ing outsiders The spirit OF the nome
life in the Wilson family was one OF
uniform happiness. Mr.. Wilson was
mainly responsible for this because
his heart was as tender as child 5
in affection for the members OF ms
family and in consideration for them.
Con,idernte of Family.
Once after Mr. Wilson became Pres
ident a week end. trip. on the yacht
Nayflower down Chesapeake bay had
been planned. His eldest daughter,
Miss Margaret. remembered at the
asst minute that she could not go
because of an engagement TO speak
at community center meeting. In
stantIy the President abandoned the
"Trip rather than leave one member
of his family in the White House
alone. She was nervous about the
address. she had to deliver and he
as IA moral support as she prepared
for the ordeal.
An atmosphere of culture prevailed
about the Wilson home. 1t was
neither stiff nor formal, but reserved
and wholesome. Mrs. Ellen Arson
Wilson was Il southern woman of re-
tinement, who had been reared in
an environment of letters and art.
Her paintings were of no inferior
type. Mr.. Wilson's father was d cler-
eyman. So was Mrs. Wilson's. Their
daughters grew UP in the same pu-
ritanical surroundings. Wholesome
fun, wit, laughter and innocent gay
ETY. We're there, but not d bit of the
auto-racing, Notwithstanding, cock
ail-drinking tendencies of go many
homes of today.
Things read and discussed in the
home circle pertained, as a rule. to
literature. the arts, history and the
drama. There was plenty of humor,
simple games and recreation-never
any card playing. Frequently the
. family would operate a ouija board
and jest with each other over what
it spelled. They often played games
ny writing quotations and guessing