In October 1910, Franklin began his first campaign. Eleanor wanted to be with him, but she had just given birth to Elliott. So she stayed home. She wrote Franklin every day. She encouraged him to speak out to people. And so Franklin bought a car and visited every village in upstate New York. And he won! He was the first Democrat to win there since 1878.
Eleanor and Franklin and family moved to the state capital in Albany, New York. At last, in her own home, Eleanor took charge. Within twenty-four hours, she had everyone settled in the new house. She fired servants she did not like. She hired new ones. She organized the house. She met the neighbors. She held “open houses.” During an open house, people from the area that Franklin represented came and talked with Franklin. Eleanor loved her new life.
Every afternoon, she spent time with her children. She read to them. They had tea. And she played with them after dinner. Early mornings, she met with people in their homes. She helped Franklin in his new career in any way that she could.
In 1913, Franklin became assistant secretary of the navy. This was an important post. The family moved to Washington, D.C. Again, Eleanor did all she could to help Franklin in his new job. She called on other wives in Washington. She listened to Franklin’s speeches and gave advice on them. What’s more, he listened. Franklin valued Eleanor’s opinions. They made a good team. People reminded Franklin that Eleanor’s Uncle Teddy had once held his new job, and Teddy had gone on to be president. Maybe one day Franklin would, too.
During their time in Washington, Eleanor learned to be the perfect political wife. She gave parties for over two hundred people. She spoke many different languages. People said that with her tall, thin figure and her thick hair piled up on her head, she looked like the perfect “Gibson Girl.” Even Sara admitted that Eleanor had never looked or sounded better.
In the 1890s and early 1900s, people wanted to dress and look like the illustrations that they saw in popular magazines. One famous illustration was the “Gibson Girl.” Charles Dana Gibson created the Gibson Girl. She was described as taller than most women, full of spirit and independence. She wore her brown hair piled high on her head. She looked like a well-bred young woman. Eleanor and her friends tried to dress and look like Gibson Girls. But, for Eleanor, fashion never was as important as for some. What interested her most were the issues of the day.
The United States entered World War I in 1917. Suddenly, soldiers were everywhere in Washington, D.C. Eleanor worked hard for the Red Cross. She visited soldiers. She served coffee and food. This work made Eleanor feel useful and wanted. The people she worked with loved her and admired her skills. The soldiers said how kind and thoughtful she was.
Eleanor was so busy that she hired a young, pretty secretary named Lucy Mercer. But soon Lucy was spending more time with Franklin than with Eleanor or the children. Lucy and Franklin fell in love. And Eleanor found out. She was shattered. She had trusted Franklin completely. And he had betrayed her. Franklin promised never to see Lucy again and Eleanor agreed to stay with him. Franklin knew that he needed Eleanor’s help with his career. But their marriage would never be the same.
In 1920, James M. Cox ran for president and Franklin ran as his vice president. The Democrats lost. So Franklin, Eleanor, and the children went to their summer home in Campobello, Maine. One night, Franklin became very tired. Eleanor told him to go to bed. But the next day, he could not move his legs! He had polio at age thirty-nine!
Polio had been around since the time of the ancient Egyptians. When Franklin was a young man, there was still no cure. Polio was a disease that people, especially children, caught easily. Often, the disease left its victims unable to walk. They had to use a wheelchair or crutches for the rest of their lives. It was not until the 1950s that a vaccine against polio was discovered.
After Franklin fell ill with polio, his mother wanted him to return to Hyde Park and live in the country. There he could rest.
He must give up politics, said Sara. Instead, he could spend his time collecting stamps, which was a lifelong hobby of his, and being cared for. Eleanor, for the first time, said no to her mother-in-law. She did not want Franklin to become an invalid. He had important work to do. She wanted him to stay in politics.
So Franklin began a painful program of exercise to rebuild his strength. He would never walk again without heavy braces. Even then, he could walk only a few steps. Still, Eleanor kept him going. She also made sure that the voters did not forget about her husband. Eleanor began giving speeches to different ladies’ groups about Franklin. At first, she spoke quietly. Eleanor was still shy. But by 1928, Eleanor Roosevelt had become a wonderful speaker and a respected member of the Democratic Party. Because of Eleanor, political leaders remembered Franklin.
By the 1920s, the Roosevelts’ daughter, Anna, had married. The boys were away at college or boarding school. While Franklin worked to regain his ability to walk, Eleanor started to teach. She and her friends took over a private girls school in New York City. Eleanor loved it. It reminded her of her days at Allenswood. She also continued working for the Democratic Party. Franklin had decided to run for governor of New York, and he needed Eleanor’s help to win. He counted on Eleanor to convince women to vote for him. And she did. Franklin won the race for governor in 1928. Many felt that it was the women’s vote and Eleanor’s efforts that won him the job.
Being the first lady of New York was a challenge. Eleanor wanted to keep teaching in New York City. But the state capital, where the governor lives, was in Albany. So each Monday she left the governor’s mansion and took a three-hour train ride. On the train, she graded papers, read magazines, and answered letters. Then she returned to Albany on Wednesday and hosted parties, met with party leaders, and gave speeches. People got tired just hearing Eleanor’s schedule, but Eleanor loved it. She liked being busy and useful.
As first lady of New York, she also had opportunities to test her courage. She went to the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York and rode on a bobsled! Then she went for an airplane ride.
It was difficult for Franklin to get around, so Eleanor became his eyes and ears. She toured prisons, hospitals, and homes for orphans and the mentally ill. She told Franklin about what she saw. Franklin then wrote laws to help the less fortunate.
In 1932, Franklin Roosevelt ran for president of the United States. He won! On March 4, 1933, Eleanor Roosevelt became first lady of the United States. She was forty-eight years old. She was scared. What kind of first lady would she be?
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