6-12-10

Today we left New York City. As I my Dad said when I was little and we were leaving a town, “AMF.” To the good people of that town it meant “adios my friends.” To the people who he did not like (like the friendly young lady leaving Yankee Stadium who say my Denver Broncos coat and yelled “F*** the Denver Broncos” I leave it to you to figure out what “AMF” means. It truly was a great and educational experience to visit the greatest city on earth.

Out visit to Sagamore Hill was very instructive. Theodore Roosevelt’s home was amazing and, as mentioned in my previous blog about touching the banisters that Lincoln and F.D.R. touched, I now can say the same thing for Theodore Roosevelt, although this time I also got to sit on the porch in a rocking chair like T.R. often did (it reminded me a little of our trip to F.D.R.’s getaway house and porch). It was also important to me to see T.R.’s Rough Rider hat and saber, and to learn how much T.R. believed (and practiced) in the institution of the family.

A print in Theodore Roosevelt’s home was very interesting to me. The gift from Kaiser Wilhelm illustrating every ship in the U.S. Navy (including one that had not been built yet) made one think. As the park Ranger posed, “was it meant as a threat or a gift?” This is particularly poignant when one remembers Teddy’s love of the Navy, his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, the Roosevelt Corollary, the Great White Fleet, and eventually, World War I. This allowed me to look at the time period from a broader perspective and will, thus, allow me to present the era in a more correct fashion for my students in the future.

The extent of T.R.’s writing (36 books on a range of topics and 150,00 letters and articles) was also very impressive.

The Theodore Roosevelt museum was educational and interesting also. His quote about the Spanish-American War, “For the last year I have preached war with Spain. I should feel distinctly ashamed…if I now failed to practice what I have preached,” was also telling regarding what kind of man T.R. was. I only wish more politicians felt and acted in the same manner. I might utilize this in my Honors American Government classes. Also, Roosevelt’s decision to draw attention to poor conditions for his troops, despite this meaning his not receiving the Medal of Honor, also spoke volumes about his character. Fittingly he eventually and posthumously would receive this great honor.

I also did not know the extent of Teddy Roosevelt’s appointments of African Americans to federal positions. I knew about the infamous 1906 Brownsville dishonorable discharge of the 167 African-American soldiers, but this will allow me to temper that act with his other acts.

Finally, the importance of the media available to the 1912 Election (motion pictures and audio recordings) was educationally important. To be able to hear his actual voice was profound for me.

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