Reagan, Ronald

Stephen R. Fox explores the divide in the American conservation movement between camps headed by followers of John Muir and those of Gifford Pinchot. He talks about the popularity of each and of the scholarship that has been produced about each of them. Fox argues that Pinchot “is best understood not as a conservationist but as a politician,” and he examines Pinchot’s autobiography in some detail to support this assertion. Fox argues that Pinchot had presidential aspirations and that he demonstrated little interest in practical forestry matters in his later years, but he also contends that Pinchot remains an important figure in the history of the American conservation movement.

A photograph of Roosevelt and Pinchot appears in the article as does a listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association. A notice that this issue of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal is dedicated to Jessica Kraft appears on the last page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

This edition of “News and Notes” opens with coverage of the commissioning of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. A letter from Captain Paul W. Parcells, Commanding Officer of the ship, praises the work of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) in making the commissioning a success. The section also discusses the thirteen flags donated by the TRA to the carrier. Each flag of the city, state, or entity is identified and is followed by a brief paragraph about its history and meaning to Theodore Roosevelt. The individual responsible for donating the flag is also noted. A notice about a new prize, the Roosevelts Gold Medal, awarded by the New York Council of the Navy League of the United States, also features in the section. 

“News and Notes” reviews the plans of Prism Entertainment to issue a video cassette of the film “The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt,” and it notes that the company will establish a fund to promote historical and environmental films, and will donate money to the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund at the American Museum of Natural History. The section also highlights two recent publications by John A. Gable, Editor of the TRA Journal, and it quotes from a letter from President Ronald Reagan on the occasion of the opening of the Roosevelt Study Center in the Netherlands. “News and Notes” closes by quoting from three letters by members of the TRA praising its work.

Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger addresses the crowd assembled for the commissioning of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt on October 25, 1986. Weinberger traces Theodore Roosevelt’s interest in the United States Navy from his writing of the Naval History of the War of 1812 to his sending of the Great White Fleet while President. Weinberger also discusses the maritime strategy of the administration of President Ronald Reagan and argues that its policy mirrors that of Roosevelt’s with its emphasis on a powerful Navy and negotiating from a position of strength. Weinberger uses Roosevelt’s phrase “the just man armed” to describe the purpose of the Theodore Roosevelt.

Two photographs of Captain Paul W. Parcells, Commanding Officer of USS Theodore Roosevelt, with members of the ship’s crew, Weinberger, and members of the Roosevelt family, accompany the address. A photograph of the ship at dock in Newport News, Virginia, also appears in the address. 

William Davison Johnston, President of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA), opens this lengthy and crowded edition of the “News and Notes” section by praising the documentary “The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt,” noting the opening of the Roosevelt Study Center in the Netherlands, and discussing the role of the TRA in the commissioning of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. The section covers the conferring of two awards sponsored by the TRA: the TRA Police Award and the Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Naval History Prize. Officer Vivian F. Picciarelli won the Police Award for 1986 and was the first woman to do so while Ronald H. Spector won the Naval History Prize for his book Eagle Against the Sun. “News and Notes” also discusses the work of historians Edmund Morris and Joe F. Decker on Theodore Roosevelt’s political language, and it notes the recent publications of TRA Executive Director John A. Gable on Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and Amos Pinchot.

“News and Notes” also covers the death of David Russell Roosevelt, a great grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, the reprinting of Sagamore Hill: An Historical Guide by the TRA, efforts to mark the spot of Roosevelt’s famous bear hunt of 1902 in Mississippi, and the various student contests and awards for high school students sponsored by the TRA. The section also examines the donation of letters to Harvard University by Joanna Sturm, Alice Roosevelt Longworth’s granddaughter. Letters to and from Theodore Roosevelt with Alice Hathaway Lee, his first wife, and Longworth, his daughter, make up most of the donation. An exhibit at Harvard and an article, both based on the correspondence, are also covered. The section closes with a report on three benefits, two balls and a reception, held in July and August 1986, to benefit the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The historic locations for the events, the involvement of the Roosevelt family, and the officers of the ship who attended are all discussed.

This edition of the “News and Notes” section opens with a report on the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA). The report notes the election of new members and classes of the Board of Trustees and of the TRA’s leadership for 1985-1986. The section also covers the TRA’s involvement in the Outward Bound program and the granting of the first Theodore Roosevelt Scholarship for that program, the results of the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest for the New York City public high schools, and the passing of Philippa Jeffries Roosevelt. 

The section also covers the “first scholarship conference devoted entirely to TR” at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, which was held in October 1985. It also notes new works on Theodore Roosevelt, a panel on Roosevelt’s foreign policy to be held at the meeting of the Organization of American Historians, and highlights the work of Frederick W. Marks and Serge Ricard on Roosevelt’s diplomacy found in this issue. The section closes with a notice that Edmund Morris has signed a contract to write a biography of President Ronald Reagan. 

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Chase Untermeyer examines the evolution of the office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy from the time it was held by Theodore Roosevelt until Untermeyer’s entry into the role in 1984. Untermeyer also provides a biography of Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman and asserts that Roosevelt would have approved of his career and policies. Untermeyer praises the work of President Ronald Reagan and Lehman in enlarging the U.S. Navy, and he quotes Roosevelt to draw a parallel between the world of 1897 and that of 1979-1980.

A photograph of Untermeyer appears on the first page of the article.

Biographies of the two winners of the 1985 Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal, Reverend Norman Vincent Peale and Brigadier General Chuck Yeager. The biography of Peale covers his postings as a  minister, his publishing and and business ventures with his wife, and his various radio programs. It notes his father’s support of Theodore Roosevelt and lists some of the many awards he has been granted. The biography of Yeager reviews his record as a combat pilot, lists his leadership roles in the United States Air Force, and notes his record breaking achievements as a test pilot, including establishing a new record on his flight to New York for the awards dinner. It also concludes with a catalog of the various awards he has been given.

A photograph of Peale sitting at a desk and a photograph of Yeager standing in front of a F-20 Tigershark fighter aircraft supplement the text. 

John A. Gable recounts the ceremony on April 20, 1985, in which the Theodore Roosevelt Association gave its highest honor, the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal, to Reverend Norman Vincent Peale and Brigadier General Chuck Yeager. Gable notes that Yeager, a famous test pilot, broke yet another record with his flight from California to New York to attend the awards dinner. Gable lists those from the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) who organized and ran the ceremony, and he summarizes the remarks of the speakers. The article also includes a congratulatory letter from President Ronald Reagan and a listing of some of the guests. A listing of the officers of the TRA along with the members of its executive committee is included in the article.

Three photographs of Peale and Yeager at the awards dinner supplement the text.

Report on the 65th Annual Dinner and Meeting of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) held in Williamsburg, Virginia, on October 27, 1984, following the launch of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The report quotes from the address given by the President of the TRA, William Davison Johnston, and from the letter sent to the TRA by President Ronald Reagan. The report lists many of the guests in attendance, including Theodore Roosevelt historians and biographers, employees of the National Park Service, and members of the Roosevelt family. It also reviews the financial state of the TRA, noting that it had run a deficit for the past two fiscal years, covers the election of officers, and notes the changes implemented to the Board of Trustees. The report concludes with a review of gifts given to the leadership of the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

A photograph of Roosevelt with his granddaughter Grace Roosevelt and three photographs of various guests, dignitaries, and members of the Roosevelt family at the annual dinner accompany the report.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Brief article that quotes from speeches by Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger and President Ronald Reagan in which both of them talk about the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to President Theodore Roosevelt. Both Weinberger and Reagan note that Roosevelt’s prize medal is now in place at the White House. An illustration of one side of the peace medal accompanies the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1985

Secretary of Defense Weinberger quotes extensively from Theodore Roosevelt in his address to the crowd assembled for the launching of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. He notes Roosevelt’s winning of the Nobel Peace Prize, emphasizing that Roosevelt’s record demonstrates a commitment to peace bolstered by a strong navy. Weinberger also reviews the defense policy of the administration of President Ronald Reagan, and relates how the Theodore Roosevelt will strengthen the nation’s navy and its ability to guard the world’s sea lanes.

A photograph of Weinberger speaking at the ship’s launching supplements the text of the speech.

This edition of “News and Notes” has five sections. Brief histories of the three ships and one submarine that have carried the name of Theodore Roosevelt are provided in “The Aircraft Carrier Theodore Roosevelt.” This section also highlights the five different Roosevelts who have served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. “TR Exhibit at the LBJ Library in Texas” revisits the Theodore exhibit at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. It lists fourteen of the archives, museums, and historic sites that lent items to the exhibit, and it promotes the sale of the exhibit catalogue and poster.

“Meadowcroft” covers a July 1903 visit by Roosevelt to the home of his cousin John Ellis Roosevelt on the south shore of Long Island. It also relates the events surrounding “Theodore Roosevelt Day at Meadowcroft” on July 28, 1984, which celebrated and recreated President Roosevelt’s visit. “Rough Riders Museum in New Mexico” examines why there is a museum dedicated to the Rough Riders in Las Vegas, New Mexico. It looks at the state’s contributions to the regiment and highlights some of the reunions held in Las Vegas.

The final and untitled section notes events involving the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) and its work: the conferring of a TRA award to a high school student, a radio interview of the TRA’s Executive Director John A. Gable, and a listing of programs at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites.

A photograph of President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at the graves of General Theodore Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt is found on the first page of “News and Notes.” Four photographs of the Paul Manship statue of President Roosevelt on Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, D.C. and an illustration of Mount Rushmore National Memorial accompany the text.

Article about the visit of President Ronald Reagan to Theodore Roosevelt Island on July 11, 1984. The article focuses on the history of the island since it was purchased by the Theodore Roosevelt Association in 1931. It also discusses the natural history of the island and the events held there to mark the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth.

A photograph of Reagan seated at a desk in front of a statue of Roosevelt supplements the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

John A. Gable examines the similarities between the reelection campaigns of President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 and President Ronald Reagan in 1984. Gable discusses the foreign policy issues faced by Roosevelt, and he notes the marked policy differences between Roosevelt and Reagan. He closes with a look at how presidents have fared in trying to win a second term. A photograph of Reagan in front of the Roosevelt statue at Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, D.C., comprises the second page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984-08-20

Much of this edition of the “News and Notes” section revisits and elaborates on articles published in this issue of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. “The TR Exhibit at the Johnson Library” quotes from the remarks made by William Davison Johnston, President of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA), at the library, notes the gifts given by the TRA to Lady Bird Johnson, and promotes the exhibit’s catalogue. The section also provides excerpts from a letter written by the leadership of the TRA to President Ronald Reagan thanking him for visiting the graves of General Theodore Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt in June 1984, and it notes that this issue of the journal is dedicated to Jean Schermerhorn Roosevelt.

The section also touches on some of the awards given to high school students by the TRA and highlights talks on Roosevelt presented at Lamar University in Texas and at Sagamore Hill. It also revisits the TRA Police Award ceremony in New York City and cites the contributions of Paul Russell Cutright and the National Geographic Society to the article on President Roosevelt’s conservation record.

An illustration of a bronze medallion depicting Theodore Roosevelt, two photographs of Lady Bird Johnson, and a photograph of Roosevelt speaking are found in the section.

Report on the visit of President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan to the graves of General Theodore Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt at the Normandy American cemetery in France, June 6, 1984. The article focuses mainly on Theodore Roosevelt, reviewing his military and civilian career, and his service record in World War II. The article quotes from the citation for his Medal of Honor, and it discusses the burial arrangements of the Roosevelt brothers.

A quotation from General Omar N. Bradley praising Theodore Roosevelt is found in a box at the bottom of the page.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

John A. Gable gives a detailed report on the annual dinner of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) held on the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth on October 27, 1983, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Gable provides some history about the Museum, quotes from the address given by President Ronald Reagan, and lists some of the various dignitaries and politicians who sent messages to the assembled guests. An excerpt from the speech given by the TRA President, William Davison Johnston, the presentation of a check to the American Museum of Natural History, and the awarding of the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal to four individuals are also covered in detail. Gable also lists many of the guests, including members of the Roosevelt family, and closes with remarks on some of the other events held to mark the 125th anniversary of Roosevelt’s birth.

Seven photographs of various guests, speakers, award winners, and members of the TRA leadership accompany the article. Photographs of the equestrian statue of Theodore Roosevelt in front of the American Museum of Natural History and of President Ronald Reagan addressing the dinner guests on a video screen are also found in the article.

A listing of the officers of the TRA, along with the members of its executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace committees, is found on the article’s second page.

This edition of the “News and Notes” section is mostly devoted to the various activities, celebrations, and commemorations marking the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth. The section lists some of these celebrations and includes more details about the “Roosevelt Renaissance” held at Theodore Roosevelt Island in June 1983. The section reviews the May 1983 meeting of the American Forestry Association which marked the seventy-fifth anniversary of Roosevelt’s Conference on Conservation, and it devotes parts of four pages to a visit to Medora, North Dakota, by members of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA). It also recommends five books about Roosevelt.

The section has a photograph of the TRA group in Medora, North Dakota, and three photographs of members of the TRA with the Governor of North Dakota, Allen I. Olson. An illustration of Roosevelt in his buckskin hunting outfit and a montage of Roosevelt with images of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites are also found in the section.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Joyce M. Bisso describes the parade held on “TR Day in Oyster Bay” on October 30, 1983. Bisso also highlights some of the activities held in Oyster Bay in the week leading up to the parade, notes some of the bands and organizations that marched in the parade, and describes the floats that marked different aspects of Theodore Roosevelt’s life.

Two photographs of marching bands and one of a float accompany the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

This four page edition of “News and Notes” is divided into six sections and is mostly concerned with a series of celebrations and commemorations of the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth. The article details the celebrations held in Indianapolis, Indiana, in New York State in New York City, Oyster Bay, and Buffalo, and at Harvard University. The Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace hosted events as did the American Museum of Natural History. Oyster Bay held a parade while the Indianapolis gathering saw the planting of a tree at the home of Roosevelt’s Vice President, Charles W. Fairbanks. The meeting at the American Museum of Natural History saw the awarding of the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal to four recipients. A dinner was held in Buffalo while at Harvard, John Morton Blum gave a lecture.

The article also discusses the 1983 Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest for the New York City public high schools held at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace, and it details the premiere of the documentary film The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. “News and Notes” closes with an obituary for Helen M. MacLachlan who worked for both the Theodore Roosevelt Association and the National Park Service at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace in New York City.

A photograph from the Oyster Bay parade and two photographs of members of the Roosevelt family at Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, D.C., are included in the article.