February 1-7, 1916
Pouring rain was the weather report noted by the ever-faithful amateur meteorologist, Kate Roosevelt on the first day of February, 1916. She began many of her diary entries in this fashion, using just a few, precise words to describe what was going on outside. But like a mailman, neither hail, nor sleet or stormy weather was going to keep the wealthy widow from making her appointed rounds.
On this day her schedule included going to a production at the Institute for the Blind on Ninth Avenue and 34th Street. As usual, she was accompanied by her unmarried sister, Ettie Shippen and as usual she wrote a review. Her diary entry conveyed how impressed and possibly humbled she was. “Ettie and I to performance of The Dictator at the Institute for the Blind. A remarkable performance, in as much as it was done by boys who were totally blind.”
Grover Cleveland
A former employee of the school, President Grover Cleveland, had a far different review of the institution. In 1853 he was employed there as a bookkeeper and teacher and he recalled his time by saying, “The food at the school was poor, the pay was low and the buildings were cold and damp. A cruel superintendent made life miserable for students and faculty alike.” Cleveland remembered, “It was one of the bleakest times in my life.”
Through fundraisers like the one attended by Kate and her sister Ettie, the atmosphere at the school was much improved by 1916. It is now called The New York Institute for Special Education.
Church of the Incarnation
For most people February 2nd is known as Groundhog Day, but according to Kate Roosevelt’s diary, February 2, 1916 was Candlemas Day. She attended services at the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation on Madison Avenue where the blessing of the candles was part of the ceremony. Pieces of their wax were used for healing and lit candles were placed in the hands of the dying, to light their way to heaven, and that is why it is called Candlemas Day.
Grace George
One would think that after spending the morning at church, Kate would have felt more Christian towards the actress Grace George and the Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw. “I to matinee of Major Barbara by Bernard Shaw, written ten years ago. Not clever.” Grace George, very poor, all the others rather good.” Grace George was an acclaimed American actress. Her husband, William Brady, called the “Dean of American Theatrical Producers” built the Playhouse Theater at 137 West 48th Street, where the play, Major Barbara had its American premiere. In her obituary dated May, 1961, the New York Times disagreed with Mrs. Roosevelt’s assessment of the actress, “At the Playhouse Theater, Miss George served in many ways, winning theatrical fame as manager, adapter and actress.”
Bessie Alexander
On February 3, 1916, “Heavy snow and partial eclipse of the sun,” was the forecast for the day and Mrs. Roosevelt stayed in, noting, “Bessie Alexander dined here.” I began to wonder if Kate Roosevelt was slowing down or just taking advantage of the snow to take the night off, but doing some research on her dinner guest, I realized that Kate played host to a very special guest.
John White Alexander
Elizabeth (Bessie) Alexander was the widow of the famous portrait artist, John White Alexander. Their only son, James Waddell Alexander was born in 1888 at their summer cottage located on the same strip of oceanfront in Sea Bright, New Jersey where Kate Roosevelt’s family home, the Anchorage stood. Now it became clear why the world-famous artist was chosen to paint Dorothy Roosevelt’s debut portrait in 1902. The two families were friends and neighbors, both in New Jersey and New York City. Bessie Alexander’s son, the mathematician, James Waddell Alexander was a graduate of Princeton University, a member of its faculty and a colleague of Albert Einstein’s at the Institute for Advanced Study.
The next day was cold and Kate’s activities revolved around her grandson, Langdon Geer and her mother, Georgina Shippen. She picked Langdon up from school then went to visit her mother at 320 Lexington Avenue. “Mother had another bad hemorrhage in her nose. Sent Miss Mack, the baby nurse to stay with her. The baby, Shippen Geer is better now.” It was another slow day for the whirlwind widow. No theater openings, opera performances, political rallies or high-powered lectures on the agenda.
The actress, Mary Ryan, with John Barrymore
But the next day Kate Roosevelt was back in the saddle and once again spitting out bad reviews. “Off to a matinee of the Glass House, splendidly acted melodrama with the exception of the leading lady, Mary Ryan who was lamentably poor.” The correct name of the play is the House of Glass. It opened on September 1915 and quite possibly due to Kate’s less than kind review, closed shortly after in April 1916.
The Bandbox Theater
The next day Kate Roosevelt went to see The Age of Reason at the Bandbox Theater on East 57th Street near Third Avenue. An original play, its bad reviews came from a pen other than Kate’s. Her diary made no mention of her opinion, but the theater-themed, Green Book Magazine pulled no punches in its disapproval of Cecil Dorrian’s work saying it was “offended by its bad taste.”
Astounding! For the first time, theater critic, Mrs. Roosevelt was outdone in a damning denouncement.
Sharon Hazard’s Dowager’s Diary appears on Thursday.
Photo One:
Sea Bright, New Jersey
Author’s collection
Photo Two:
The Institute for the Blind
Ninth Avenue
Wiki
Photo Three:
President Grover Cleveland
Library of Congress
Photo Four:
Church of the Incarnation
Madison Avenue, New York City
wiki
Photo Five:
Grace George, the actress
Munsey Magazine, 1903
Photo Six:
Bessie Alexander
Portrait by John White Alexander
Photo Seven:
John White Alexander
Notable Men of Pittsburgh
Photo Eight:
The actress, Mary Ryan with John Barrymore
wiki
Photo Nine:
Bandbox Theater
New York Public Library Digital Collection
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