FIRST LADY NAMES WHITE HOUSE CURATOR
Mrs. John F. Kennedy has named Lorraine Waxman Pearce of Delaware to be the 1st Curator of the White House.
Mrs. Pearce, a graduate of the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture, will work with the newly created White House Fine Arts Committee.
The 1st Lady, displeased with the lack of period furnishings in the mansion, is launching a program of restoration.
Mrs. Kennedy wants to furnish the White House with historically correct, museum-quality pieces.
If successful, Mrs. Kennedy & Mrs. Pearce will supervise the most extensive renovation of the President's home since following the burning of the mansion during the War of 1812.*
*Mrs. Kennedy will host a televised tour of the White House in February 1962. On the program, the 1st Lady will show much of the work that had been done to achieve her goals.
Mrs. Kennedy's White House Tour
March 29, 1961
23RD AMENDMENT RATIFIED
The 23rd Amendment to the US Constitution which allows residents of the District of Columbia to vote in Presidential elections became law today with ratification by Kansas & Ohio.
"The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:
A number of electors of President & Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators & Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President & Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; & they shall meet in the District & perform such duties as provided by the 12th...amendment."
Tennessee ratified the amendment on March 6, 1961 but Arkansas rejected the amendment. 9 other Southern states have not ratified it.
March 29, 1962
JFK WANTS OFFICE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
President Kennedy has asked Congress to create an Office of Science & Technology to be headed by Special Assistant, Jerome B. Wiesner.
Wiesner's position was created during the Eisenhower administration following the Soviet Union's successful launching of Sputnik I.
In his request, JFK writes:
"Considering the rapid growth of federal activities in science & technology, it is imperative that the President have adequate staff support in developing policies & evaluating programs....to assure that science & technology are used more effectively....."
March 29, 1973
LAST US COMBAT TROOPS LEAVE VIETNAM
After 8 years of direct intervention & just 2 months after the signing of a peace agreement, the last US combat troops left South Vietnam today.
7,000 Department of Defense civilian officials will remain in Vietnam to assist the South Vietnamese government.
In 1961, JFK sent the 1st large contingent of US "military advisers" to South Vietnam & his successor, LBJ, sent the 1st combat troops. President Nixon began a withdrawal of troops but also expanded the war into Cambodia & Laos.
Veteran at the Vietnam Wall
March 29, 1945
PATTON'S THIRD ARMY TAKES FRANKFURT
"Old Blood & Guts", General George S. Patton. led the 3rd US Army into Frankfurt, Germany today.
Almost one year ago, Frankfurt suffered major damage from a month of bombing by the Allied air forces.
General George S. Patton
March 29, 1929
HOOVER GETS TELEPHONE IN THE OVAL OFFICE
Today President Herbert Hoover became the 1st US President to have a telephone installed in the Oval Office at the White House.
Western Electric Telephone
In 1878, President Rutherford B. Hayes had the 1st telephone installed in the White House & previous to the installation today the telephone was located in the foyer outside the office.
March 29, 1806
CONGRESS OKS SURVEY FOR CUMBERLAND ROAD
The US Congress has authorized a survey for the construction of the Cumberland Road.
The proposed national road will begin in Cumberland, Maryland & pass through the Appalachian Mountains to Wheeling, Virginia.
The survey will be conducted by the Army's Corps of Engineers which will also be responsible for construction of the road.*
*Construction begins in 1811 & is competed in 1818. By 1850, the road is rechristened the National Road & is expanded to reach Indianapolis.
National (Cumberland) Road Marker
