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May 16, 1925. Washington, D.C. "Mrs. Herbert Hoover and Mrs. James Ford at Girl Scouts' Little House," a cottage that served at different locations as model home and scouting headquarters. National Photo Company. View full size.
Washington Post, May 17, 1925Mrs. Coolidge Visits Scouts' Little House
The interest of the White House was enlisted in the Better Homes week yesterday when Mrs. Calvin Coolidge visited the Girl Scouts' Little house at 1750 New York avenue northwest. The President's wife was received and conducted through the house by Mrs. Herbert Hoover, national president of the Girl Scouts, Inc., and Dr. James H. Ford, national director of the Better Homes in America movement.
The Girl Scouts have opened the Little house as an educational center for practical and applied home economics. It is modeled on the John Howard Payne house on Long Island, which inspired Payne to write his famous song, "Home, Sweet Home."
The teakettle is Polarware, made in my home town of Sheboygan Wis.
Without the telltale GS on the collar, I would never have figured out that Mrs. H. and the girls are ostensibly wearing the same outfit.
Since she's holding the pan bare-handed, I suspect she's putting the food INTO the oven, not taking it out. Apparently it required some pretty close supervision, judging by the way she's being hovered over.
Her facial expression seems to read, "Why am I here? At all!?" Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that's about the unhappiest expression I've ever seen on the face of a child in an old photograph except for a few who were sitting on some department store Santa Claus's lap.
However, her mood can be improved 100% by colorizing the photo. (snicker)
I am apparently not well. Even before going to full size, the Mrs.Hoover had me thinking of Jim Carrey from "The Mask." Maybe it's the hat.
I love the expression on Oven Girl's face. "Whoa. This totally didn't come out the way it was supposed to!"
None of these girl scouts seem to be having fun.
The girl in the doorway particularly seems to be thinking about how she could have been watching one of those new talkies, or listening to Marian Anderson, or Fred Waring on the phonograph -- anything other hanging around that kitchen.
[There'd be a bit of a wait for talkies. - Dave]
Our circa 1825 Cape Cod homestead has been known locally as the "little house." When our local post office was run by local people, "little house" was part of our postal address.
At this time Grace Coolidge was first lady. Lou Hoover was the wife of Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover.
[Wups. Fixed! - Dave]
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