The Working White House: First Family
In the day-to-day life of the White House, interactions between the first family and the residence staff have varied widely....
Mrs. Polk Receives Unwelcome Advice About Her Servants
How Long? 2 minutes
This plateau, purchased by President Monroe, is likely the same one referred to in the Nelsons’ anecdote about Mrs. Polk and her servants.
James K. Polk and Sarah Childress Polk lived in the White House from 1845 to 1849. Anson and Fanny Nelson, admirers of Mrs. Polk, published this story many years later:
"An elderly lady, who had been present at [a White House] dinner-party, called on Mrs. Polk and said, 'May I take the liberty [to] make a suggestion to you, Madame?' The dining-table at the White House was adorned with a long mirror, . . . called the plateau, reflecting the light of the candelabra. . . . The table extended about a foot beyond the plateau, and this space was covered with a long napkin, which upon the removal of the dishes for dessert was rolled up by the servants, and formed a bulky bundle of linen. The lady’s suggestion was that the long napkin should be cut into short pieces, for the convenience of the servants. 'I seldom noticed these things,' said Mrs. Polk, 'and did not know when the napkin was rolled up and taken off, being engaged in conversation; . . .' [Mrs. Polk] said that the servants knew their duties, and she did not undertake the needless task of directing them."
—Anson and Fanny Nelson, Memorials of Sarah Childress Polk, Wife of the Eleventh President of the United States (New York: Anson D. F. Randolph Co., 1892), 110–111.
You Might Also Like
-
-
The Working White House: Learning the Ropes
White House workers have frequently come to their jobs with experience in hotels and resorts, in large town or country...
-
The Working White House: Memorable Times
The memories of White House workers include not only times of grief, war, and political tension, but also charming moments...
-
The Working White House: Witness to History
White House workers’ memoirs abound with recollections of significant international and national events and episodes. As they go about their da...
-
Inside the Working White House: Early 21st Century
Perhaps the most significant change for the White House and its workers during the past several decades has been that...
-
Inside the Working White House: 20th Century
"Every day is wash-day at the White House,” housekeeper Elizabeth Jaffray recalled. The three maids assigned to the laundry when Ja...
-
The Working White House: A Mirror - The 19th Century
The occupational culture and management of the 19th-century White House reflected the social climate and ethnic composition of Washington, D....
-
The Working White House: A Community of Workers
Every occupational group, whether doctors, teachers, or factory workers, has its own distinctive culture. Each group possesses special skills, language,...
-
The Working White House: A Working Family
Family connections among the White House residence staff run strong, and it is not unusual for workers in the Executive...
-
The Working White House: Continuity and Connection
When a new president moves in, he and his family bring along their own tastes, preferences, and customs. The new...
-
Livery at the White House
On Saturday, October 24, 1903, the sensationalist New York World reported that President Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary, William Loeb Jr., outfitted the me...
-
Presidential Valets
Throughout the history of the presidency, a president’s clothing choices have been influenced by a number of factors. Personal ba...