Wednesday, November 27, 2013

A Beautiful Role Model
Remembering One of Our Loveliest First Ladies with Admiration and Gratitude for a Life Well Spent

Pat Ryan Nixon (1912-1993)

... Few, if any First Ladies ever worked as hard and as consistently as Pat Ryan did before her marriage to Richard Nixon in 1940. She was only a year old when her parents relocated to the farming community of Artesia, California (about 12 miles southwest of Los Angeles) and purchased a ten-and-a-half-acre truck farm where they grew produce sold from the back of the Ryan family truck in larger nearby towns and cities. 
She joined the rest of her family at an early age in planting and harvesting peppers, beets, cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, corn, and barley. When her mother became ill with cancer (1924-1925), Pat Ryan assumed the chores of cooking, cleaning and laundering for her brothers and father, as well as for the seasonal farm workers in addition to her farming responsibilities. 
When her father began to fail because of terminal tuberculosis (1929-1930), she continued with the household chores, farm chores. and  also took a job at the farmers and dairymen Artesia First National Bank to meet his medical bills, rising early to clean the floors as a janitor, then returning after high school to work as a bookkeeper. 
... Despite considerable hardship and adversity, Pat Ryan managed to graduate cum laude from the University of Southern California, and was the first First Lady to earn a graduate degree ...
 
In 1932, Pat Ryan drove an elderly couple across the country, a return bus ticket to California being her recompense. At Seton Hospital for the Tubercular run by the Catholic Sisters of Charity, Pat Ryan worked in a capacity of jobs, including x-ray technician, pharmacy manager, typist, laboratory assistant, and lived with the nuns at the hospital (1932-1934).
 
Admitted to USC on a research scholarship that covered her $240 tuition and living expenses, Pat Ryan worked for a psychology professor, helping to grade student papers and doing research for a book he was writing on orientation. Requiring more income, she also worked as assistant in the office of the university's vice president, a cafeteria waitress, a librarian, preparing graduate survey questionnaires, testing beauty products in salons, as a movie extra, and as assistant buyer at Bullock's Wilshire Department Store. She worked an average of 40 hours a week, beyond her classes. (1934-1937)
 
Hired as a teacher at Whittier Union High School, she taught commercial classes in typing, bookkeeping, business principles, stenography, and adult night classes in typing. She served as faculty advisor to the Pep Committee, which organized social outings for students, helped organize student rallies, attended all high school sports events and every PTA meeting, and served as director for school plays earning an annual salary of $1,800.00. Pat continued her job as a teacher for a full year after she married (1937-1941). ...

... Pat Nixon became the first incumbent First Lady to endorse the Equal Rights Amendment. She was the first to disclose publicly her pro-choice view on abortion in reaction to questions on the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision. Before she even began unrelentingly to lobby her husband to name a woman to the Supreme Court, she called for such an appointment publicly. She even became the first First Lady to appear publicly in pants and model them for a national magazine, reflecting the radical change in women's attire that critics derided as masculine. Still, Pat Nixon valued her identity as a middle-class homemaker, supportive wife and devoted mother and was often depicted as the quintessential traditionalist in contrast to the emerging image of the modern liberated woman ...


45 comments:

  1. A lady of character, class, intelligence, and good humor. A great First Lady.

    To had her husband lacked three of the First Lady's character traits.

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  2. Amazing information! She was a worker, wasn't she?

    Until now, I had no idea as to the adversity that she overcame.

    Now we know more about our First Ladies lives than we did back in the days when Pat Nixon was First Lady.

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  3. Pat Nixon,real class without a doubt.

    The mockers might mock,and the name callers will name call, but in my eyes there is NO comparison to what we have now. That my friend is for sure.

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  4. Authenticity. There's MUCH to be admired in it!

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  5. I am truly sorry to hear about her father but it didn't seem to give her any respect for human life.
    We all had hardships. Not impressed.
    Anyone who endorses abortion should be fed to the dogs and not given a page on your esteemed blog.

    Andie

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  6. It's called endorsing choice, and I am quite sure First Lady Pat Nixon was not endorsing late term or partial birth abortions DT.

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  7. RN,

    With all due respect, and I DO respect you, I have made my opinion known. Whether you agree or not is of no consequence.

    Andie

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  8. We need to remind ourselves -- frequently -- that splendid people -- most of whom lived quietly, modestly, without ostentation -- have existed and still exist. They really are "the backbone of the nation," and the vast majority will go to their graves largely unknown, unsung and not fully recognized even by those closest to them. We could never have had a country without these people -- and they greatly outnumber the slugs, deadbeats, grifters and charlatans that unfortunately grab most of our attention -- thanks to the way the guiding geniuses of the enemedia and entertainment industries regularly exploit the worst aspects of human nature and turn us against ourselves.

    Pat Nixon was one of our most attractive and truly substantive First Ladies ever.

    Her husband was equally fine, and truly dedicated to the welfare of our country. Ironically, he was also among the most "liberal" of Republicans, and managed the impossible task of being both a true champion of the Working Class and a great friend to Business -- not that he's ever gotten an ounce of credit for it from the jackals who've been running this country since before the SICK-sties.

    Nixon's only true "sin" was his effectiveness as an anti-Communist, and his humble, working class origins and lack of pseudo-aristocratic airs and graces which remain hallmarks of the wealthy, Eastern Seaboard, Ivy League elitists who think they see Almighty God every time they look in the mirror.

    All of this made him a target for the enemedia, of course, from the moment he rose to prominence till he was successfully hounded out of office via a determined campaign of character assassination that culminated in the journalistic coup d'etat we call "Watergate" -- a tragic event I still regard as downright treasonous.

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING! It's a darned good idea to count our blessings and remember to be grateful for them in any political climate.

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  9. Interesting and insightful information that I, for one, knew nothing about. We can definitely underline the true character of Pat Nixon shown in the piece. No job was too small or considered beneath her dignity in living life and moving out from difficult times.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and your readers, FT.

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  10. Both Pat Nixon, and laura Bush were two of our most attractive, unpretentious, and truly down to earth First Ladies ever neither of them were caught up in superficial things. Unlike our present First Lady who is incredibly self absorbed in her arrogance, and dishonesty. And yes, she is very unattractive both inside and out, Michelle Obama is not particularly attractive...but it's her angry, and her anti-American, superior, elitist attitude and the expressions of these attitudes that is what makes her UGLY! (not her skin color or genetics).

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  11. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  12. We are not here to deride anyone today. We are here to honor the memory of Pat Ryan Nixon, and to give thanks for whatever positive aspects of her life -- and our national character -- that may be found.

    Two famous quotations come to mind:

    "Judge not, lest ye be judged"

    ~ The Holy Bible

    BE CURIOUS; NOT JUDMENTAL!

    ~ Walt Whitman

    And I would add "Comparisons never fail to be odious."

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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  13. __________ Time to Maintain __________

    The time to wrap and hold it has arrived.
    It looks as though expansion’s at an end.
    Maintaining what we have is now contrived
    Earnestly our assets to defend.

    Taking stock we should feel gratified.
    Our catalogue of battles lost and won
    Mostly leaves us feeling satisfied.
    At least we did our best, and had some fun.

    I think ‘tis better that than Grand Achievement ––
    Noble efforts –– Nobel Prizes gained ––
    Taken in perpetual bereavement ––
    A life by constant criticism stained.

    If living just to live our time employs,
    Now’s the time to savor all our joys.


    ~ FreeThinke

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  14. FT,

    As an abortion, I hold strong opinions on the matter.
    This woman is held in high regard by many...she chose to voice her opinion and under her influence, many women killed their offspring. I'm sorry, friend, there is no greater sin as far as I am concerned.
    I am imperfect and stubborn and I stand by my opinion. I cannot overlook this "one thing".

    Andie

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  15. Andie,

    Do let me know how you made out with my mother's very special recipe for turkey stuffing. You said you were going to try it. I sure hope it works well for you.

    I know from reading your blog with its abundant -- and frankly stunning -- iconographic evidence that you too are a great "worker bee," who has also endured many hardships early on.

    I so admire the way you have made your life a triumph over adversity, and a continual celebration of Grand Vision and the realization of Romantic Ideals.

    Do read the sonnet I just posted, please. I think it may contain advice that would do us all a great deal of good. We need to pause, take stock and simply ENJOY what we already have every now and then. That doesn't mean we are "resting on our laurels."

    I often think of Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Chopin who gave the world so much its value is inestimable, and incomprehensible to most, BUT their great gifts compelled them to work so hard and so feverishly they almost literally burnt out before they could savor the fruits of their labor. None of them ever reached the age of forty.

    Burning the candle at both ends may shed a lovely light, as Edna St. Vincent Millay claimed, but ...

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  16. FT,

    We have all the ingredients. I will be making the dressing tomorrow. Wish me luck!
    Please forgive me for my stubbornness. I respect you greatly and in no way do I mean to offend.

    Andie

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  17. With all due respect, and I do respect you and your right to your passionately held beliefs DT, I think forgiving another person who holds/held fine values in large part for one disagreeable is divine.

    Happy Thanksgiving DT, and to all others as well.

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  18. Andie,

    Since it's impossible to give precise measurements to all the ingredients, because it all depends in the size of the bird -- and of the guest list -- I suggest you err on the side of CAUTION, and start with no more than two eggs and two large links of sausage cut up. If it looks right, and "feels" right before you stuff the bird, it probably is right.

    It shouldn't be too dry OR too "liquidy." If the latter you can always add more bread. If the former, you might want to add another egg.

    Preparing the chestnuts is the only tricky part. It's quite time consuming the get them all out of their shells and free of the fuzzy inner lining which MUST come off completely.

    I hope everyone enjoys it!

    Have a wonderful day tomorrow.

    Please don't worry about the other. I don't believe in censoring HONEST -- opinion only the obvious taunts, jibes and mindless castigation we get from the trolls.

    I do prefer, however, that we d our best to show respect for each other, and try to avoid harsh language and sarcastic, condescending dismissal of those with whom we differ.

    "Do unto others ..." and ll that.

    CHEERIO!

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  19. think forgiving another person who holds/held fine values in large part for one disagreeable is divine.

    Yes, let's FINALLY forgive Adolph Hitler for believing in that one grave error... that Germany would be a better world without any Jews.

    *rolls eyes*

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    Replies
    1. False equivalency with respect to my comment. But by all means carry on.

      "rolling eyes"

      Delete
  20. Psyche de Pravid said

    A delicate fellow named Tom
    Once wanted to be someone's mom.
    But he failed in every nation
    To achieve the operation,
    So he blew himself up with a bomb.

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  21. Killing babies vs killing men.... Hmmmm...

    Hitler killed a few hundred thousand Americans... abortion killed 50 million.

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  22. I do see the distinction... but it contains but little difference.

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  23. Lets examine that... Hitler killed between 60-85 million worldwide in many years of war...and abortion kills 44 million a year without end.

    You're right, RN. Abortion IS MUCH WORSE!

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  24. btw- And those numbers exclude the 50,000 women who die annually from unsafe abortions.

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  25. PLEASE take the feud ELSEWHERE.

    This thread was NOT about abortion -- an issue I frankly prefer never to discuss.

    Knowing the propensity in society today to grab hold of the most negative aspect of any topic and drive it into the ground, if I'd had any sense, I would edited out that tiny bit about Pat Nixon speaking up for the right of women to make such a profound choice for themselves.

    I do not remember Mrs. Nixon ever making a holy show of herself on that issue, and I doubt very much that she was a fervent advocate for abortion.

    In fact, now that I've had more time to think about it, I'm fairly certain the modern "biographer" who supplied the article (which I largely rewrote, because it was so poorly put together -- a syntactical nightmare in fact), probably threw that in gratuitously.

    In reading a little about Louisa May Alcott before posting the excerpt from Little Women following this tribute to Pat Nixon, the persons supplying the information just HAD to insinuate that Miss Alcott must have been a lesbian, because A) Jo March is such a tomboy, and B) Miss Alcott, who was very plain, never married.

    So MANY things wuld be better left UNSAID.

    I apologize for letting something unsavory and irrelevant slip into one of these presentations.

    Contrary to popular belief today, we do NOT have to know EVERYTHING.

    "If ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."

    ~ Thomas Grey - Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard

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  26. 50 million Americans have been killed from this kind of politically correct "politeness".

    Pat Nixon, like most American women, have been duped into believing that abortion "empowers" them. Contrary to popular belief, the only one's "empowered" have been the procurers who seduced them into this ill-conceived belief.

    cigarette smoking was sold to women in exactly the same manner.

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  27. It is only out of respect for your desire to vacate this discussion I shall respond no further FT. I note I could produce considerable reasoned argument.

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  28. A murder could be rationalized. genocide is pure ideology.

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  29. ...for ONLY ideologies like nazism is capable of allowing good people to do evil things

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  30. With all due respect Thersites you are delusional.


    A zygote is not a person. Call me when you wish to have a reasoned discussion Thersites. Unlil then do as FT requested.

    By the way, my e-mail is found on my site. Also, unlike you I have the balls to post my picture and info that can lead you to my phone number... I'll be waiting.

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  31. lol!

    A reasoned discussion with someone who censors all the comments of those who disagree with him at his own blog? You forget, I've been there. You and pShaw have far too much in common, RN, and "Reason" is the least of them. Ideology is.

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  32. ps- A zygote may not be a fully developed "person" according to YOUR irrelevant dictionary, but no "person" EVER alive ever began his life without passing through a phase as a zygote.

    And if a full expression of "personhood" is to be the new "standard" for determining the "legal" criteria for retaining a "right" to life, I sincerely doubt that YOU could be proven to fully fullfill the stated criteria.

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  33. ENOUGH!

    Les, you wouldn't tolerate a remark like that at your place, I know. Let me be kind and say it was entirely unworthy of you, and let it go at that -- please;

    I dislike being forced to go into comment moderation, and dislike even more feeling compelled to censor anyone's remarks

    BUT,

    You forget our official credo:

    We welcome conversation
    But without vituperation.
    If you come for vilification,
    We'll use Comment Moderation


    Please abide by it in future.

    Thank you.

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  34. Understood. I guess it depends on which side of the fence one sits on eh? I stand by the comment I made and you deleted.

    Good day.

    ________________________________________!______

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  35. Please, come insult me at one of MY blogs, RN. You won't be censored. You'll simply be excoriated. :)

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  36. Now I am LMAO!!!

    Further why would an independent thinking person bother to go sit in your choir.

    ______________________________________________


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  37. Because I don't have a choir. I don't do "harmony uber alles". You get full dose of just how full of sh*t you REALLY are.

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  38. Projecting becomes you Thersites.

    ______________________________________________

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  39. ...acta non verba, RN. Or should I call you Ignavus?

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IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING, YOU DON'T BELONG HERE, SO KINDLY GET OUT AND STAY OUT.

We welcome Conversation
But without Vituperation.
If your aim is Vilification ––
Other forms of Denigration ––
Unfounded Accusation --
Determined Obfuscation ––
Alienation with Self-Justification ––
We WILL use COMMENT ERADICATION.


IN ADDITION

Gratuitous Displays of Extraneous Knowledge Offered Not To Shed Light Or Enhance the Discussion, But For The Primary Purpose Of Giving An Impression Of Superiority are obnoxiously SELF-AGGRANDIZING, and therefore, Subject to Removal at the Discretion of the Censor-in-Residence.

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