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dren and elders throng to the grounds. Many of the younger chil-
has a curious history. Senator Charles Sumner once sent to the Czar
dren occupy themselves with the absorbing task of holding down
of Russia some acorns from an oak near Washington's tomb at Mount
buoyant toy balloons that tug at their retaining strings; multitudes
Vernon. Many years later an oak on Czarina Island in Russia bore
eat luncheon on the grass, toss balls, and run about in juvenile games.
an inscription that it grew from an acorn from Washington's tomb.
Formerly these celebrations included a visit to the East Room, until
Hitchcock, the American Ambassador, sent back some of the acorns
the increasing numbers of merrymakers made this impossible.
from this tree for planting on the White House grounds, but the
Egg rolling itself nowadays consists mainly of rolling eggs SO as
resulting tree proved to be of a Russian species.
to cause them to collide with one another on the lawn, as in marbles
President Harding planted a European beech; Mrs. Harding a
or the old game of bowls. The sport is not restricted to the White
group of magnolias and an elm. President Coolidge planted no trees,
House grounds; children congregate for the purpose in the Zoological
but Mrs. Coolidge assisted at the planting of a weeping birch, donated
Park as well, where a longer slope permits of old-style egg rolling, a
as a memorial to the mothers of Presidents of the United States.
perilous descent for the egg, which when cracked, is eaten forthwith.
President Hoover assisted in three tree plantings-an American elm
But as far back as President Johnson's time children rolled their
in memory of Washington's two hundredth anniversary, a white oak
Easter eggs on the White House lawn. Others used the eastern
from Lincoln's birthplace, and a cedar from Washington's boyhood
lawn of the Capitol Grounds for this pastime, until officials, solicitous
home. Mrs. Hoover contributed a California redwood.
for the grass, forbade the festivity there.
White House exterior. After more than a century and a quarter of
The White House grounds on both north and south fronts are gen-
colorful history, the White House stands today practically as its
erously wooded, and beautifully landscaped with flower beds, shrub-
designer, James Hoban, planned it, on the site designated by Major
bery, and sparkling fountains in the easy, informal manner which
L'Enfant in his original plans for the Federal City. Hoban's design
has made English landscaping famous. So cleverly have the land-
was not based on one of several contemporary Irish mansions, as some
scape architects done this work that the dimensions of the White
have maintained. It has many of the characteristics of these edifices,
House seem elusive, its wings half hidden by masses of shade trees
however, since it is a perfect type of late eighteenth century renais-
which are divided to reveal magnificent prospects from front and
sance mansion popular in Ireland and England when our Republic
rear. The White House trees represent some 80 varieties, many of
was young.
them exotic, and are the careful selection of generations for beauty
From its north approach the White House creates the impression
and variety. They also express the Presidential interest in trees since
of being a two-story edifice of simplicity and spaciousness, but not of
the early days of the White House.
great size. As a matter of fact the building, exclusive of its terraced
Three elms beneath which James and Dolly Madison led open-air
galleries at either side, is 170 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 58 feet high.
cotillions still thrive here. Two of the present oaks were standing
Besides the visible two stories, it has a basement at ground level and
when British soldiers set fire to the White House. The towering
an attic concealed by a crowning balustrade. Although called the
American elm on a knoll to the east end of the south lawn began life
White House, its walls are of grey sandstone from the Aquia quarries
as a sapling at the home of John Quincy Adams in Massachusetts
in neighboring Virginia. It derives its dazzling exterior from the
and was replanted here by him. Nearby is a group of magnolias,
painter's brush. Marble was the popular material for constructing
brought by Jackson from his Tennessee home and replanted here in
public buildings in the early nineteenth century, but the difficulties of
memory of his wife. Hayes planted an American elm near the west-
prerailroad transportation seem to have compelled this recourse to
ern entrance of the north grounds in 1878. Grover Cleveland's bride
sandstone and paint. The substitution was unusual but has proved
planted a bloodleaf Japanese maple-apparently attracted by its
since to have had advantages, for the White House has always
rather macabre name, for her husband protested that he "could see
preserved its pristine appearance.
no sense of planting a tree for the name of the thing."
In its architecture the principle of symmetry has been observed on
Near the north front entrance are scarlet oaks planted by Benjamin
all four sides of the White House, giving an impression of quiet and
Harrison's grandchildren. President McKinley also planted a scarlet
stately balance. In structural detail, however, the northern and
oak near the present Executive Office. Another oak, from Russia,
southern facades differ in many particulars. The dominant feature
4
5
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"ocrText": "dren and elders throng to the grounds. Many of the younger chil-\nhas a curious history. Senator Charles Sumner once sent to the Czar\ndren occupy themselves with the absorbing task of holding down\nof Russia some acorns from an oak near Washington's tomb at Mount\nbuoyant toy balloons that tug at their retaining strings; multitudes\nVernon. Many years later an oak on Czarina Island in Russia bore\neat luncheon on the grass, toss balls, and run about in juvenile games.\nan inscription that it grew from an acorn from Washington's tomb.\nFormerly these celebrations included a visit to the East Room, until\nHitchcock, the American Ambassador, sent back some of the acorns\nthe increasing numbers of merrymakers made this impossible.\nfrom this tree for planting on the White House grounds, but the\nEgg rolling itself nowadays consists mainly of rolling eggs SO as\nresulting tree proved to be of a Russian species.\nto cause them to collide with one another on the lawn, as in marbles\nPresident Harding planted a European beech; Mrs. Harding a\nor the old game of bowls. The sport is not restricted to the White\ngroup of magnolias and an elm. President Coolidge planted no trees,\nHouse grounds; children congregate for the purpose in the Zoological\nbut Mrs. Coolidge assisted at the planting of a weeping birch, donated\nPark as well, where a longer slope permits of old-style egg rolling, a\nas a memorial to the mothers of Presidents of the United States.\nperilous descent for the egg, which when cracked, is eaten forthwith.\nPresident Hoover assisted in three tree plantings-an American elm\nBut as far back as President Johnson's time children rolled their\nin memory of Washington's two hundredth anniversary, a white oak\nEaster eggs on the White House lawn. Others used the eastern\nfrom Lincoln's birthplace, and a cedar from Washington's boyhood\nlawn of the Capitol Grounds for this pastime, until officials, solicitous\nhome. Mrs. Hoover contributed a California redwood.\nfor the grass, forbade the festivity there.\nWhite House exterior. After more than a century and a quarter of\nThe White House grounds on both north and south fronts are gen-\ncolorful history, the White House stands today practically as its\nerously wooded, and beautifully landscaped with flower beds, shrub-\ndesigner, James Hoban, planned it, on the site designated by Major\nbery, and sparkling fountains in the easy, informal manner which\nL'Enfant in his original plans for the Federal City. Hoban's design\nhas made English landscaping famous. So cleverly have the land-\nwas not based on one of several contemporary Irish mansions, as some\nscape architects done this work that the dimensions of the White\nhave maintained. It has many of the characteristics of these edifices,\nHouse seem elusive, its wings half hidden by masses of shade trees\nhowever, since it is a perfect type of late eighteenth century renais-\nwhich are divided to reveal magnificent prospects from front and\nsance mansion popular in Ireland and England when our Republic\nrear. The White House trees represent some 80 varieties, many of\nwas young.\nthem exotic, and are the careful selection of generations for beauty\nFrom its north approach the White House creates the impression\nand variety. They also express the Presidential interest in trees since\nof being a two-story edifice of simplicity and spaciousness, but not of\nthe early days of the White House.\ngreat size. As a matter of fact the building, exclusive of its terraced\nThree elms beneath which James and Dolly Madison led open-air\ngalleries at either side, is 170 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 58 feet high.\ncotillions still thrive here. Two of the present oaks were standing\nBesides the visible two stories, it has a basement at ground level and\nwhen British soldiers set fire to the White House. The towering\nan attic concealed by a crowning balustrade. Although called the\nAmerican elm on a knoll to the east end of the south lawn began life\nWhite House, its walls are of grey sandstone from the Aquia quarries\nas a sapling at the home of John Quincy Adams in Massachusetts\nin neighboring Virginia. It derives its dazzling exterior from the\nand was replanted here by him. Nearby is a group of magnolias,\npainter's brush. Marble was the popular material for constructing\nbrought by Jackson from his Tennessee home and replanted here in\npublic buildings in the early nineteenth century, but the difficulties of\nmemory of his wife. Hayes planted an American elm near the west-\nprerailroad transportation seem to have compelled this recourse to\nern entrance of the north grounds in 1878. Grover Cleveland's bride\nsandstone and paint. The substitution was unusual but has proved\nplanted a bloodleaf Japanese maple-apparently attracted by its\nsince to have had advantages, for the White House has always\nrather macabre name, for her husband protested that he \"could see\npreserved its pristine appearance.\nno sense of planting a tree for the name of the thing.\"\nIn its architecture the principle of symmetry has been observed on\nNear the north front entrance are scarlet oaks planted by Benjamin\nall four sides of the White House, giving an impression of quiet and\nHarrison's grandchildren. President McKinley also planted a scarlet\nstately balance. In structural detail, however, the northern and\noak near the present Executive Office. Another oak, from Russia,\nsouthern facades differ in many particulars. The dominant feature\n4\n5"
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