The Second Annual Birthday Ball: 1935
New York Times Waldorf-Astoria Birthday Ball Excerpts
"A meeting of debutantes who are to participate in the pageant at the ball on President Roosevelt's birthday, Jan. 30, at the Waldorf-Astoria was held at the hotel yesterday afternoon. Miss Lila Agnew Stewart, who is directing the pageant, exhibited and discussed sketches of the various costumes that are to be worn in the pageant."
January 09, 1935
"A birthday ball for the President will be staged by the Admiral Byrd expedition on the night of Jan. 30, in Little America, Antarctica, it was announced yesterday at headquarters of the ball at the Waldorf-Astoria."
January 15, 1935
"Booths for the sale of tickets for the President's Birthday Ball, to be held at the Waldorf-Astoria on Jan. 30, are being placed today in eleven department stores in Manhattan, it was announced yesterday at the national headquarters for the 1935 ball at the hotel."
January 22, 1935
"Final plans for the musical program at the President's Birthday Ball for 1935, to be held at the Waldorf-Astoria on Jan. 30, were formulated yesterday at a luncheon at the hotel given by Mrs. Arthur Bergh, chairman of the grand opera committee."
January 23, 1935
"Debutantes and other young women of society were fitted yesterday in the handsome and elaborate costumes which the 300 will wear in the pageant of America, which will be the main feature of the President's Birthday Ball for 1935 at the Waldorf-Astoria next Wednesday."
January 24, 1935
"Mrs. James Roosevelt, mother of the President, was guest of honor yesterday at a tea given at the home of Mrs. George B. St. George, 1 Sutton Place South. Mrs. St. George is chairman of the birthday ball for the President to be held at the Waldorf-Astoria on Jan. 30, of which the President's mother is honorary chairman."
January 26, 1935
"President Roosevelt was honored with a special 'birthday' salute at the flag ceremony before the grand parade at the military ball given by the Old Guard of the City of New York at the Hotel Commodore last night."
January 26, 1935
January 09, 1935
"A birthday ball for the President will be staged by the Admiral Byrd expedition on the night of Jan. 30, in Little America, Antarctica, it was announced yesterday at headquarters of the ball at the Waldorf-Astoria."
January 15, 1935
"Booths for the sale of tickets for the President's Birthday Ball, to be held at the Waldorf-Astoria on Jan. 30, are being placed today in eleven department stores in Manhattan, it was announced yesterday at the national headquarters for the 1935 ball at the hotel."
January 22, 1935
"Final plans for the musical program at the President's Birthday Ball for 1935, to be held at the Waldorf-Astoria on Jan. 30, were formulated yesterday at a luncheon at the hotel given by Mrs. Arthur Bergh, chairman of the grand opera committee."
January 23, 1935
"Debutantes and other young women of society were fitted yesterday in the handsome and elaborate costumes which the 300 will wear in the pageant of America, which will be the main feature of the President's Birthday Ball for 1935 at the Waldorf-Astoria next Wednesday."
January 24, 1935
"Mrs. James Roosevelt, mother of the President, was guest of honor yesterday at a tea given at the home of Mrs. George B. St. George, 1 Sutton Place South. Mrs. St. George is chairman of the birthday ball for the President to be held at the Waldorf-Astoria on Jan. 30, of which the President's mother is honorary chairman."
January 26, 1935
"President Roosevelt was honored with a special 'birthday' salute at the flag ceremony before the grand parade at the military ball given by the Old Guard of the City of New York at the Hotel Commodore last night."
January 26, 1935
Featured Local Celebrations
Brooklyn, New York
Many citizens gathered at Long Island Grotto Pouch to celebrate the birthday of President Roosevelt and to contribute "in a material way toward the relief of victims of infantile paralysis." Chairman Phil Hoerter and his partners planned an evening filled with dancing and music. Hoerter also traveled to New York City to appeal for the donation of a forty-pound birthday cake. This delicious baked good was then given to the House of St. Giles the Cripple and taken through many of the wards and private rooms of the hospital. "The children who were victims of the past infantile paralysis epidemics felt joyous that they might share the cake that was given in honor of the President who, too, was afflicted with paralysis." The P. E. P. Club supplied hours of dance music in the Gold Ballroom. "The guests had such an enjoyable time that many requests have been received that these informal good time gatherings be held frequently." Although it was not an extremely large financial success, the Birthday Ball was a tremendous social event that greatly lifted the spirits of both the attendees and the children in House of St. Giles the Cripple.
Washington, D.C.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Traffic Department, in an effort to publicize the Community Birthday Balls for the President, attached flyers to every dining car menu on the Pennsylvania Railroad for the entire period until January 30th, 1935. The flyer is pictured bellow in the gallery as the last photograph on the right.
Many citizens gathered at Long Island Grotto Pouch to celebrate the birthday of President Roosevelt and to contribute "in a material way toward the relief of victims of infantile paralysis." Chairman Phil Hoerter and his partners planned an evening filled with dancing and music. Hoerter also traveled to New York City to appeal for the donation of a forty-pound birthday cake. This delicious baked good was then given to the House of St. Giles the Cripple and taken through many of the wards and private rooms of the hospital. "The children who were victims of the past infantile paralysis epidemics felt joyous that they might share the cake that was given in honor of the President who, too, was afflicted with paralysis." The P. E. P. Club supplied hours of dance music in the Gold Ballroom. "The guests had such an enjoyable time that many requests have been received that these informal good time gatherings be held frequently." Although it was not an extremely large financial success, the Birthday Ball was a tremendous social event that greatly lifted the spirits of both the attendees and the children in House of St. Giles the Cripple.
Washington, D.C.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Traffic Department, in an effort to publicize the Community Birthday Balls for the President, attached flyers to every dining car menu on the Pennsylvania Railroad for the entire period until January 30th, 1935. The flyer is pictured bellow in the gallery as the last photograph on the right.
Pitt County, North Carolina
The second annual Birthday Ball, held on January 30th, 1935, attracted a huge mass of guests that was welcomed by F.C. Harding. Hod Williams and Orchestra provided the mellifluous music that the guests danced to during the spectacular evening. W. W. Lee was the master of ceremonies and presented an impressive program of acrobatics, led by Carolyn Hamric, as well as specialty dancing. Hamric then joined Gwen Bell in a tap dance routine. Joe Perry and Margaret Bostic led the dancing parade with the latest fads, including the "Carrioca." 70% of the money raised remained in Pitt County to benefit those suffering from poliomyelitis while the rest went to the Warm Springs Foundation in Georgia.
Oil City, Pennsylvania
Tickets to the President's Birthday Ball, to be held in the Knights of Columbus auditorium, were sold in Payne's confectionery store, the Chamber of Commerce, and the First National bank. The chief beneficiary of this charitable event was the Venango County Crippled Children's society, which received 70% of the funds raised. The year prior, 100% of the proceeds had gone to the Warm Springs Foundation, but a newly implemented provision required that 70% of the profits be sent to a local organization "whose scope includes infantile paralysis work.... a research bureau devoted to study [sic] of the disease." The Venango County Crippled Children's society helps individuals regardless of their financial circumstances. A young patient wrote a letter stating:
Dear Miss McCuen:
I'm a little girl of nine years and was a cripple a short time ago. Now, thanks to the crippled children's clinic, I am just like any other little girl. I first visited your clinic in 1933 and was examined. They found my hip was dislocated. Then you and some other good people got me in the Industrial Home for Crippled Children in Pittsburgh. When I went I was an inch and a half short and walked on my toe. My leg had stopped growing. It was skinny and looked awful to me. They stretched my leg, set my hip and put a cast on me. I was in the home ten months. I just came home in September and I'm happy to say I'm not crippled any more. I have often heard of nice homes for children, but I know that there isn't another like the industrial home. It's the next thing to my real home. I have you, your clinic and everyone connected with it to thank for making me a normal child and also a happy one. I shall never forget what you have done for me. I shall be proud to tell any one about the work of the Venango County Crippled Children's society.
Yours truly,
One of your happy children.
The second annual Birthday Ball, held on January 30th, 1935, attracted a huge mass of guests that was welcomed by F.C. Harding. Hod Williams and Orchestra provided the mellifluous music that the guests danced to during the spectacular evening. W. W. Lee was the master of ceremonies and presented an impressive program of acrobatics, led by Carolyn Hamric, as well as specialty dancing. Hamric then joined Gwen Bell in a tap dance routine. Joe Perry and Margaret Bostic led the dancing parade with the latest fads, including the "Carrioca." 70% of the money raised remained in Pitt County to benefit those suffering from poliomyelitis while the rest went to the Warm Springs Foundation in Georgia.
Oil City, Pennsylvania
Tickets to the President's Birthday Ball, to be held in the Knights of Columbus auditorium, were sold in Payne's confectionery store, the Chamber of Commerce, and the First National bank. The chief beneficiary of this charitable event was the Venango County Crippled Children's society, which received 70% of the funds raised. The year prior, 100% of the proceeds had gone to the Warm Springs Foundation, but a newly implemented provision required that 70% of the profits be sent to a local organization "whose scope includes infantile paralysis work.... a research bureau devoted to study [sic] of the disease." The Venango County Crippled Children's society helps individuals regardless of their financial circumstances. A young patient wrote a letter stating:
Dear Miss McCuen:
I'm a little girl of nine years and was a cripple a short time ago. Now, thanks to the crippled children's clinic, I am just like any other little girl. I first visited your clinic in 1933 and was examined. They found my hip was dislocated. Then you and some other good people got me in the Industrial Home for Crippled Children in Pittsburgh. When I went I was an inch and a half short and walked on my toe. My leg had stopped growing. It was skinny and looked awful to me. They stretched my leg, set my hip and put a cast on me. I was in the home ten months. I just came home in September and I'm happy to say I'm not crippled any more. I have often heard of nice homes for children, but I know that there isn't another like the industrial home. It's the next thing to my real home. I have you, your clinic and everyone connected with it to thank for making me a normal child and also a happy one. I shall never forget what you have done for me. I shall be proud to tell any one about the work of the Venango County Crippled Children's society.
Yours truly,
One of your happy children.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Address at the Second Annual Birthday Ball
A Presidential Wager
While at Warm Springs, President Roosevelt estimated that $600,000 would be raised by the series of Birthday Balls held around the nation. Carl Byoir, an organizer of the national Birthday Ball, wished to place a bet on this figure. Byoir said he would "exhibit his generosity by letting President name the bet, a dinner, hat or necktie, or what have you." On February 5th, 1935, Roosevelt bet him a necktie and bet that the amount raised in the second annual Birthday Ball would not surpass that of the previous year. He hoped that Byoir would win.