PHS honor students recreate FDR's stirring 1st inaugural Sunday

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States.

Plainfield High School honor students will re-enact the first inaugural of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the Drake House Sunday afternoon, celebrating the 75th anniversary of both his inauguration and the commencement of the 'New Deal', his series of imaginative programs that saved capitalism from itself as a result of the worst depression the world had ever known -- so bad we still refer to it as the 'Great Depression'.

This is the opening event in a year-long series by the Historical Society of Plainfield devoted to the New Deal years.

While the weather may not approximate the blustery, chilly day in March 1933 when he was sworn in to his first term (he was the ONLY president to be elected to four terms), the times are more than a little reminiscent of those he faced.

And, while we are in the midst of a heated presidential primary season, it occurs to me that we could learn from the fact that Roosevelt's ONLY electoral qualification was that he WAS NOT Herbert Hoover -- the good and dutiful but economically lead-footed humanitarian who preceded him in office.

FDR's stirring inaugural -- beginning, as it does, with the words "this is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly" -- will thrill you tomorrow.

Hope to see you there.

Roosevelt being sworn in, with outgoing President Herbert Hoover at far right.

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Commemorating the New Deal's 75th Anniversary
Sunday
March 2, 2008
2:00 - 4:00 PM
Drake House Museum
602 West Front Street (at Plainfield Avenue)

-- Dan Damon

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