Evening star. [volume], November 24, 1963, Page B-11, Image 33

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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Mrs. Lyndon Johnson (far right) is seen with a
quintet from Capitol Hill at a 1961 Women's
National Press Club party. Others (left to right)
are: Senator Hubert Humphrey, Senator Barry
BRAINS, HEART AND SKILL
Her Talent Is 'Adaptability'
By FRANCES LIDE
Star Stall Writer
Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson
steps Into the role of First
Lady with a background of
more than a quarter of a
century in publio life.
Feminine and vibrant, the
slender, dark-haired Lady
Bird quickly adapted herself
to the demands on the wife
of a man who already had
developed a taste for politics
when they were married No
vember 17, 1984.
Reticent and modest she
soon became a veteran of the
Texas campaign trail. But
until her husband ran for
the Vice Presidency, she de
scribed her speech-making
as “Just saying ‘howdy at
barbecues.”
In the 1940 campaign she
began making homey, infor
mal talks. With Mrs. John
F. Kennedy on the sidelines
because of her expected
baby, she Inaugurated a
schedule of cross - country
“flying tea parties,” fre
quently making political fo
rays jointly with some of the
other "Kennedy ladles.”
Polished Speaker
In the past two years she
has become a polished public
speaker. Some of her talks
following the tripe she made
with the Vice President have
been eloquent expressions of
the life and aspirations of
the people In the various
lands they have visited.
Mr. Johnson was a con
gressional aide to Represent
ative Richard M. Kleberg of
King Ranch fame when he
and Lady Bird were married.
He accepted an appointment
the next year from Presi
dent Roosevelt as Texas di
rector of the National Youth
Administration, but resigned
to run for Congress himself,
returning to Washington as
a member of the House In
1937.
“One of the first things
Lyndon told me to do,” she
recalls, “was to learn all the
counties In his congressional
district and the names of as
many constituents as I
could.”
Over the years that he
served In the House and later
the Senate, she considered It
her duty to act as a liaison
11 ■ ■■■ ■■ llO6 Conn. Ave,» ■■ ■
between her husband and
the “people he worked for,”
as she once put It.
They're Serious
"Texans take the word
‘publio servant’ seriously,”
she pointed out. “And if Lyn
don were busy when some of
his constituents came to
Washington, I could fill in by
taking them to lunch, show
ing them around the Capitol
and helping them In other
ways.”
With her husband’s elec
tion to the Vice Presidency,
she felt that his constituency
had broadened and that he
was "now working for the
American people.”
As the Vice President’s
travels took him to all parts
of the world, his wife went
along, too.
She kept her own schedule
on these Journeys and soon
developed a special Interest
in seeking out the “women
doers” of other lands.
When foreign visitors came
to ths United States she con
tinued to “fill in for Lyndon”
on occasions by entertaining
for such VlP's as Indira
Gandhi daughter of India’s
Prime Minister, and Empress
Farah, the Queen of Iran at
the Johnson home, The
Elms, which they had pur
chased from Mrs. Perle Mea
ts.
With the addition of many
glamorous, international fig
ures to their circle of friends,
Texans were not forgotten in
the Johnson household.
Surprise Party
On a memorable afternoon
two summers ago, a group of
University of Texas students.
In Washington for a briefing
before setting out for an ex
change seminar In Chile,
were surprised to receive an
invitation from the Vice
President to "go out and see
Lady Bird.”
Mrs. Johnson, who had re
ceived the customary short
notice and would be packing
later that evening for a trip
to Puerto Rico, rounded up
Ice cream, soft drinks and a
supply of bathing suits so her
young guests could have a
swim.
A journalism graduate of
the University of Texas her
Goldwater, Senate Majority Leader Mike Mans
field, Senator Maurine Neuberger and Senate
Minority Leader Dirksen.—Star Staff Photo.
self, she plied them with
questions about the propose
of their mission to Chile as
she sat with them by the side
of the pool, her eyes sparking
with enthusiasm at their up
coming adventure In good
nelghborllneas.
Most of her guests had re
turned to the drawing room
when the Vice President
came home.
Holding her hu s band’s
arm, she drew him toward
the group and, In a drawl
that matched their own, an
nounced: “This Iz Lyndon,
y’zll."
Asked once If she had ever
considered running for office
herself, Mrs. Johnson threw
up her hands in horror.
Her Philosophy
“No, no, ma’am!” she ex
claimed. “I wouldn’t want to
get up and talk about myself
the way you have to do In
politics.”
But public service to her Is
WEDDINGS
De-Witt-Fox
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Jor
dan Fox of this city an
nounce the marriage of their
daughter Judith D u d 1 e y to
Mr. David Burton DeWitt,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Estlll
DeWitt of Halifax, Nova Sco
tia. The wedding took place
November 9 in New York
City. The couple will live in
Montreal, Canada.
Calhoun-Perry
Mr. and Mrs. Emmanuel
vonßetsen Perry of Bethesda,
Md. announce the marriage
of their daughter Mlrliam
Irene, to Mr. Richard Frank
Calhoun of Falls Church,
Va., son of Mr. Preston
Brown Calhoun of Harbin
ger, N. C., and Mrs. Francis
O. Bongerz of Winter Park,
Fla. The wedding took place
November 2 In Georgetown
Presbyterian Church. The
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CONNECTICUT AVtNUi
a noble calling.
Her philosophy was
summed up In a brief Intro
duction she hurriedly wrote
three years ago when she
was called on to present her
husband at a Democratic wo
men’s dinner.
“Usually at a dinner like
this, I listen to someone In
troduce Lyndon with words
of praise and approval, all of
which I underwrite and en
joy,” she said.
“But I want to Introduce
him In a more personal
way—as an exciting man to
live with; an exhausting man
to keep up with; a man who
has worn well In the 35 yean
we’ve been together.
“And most Important, a
man from whom I’ve learned
that to put all the brains and
heart and skill you have Into
the job of trying to make
your government work a lit
tle better, can be a wonderful
life for a man and his wife.”
couple will live In Falls
Church.
Skenderis-Zouras
Mr. and Mrs. Louis N. Zou
ras announce the marriage
of their daughter Athanasla
to Mr. Stratls Skenderls, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Fotloa S.
Skenderls of Hyattsvllle, Md.
The wedding took place Oc
tober 20 In Sts. Constantine
and Helen Greek Orthodox
Church here. The couple will
live In Takoma Park, Md.
Orlando-Lopes
Mr. and Mrs. Jerome N.
Lopes announce the marriage
of their daughter Miriam
Annette to Mr. Vincent Paul
Orlando, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Paul Orlando, all of Silver
Spring, Md. The wedding
took place November 10 in
Marvin Memorial Methodist
Church, Silver Spring.
The 'Carpenter 7 Touch
Has Been a Johnson Asset
A homespun, gregarious
Texas newspaperwoman with
a witty tongue and a sure
ear for a quotable quote
seems certain to play a sub
stantial press role In the new
Johnson administration.
She Is ids. Elisabeth Car
penter. who left the group of
Texas newspapers she served
with her husband Leslie to
become ids. Lyndon John
son's press voice during the
1980 campaign, *n/< gtrvo
then has served as executive
assistant to Vice President
Johnson.
Two Roles
Mrs. Carpenter successfully
straddled two roles during the
new President’s almost three
years as Vice President. She
was a sort of super press
secretary and aide for ids.
Johnson, and also served as
an Idea sparkplug for the
more social side of the
Vice President’s many-faceted
role.
When Bashir Ahmed, the
Pakistani camel driver, «nm»
to visit. It was ids. Carpen
ter, a bom showman, who
built up interest In his visit
with a series of “wlll-he-ar
won’t-he-come” stories, and
then stage-managed his
• mash hit performances
around the oountry.
When the Johnsons travel
abroad—as they have to
four continents since he be
came Vice President—it was
Mrs. Carpenter, who coped
with the myriad details of
their schedule, and «">« up
with such Imaginative pro
grams as Mrs. Johnson’s
earnest pursuit of “women
doers” In various i«m<«
Unlikely Combinations
At home, it is ids. Car
penter—with an able assist
from Mrs. Bess Abell, Mrs.
Johnson’s social secretary
who puts together such un
likely combinations as a
calypso band to entertain
editors' wives, Mark Russell’s
offbeat nightclub ribbing to
titilate earnest Peace Corps
supporters, and those in
credible comball “country
music” singers, the Geezln
slaw brothers, to entertain
United Nations delegates.
Other Johnson entertain
ment has featured Broad
way musical stars singing for
Japanese cabinet wives, and
Carol Charming of “Dia
monds Are a Girl's Best
Friends” fame, singing and
handing out dime - store
“diamond” bracelet! at a
luncheon for the First Lady
of Mexico.
There have been functions
featuring more serious art
ists, too, such as Conductor
Erich Lelnsdorf and Pulitzer-
Winning Author Harper Lee.
With the wider stage of
the White House, It seems
Mrs. Carpenter’s Inventive
ness might well be a match
for that of Jacqueline Ken
nedy and her first Social
Secretary, the talented Letitla
Baldrige.
It would be an Injustice to
Mrs. Carpenter, however, to
think of her only as a stage
lmpressarlo. A hard news
reporter for many years be
r
We join the nation
in mourning
the untimely passing
i
of our President
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Julius Garfinckei & Co.
THE SUNDAY STAR
Washington, D. C , Ntmmbtr 24, 1963
x^gjl
-;k ■
MRS. CARPENTER
fore she Joined the Johnsons,
Mrs. Carpenter understands
politics and Issues. She can
write a hard-hitting speech,
but always laces It with her
own brand of humor.
Uses Hamor
Touches of her wit crop up
In the Vice President’s
speeches from time to time,
although—and this Is true of
her speeches for Mrs. John
son too—it Is always hard to
tell where a Johnson ends
and Carpenter begins.
Mrs. Carpenter has perfect
pitch on quotes. When she
writes a speech for Mrs.
Johnson all the new First
Lady’s homey patois—which
can be as colorful as a
Texas sunset—come rippling
through.
“Liz”—which Is all anyone
ever calls her, approached
her new Job with zest when
she went to work for Mrs.
Johnson In the 1960 cam
paign.
The Job, she said, “com
bines my four great loves:
politics, reporting, old friends
and my native State.”
Some of Mrs. Carpenter’s
more delightful and unin
hibited forays have taken
place when she was speaking
on her own behalf. Her year
as president of the Women’s
National Press Club (1954-
55) was a delight to her col
leagues because of the strong
dose of Carpenter humor In
jected into club affairs.
Not Preserved
Regrettably, these have not
been preserved for posterity.
And needless to say, Mrs.
Carpenter did not feel like
rolling off any wisecracks
this week end. She has. In
fact, been completely incom
municado Inside the Johnson
house In Spring Valley.
A few o sher wlttlclslms, de
livered In a speech Just after
the Inauguration (when she
was briefly back In the
newspaper business) were
good-natured cracks at the
then New Frontier.
Recalling the stormy In
augural period, she said: “At
least we’re the first adminis
tration In history that BE
GAN with a Deep Freeze.”
And of the Inauguration
generally, she said: “The
winners shouldn’t have to go
through the Inauguration.
The losers should.”
Os the dashing young Pres
ident: “President Kennedy's
tendency to drop in on the
homes of reporters for a
visit Is already having a
good effect on the house
keeping habits of my pro
fession. Everyone Is getting
their living rooms spick
and-span In hopes of a sur
prise call from the head of
state.”
Teagh Topis
Lest week. In Introducing
Mrs. Helen HIH Miller who
spoke on the report of the
President’s Commission on
the Status of Women, whlqh
Mrs. Miller wrote. Mrs. Car
penter suggested ruefully
that while the report was no
doubt worthy. It was a little
hard to make It sound fas
cinating.
“I keep wondering.” she
said, “while glancing through
the book’s chapters—with
such heady titles az ‘Flexible
Security. Equality and Pri
vate Employment,’ and ‘Ed
ucation of the Mature Wom
an’—can this be the same
creature immortalized by
Shakespeare, Browning and
Rodgers and Hammersteln,
who Inspired such lines as
‘Frailty thy name la woman.
She walks In beauty, and
There’s nothing like a
dame’?”
ISABELLE SHELTON.
Secretaries Plan
Dinner Meeting
Mrs. Hope Piper, chapter
president, will preside at the
7 pm. dinner meeting on
Tuesday of the Executive
Chapter of the National
Secretaries Association at
the downtown Peking Res
taurant.
Guest speaker will be Mrs.
Lucille Boyd of the employe
development division. Trea
sury Department.
Board Meeting
The Northwood Woman’s
Club of Silver Spring will
hold a board meeting tomor
row at 8:30 pm. at the home
of Mrs. Matthew R. Pasquale.
A Thanksgiving
Dinner
Served in a Delightful Setting
ROAST TURKEY...
Complete from Fresh Seafood Cocktail
to our selection of Homemade Desserts
CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS, FINE WINES,
IMPORTED AND DOMESTIC SHE
Served Noon till 8:30 P.M,
Ample Free Parking
me LITTLE TEA HOUSE
Plus our Beautiful "Washington View Room"
with accommodations for ISO additional guests
1301 South Ridge Rood
Arlington, Vo. Reservation* OTie 4-7900
Society-Home
It's a Date
TUESDAY
Francisco's Restavaat In
Bethesda will be the scene of
a noon luncheon fashion
Aow by Hechlnger’s on Wis
consin avenue. Clothes from
their new sports and ski de
partment will be shown by
models from the Betbeeda
Modeling School. Hair styles
by Aphrodite.
~Naval Wives CM will
sponsor a fashion show at •
pm. at the Bellevue Housing
center. Margaret Roiey mod
els will show fashion from
Greta Stevens.
THURSDAY
Virginia Leer of Spring
field, Va., shows fashions
weekly at the Lazy Susan.
Wood bridge, Va., from 13:30
pm. to 1:30 pm. Betty Bel
cher will model Vem hair
styles.
FRIDAY
London Casual fashions
Informally presented by Cap
pa Chell models In the
Springfield Hot Shoppe,
11:30 am. Hair styles by Vin
cent et Vincent.
Philips boms fashions to be
presented Informally by Mar
garet Roiey models 3 to 0
pm. today and 1 to 5 pm.
tomorrow.
Surratt Shoppe, Clinton,
Md., by Cappa Chell models
from noon to 3 pm. at the
Royal Coach Inn, Prince
Georges Motel. Hair stylet by
Mary's Beauty Nook.
SATURDAY
Greta Stevens fashions
star at the Penn Mar store
on Margaret Roiey models.
Shown Informally from noon
until 3 pm.
L. Frank Co., will havu
a fashion show in their
downtown store from 3 to 4
pm. Cappa Chell models.
From 13:30 to 3:30 pm. L.
Frank fashions can be seen
at the S&W Cafeteria, Seven
Comers, and In the Shlr
lington Hot Shoppe. Hair
styles by Vincent et Vincent.
Silent Auction Set
Saint James’ Episcopal
Mission, Roberta Road In
Alexandria, will hold Its an
nual silent auction December
6 with silent bidding, closing
by 7:30 pm. The Mission
will open December 5 from
6 to 9 pm. and all day Fri
day for Inspection.
B-11