Navy Department "Eyes for the Navy" Correspondence
This collection consists of a memo from the Navy Department asking citizens to donate binoculars, telescopes and spy-glasses for the war effort, a part of the "Eyes for the Navy" campaign. Also included is a check made out to Eleanor F. Buffat and a signed letter from Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, thanking her for her war-time contribution.
Dates
- 1918 March 18, April 18
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
0.1 Linear Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
This collection consists of a memo from the Navy Department asking citizens to donate binoculars, telescopes and spy-glasses for the war effort, a part of the "Eyes for the Navy" campaign. Also included is a check made out to Eleanor F. Buffat and a signed letter from Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, thanking her for her war-time contribution.
Biographical/Historical Note
In 1918 the Navy started a promotional program called "Eyes for the Navy". Newsletters and newspapers advertised the program to the general public to encourage donations. Each donor received a typed and signed letter of thanks from Franklin D. Roosevelt and a check from the Treasurer of the United States in the amount of one dollar for their donation.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born in Hyde Park, New York on January 30, 1882. He was the son of James Roosevelt and Sara Delano Roosevelt. He attended Groton for preparatory school. Roosevelt received his BA in History from Harvard and then studied law at New York University. In 1910, he entered the political world and was elected to the New York State Senate as a Democrat from his traditionally Republican home district.
In 1905, he married distant cousin, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, who was the niece of President Theodore Roosevelt. The couple had six children, however only five made it through infancy.
Roosevelt was reelected to the State Senate in 1912, and supported Woodrow Wilson's candidacy at the Democratic National Convention. As a reward for his support, Wilson appointed him Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1913, a position he held until 1920. In 1930 he began his campaign for presidency. He defeated his opponent in 1932 by seven million votes. He is best known for guiding the country through the Great Depression and World War I.
Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945 in Warm Springs Georgia.
Arrangement
This collection is in one folder.
Acquisition Note
This collection was donated to Special Collections in 1956 by Eleanor Hyatt.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository