Evening star., 1945-12-30
New Year Day at the White House
BY John Clagett Proctor

BY John Clagett Proctor
New Year Day is only two days off,
and since the White House has not
announced public reception for next
Tuesday, it is evident that President
Truman has no intention of reviving
the ancient custom this year. But there
Is little doubt that therpublic would be
more than glad to pay its personal
respects to the President and Mrs.
Truman. For, after all this practice
In Washington is as old as the city
itself.
Thomas Jefferson, who became Pres
ident on March 4, 1901, and who started
this usage here, not only held open
house on New Year Day, but started
off his administrations by giving
public reception on July 4, 1901, follow
ing 1t later, on January l, 1902, with the
first public reception given in Wash
ington by President. OF course, it is
quite certain that John Adams would
have held a public reception had he
been in Office little longer, but when
his first and only New Year Day arrived
here, that of January l, 1901, he found
himself a very greatly disappointed man,
since he had expected to be reelected
to Office, and as we know it was Mr..
Jefferson who succeeded him, and SO
keenly did Mr.. Adams feel the disap-
pointment, that on the morning of
March 4, 1901, he left the White House
without even saying "good-by.'
But aside from this, we find that Mr..
Adams did hold in the Executive Man.
sion what we're then called levees, one
II days after his arrival here on No.
venber /, 1900, and another on Decem-
Der 9, but evidently these were for men
only since Mrs. Thornton, who chron-
icled the events, speaks of her husband
attending both, while she and her
mother, at least upon the first occasion,
went to Georgetown.
Mansion Was Uncompleted
AS matter of fact, the White House
was then not in a condition in which
to hold a public reception. The plaster
ing, which had only been begun in the
spring of that year, was still uncom-
pleted, and not an apartment was
finished. The east room-where the
carpenters shavings still remained
was used for laundry purposes in which
to hang out the family wash, and to
add to his other troubles, Mr.. Adams
experienced scarcity of f1rewood with
which to keep the then barnlike struc-
ture warm. 1t is even said that as
late as 1903 "the walls of some of the
bed chamber, the great room at the
east end of the house and of the prln-
cipal stairs were still naked" Indeed,
this stairway had not yet been built.
Not only are these conditions referred
to by contemporaneous writers, but one
of a satirical turn of mind called at
tention to the enormous size OF the
building by saying that 1t was big
enough for two emperors, one pope
and the grand lama in the bargain"
Jefferson's wines were famous and
abundant and at the first New Year
reception those who went to the White
House to greet the President were per-
mitted to partake Of his cake and drink
of his wine and then view "the man.
moth room" and see "the mammoth
cheese" which weighed some 1000
pounds, which was presented through
John Leland, a Baptist minister, who
had brought it on a sleigh from
Cheshire, Mass. -Four years hence 1t
was served with cake and punch at the
New Year reception.
An Excellent Host
Mr.. Jefferson was quite generous with
his time. Perhaps he could then afford to
be, for we are told by Mrs Samuel Har-
rison Smith. that he had no levees,
but received visitors every morning at
certain hours, excepting on New Year
Day and the Fourth of July Mrs
Smith further informs us that:
ION these grand occasions not only
the Presidents house but the city was
thronged with visitors from George
Town, Alexandria and the surround
ing country. They were national festi-
walls, on which the doors of the presi-
Dental mansion were thrown open for
persons Of all classes, where abund-
ance of refreshments were provided
for their entertainment. On Mf. JET
fersons accession to the presidency
the Mayor and corporation had waited
on him, requesting to be informed which
was his birthday, as they wished to
celebrate it with proper respect. The
only birthday I ever commemorate.
replied he, is that of our independence,
the Fourth of July During his ad-
ministration it was In truth gala
day In our city.
"The well informed and we'll ap-
pointed militia of the District, the
Marine Corps and often other mill
tary companies, paraded through the
avenues and formed on the open space
in front of theSPresident's house, their
gay appearance AND martial music en-
livening the scene exhilarating the
spirits of the throngs of people who
poured in from the country and ad-
jacent towns. At that time there were
no buildings, no Enclosures in the
vicinity Of the Presidents house, but
q wide, extended, pleasant and grassy
common, where the inhabitants found
pleasant walks and the herds and hocks
abundant pasture. It exhibited really