The White House Gang

When Theodore Roosevelt became president at age forty-two upon the assassination of William McKinley, he was the youngest President to have ever served then and now - and was father to six children, ranging in age from three to seventeen. During his term, watching the Roosevelt family became a national pastime. Each day, news of the First Family was consumed by newspaper readers. The best known Roosevelt child was, of course, the President himself. His pillow fights with his sons, sometimes while keeping the cabinet waiting, were notorious. One magazine described the phenomenon by saying people could no more ignore the Roosevelt stories than a small boy can turn his head away from a circus parade followed by a steam calliope. Roosevelts children, along with some of their cousins and friends, came to be called the White House Gang. Roosevelt, certainly the most famous Gang member, was singularly able to encourage the positive qualities of his and other boys while leading the United States into the 20th Century. But the Gangs real leader was Roosevelts youngest child Quentin. They roller skated in the hallways, stilt-walked through high ceilinged rooms, spit-balled portraits and explored every possible space of the White House from roof to attic to basement. One of their favorite games was to stage attacks upon various government office buildings. This book tells how Theodore Roosevelt handled his children, how he won their love and respect, and how he won them to his way of thinking. There ought to be an Amendment to the Constitution compelling every mother and father to read this book. It is a fascinating story, and if you read it and heed it, you will be a better parent. Your children will be happier, and you will be happier. ----Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, April 20, 1938

In Quentin Roosevelt's White House Gang, the delightful antics of President Theodore Roosevelt's youngest son and his friends are revived for a new generation. Each nook and cranny is vibrant with life as the boys lead readers on a joyful romp throughout the mansion and across the city.

An irresistible chronological overview of daily life in the presidential residence. Divided into 42 chapters representing each succeeding administration, this survey is brimming with fun facts, tantalizing tidbits, and memorable anecdotes detailing two centuries of domestic bliss and strife in the White House. From George Washington, who chose the sight and initiated work on the presidential mansion, to Bill Clinton, whose well-documented White House escapades titillated and scandalized the nation, each individual president has contributed to the mystique of the most readily recognized home in the U.S. Together with scores of drawings, portraits, and photographs, the breezy text chronicles the significant physical, social, and emotional changes wrought by each First Family as they sought to personalize daily life in the White House.

The White House, first published in 1937, is a fascinating look at the building—and rebuilding —of the presidential White House as well as vivid descriptions and insights into the lives of the ‘first families’ who lived there (from John Adams up to Franklin Roosevelt), and of the changes each new President brought to the building, its interior and grounds, and to the surrounding city. Following its construction at the turn of the 19th century, the White House was for a long period uncompleted, neglected, and trampled by hordes of careless visitors, as well as home to successive presidents and their families attempting to conduct the nation’s business, host numerous parties and provide lodging for visiting foreign dignitaries. Renovations were on-going, and each First Lady would change rooms to reflect her own or the prevailing interior style popular at the time. Additions to the cramped quarters were planned and usually rejected. Concurrently, Washington D.C. was changing from a disease-ridden swamp with unpaved, muddy streets, into a planned city with wide paved boulevards on the Parisian model. Included are 16 pages of illustrations depicting changes in the exterior and interior of the White House since its construction.

This is the poignant and triumphant story of Terrence K. Williams, who was born into nothing; neglected, starved, abused, and beaten, a product of the foster home system. He grew up without a table to sit at, let alone food to eat, yet today is endeared by millions of fans and followers...and welcomed at the White House! A heart-wrenching yet ultimately victorious story, you'll cry and laugh as you experience his life through Terrence's eyes. With the odds stacked against him, Terrence believed that a hard life is still a valuable life. He let his deprived upbringing shape him, not destroy him. Surrounded by a victimhood mentality, he pushed himself to reject the acceptance that his life would never be better. Today he's a popular voice for common-sense and a defender of freedom. This is the story of being let down by a system but not letting yourself down. If you're facing challenges and obstacles that seem insurmountable, Terrence's story will inspire and motivate you to find opportunities to grow in whatever situation you face. You'll discover how you can join Terrence as a part of the American Dream!

"These scholarly essays are full of interesting and surprising tidbits that will delight even the casual reader." -- Publishers Weekly

The White House for Kids provides an intriguing, in-depth history of the White House and its role as a home, an office, and a powerful symbol of the United States, making it a unique resource for kids visiting Washington D.C. with their family or class and those studying American history, presidential history, and American government. Through numerous primary sources and kid-friendly anecdotes, the history of the building is detailed including the many renovations and redecorations made over the years, and the daily lives of the White House’s inhabitants are illuminated including presidents and their families as well as the enormous staff that makes the White House run smoothly. Kids will learn that George Washington never slept in the White House and Abraham Lincoln never slept in the Lincoln Bedroom; why the Trumans had to move out of the White House for three years during Harry Truman’s presidency; which president’s daughter held her high school prom in the White House; the evolving layout of floors and rooms including today’s, and much more. Crosscurricular activities allow readers to walk in the footsteps of presidents and those around them. Readers can play key passages of “Hail to the Chief” and practice signing a bill the way presidents do, as well as make White House Punch and re-create an aerobic game designed for President Hoover. Katherine House was born in Washington, DC, and grew up in nearby Arlington, Virginia. She is the author of Lighthouses for Kids and has written articles about US and Iowa history for children’s magazines including AppleSeeds, Cobblestone, and the Goldfinch.