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81556705
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Easter Egg Roll - White House
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doc
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document
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1
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81556705
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document
title
Easter Egg Roll - White House
citationUrl
collections
Betty Ford White House Papers
First Lady General Subject Files
subjects
President (1974-1977 : Ford). Office of the First Lady. (1974 - 1977)
White House (Washington, D.C.)
Holidays
Easter
Entertainment events
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81556705
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1976-04-01
month
4
year
1976
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1975-03-01
month
3
year
1975
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The original documents are located in Box 35, folder "Easter Egg Roll - White House" of the
Betty Ford White House Papers, 1973-1977 at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Betty Ford donated to the United States
of America her copyrights in all of her unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
0000
A Rime for Easter Time
Look out on the lawn and what do you see?
Lots of flowers and grass and many a tree;
But if you look and try very hard,
You see history in this famous yard.
Let's turn the clock 'round
To 1800 in Washington town.
That was the year John Adams and wife
Became the first family in White House life.
In all its one hundred and seventy-six years,
This House has shared the laughter and tears,
Not just of the families who came here to stay,
But of the whole Nation at work and at play.
Abe Lincoln lived here in the midst of a war,
And soldiers camped on the lawn by the door.
Astronauts and inventors, poets and kings,
Parades and picnics, weddings and things--
All these are part of the White House story,
And America's two hundred years of glory.
Here where your Easter egg rolls
Is also where our history unfolds.
For America's birthday this very year,
Let's join together in a special cheer:
"To America--the land of the free,
To what she was and what she will be."
The President and I hope you have
April19
fun today at the Easter Egg Roll,
9L61
and we also hope you long remember
your visit to the White House in
00000
America's 200 th bir thday year.
Sincerely,
Betty Ford
file
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
April 15, 1976
MEMORANDUM FOR MRS. FORD
SUBJECT: White House Easter Egg Roll
I have just received from the printers the poem that each child
will receive at the Easter Egg Roll. I thought you would like to
have several copies.
Also enclosed is the badge which the "winners" of the egg-rolling
contests will receive.
Thank you.
Mike
Mike Farrell
Attachments
FORD
Lioxary + 077830 3
History of the
aster Egg Roll
city
The Easter Egg Roll is a tradition for
young people which may go back to Dolley
Madison's time. We know that children
gathered on the grounds of the Capitol to roll eggs in the mid-19th
Century. By the 1870's, most likely during the Rutherford B.
Hayes administration, the Easter Egg Roll had moved to the White
House grounds, where it has been held with few interruptions each
year since.
By the end of the 19th Century, games known as "egg picking,"
"toss and catch" and "egg croquet" were firmly established. "Egg
rolling" was the favorite, however. Observers reported eggs by the
hundreds rolling down the hills of the grounds, with children often
right behind. (The first one to the bottom won.)
Over the years, thousands of people -- including children and
grandchildren of Presidents -- have participated in this Easter cele-
bration. Today, you will be entertained by bands and clowns, and
in the best White House tradition, there will be an egg rolling con-
test. Good luck! The President and I hope you will have a most
enjoyable day.
Sincerely,
Betty Ford
Monday, March 31, 1975
GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY
ITEM TRANSFER FORM
The item described below has been transferred from this file to:
Audiovisual Unit
Oversized Container
Book Collection
X
Ford Museum in Grand Rapids
Item: 1 blue and white "White House Bicentennial Easter Egg Roll, 1976" button with a "First
Place" ribbon Attached.
The item was transferred from: Betty Ford White House Papers
Box 8
Folder: Easter Egg Roll - White House
ACCESSION NUMBER (A/V & Museum Transfers only): 1979-NLF-010
Initials/Date SD/3-15-2017