SECRETARY'S REPORT 9 



inhabited by the artisans who built it. Many of them were collected 

 and given to the Smithsonian by the donor of the house, Mrs. Arthur 

 M. Greenwood. In this hall are shown other rooms depicting styles 

 of life in different colonies — for example, a small but elegant paneled 

 room of a Virginia gentleman. The visitor may see also a notable 

 mahogany Philadelphia highboy and a number of cases of fine silver 

 made in the South, Pennsylvania, New York, and New England. 

 American forged iron, glass, pottery, pewter, and textiles are all dis- 

 played. Another feature is an entire schoolroom of an early period 

 showing the simple desks and equipment of elementary education in 

 the formative days of our country. This hall has been visited by 

 millions each year since its opening. Not only are its displays signifi- 

 cant for Americans, who can learn from them how their predecessors 

 of European stock lived in pre-industrial revolution days, but also 

 the hall is especially interesting and important for foreign visitors, 

 who may absorb something of the evolution of the present style of life 

 of the United States during the early difficult and formative years 

 of the country. 



14. GOWNS OF THE FIRST LADIES 



The First Ladies Hall in a sense carries forward in one special area 

 the same philosophy shown in the large American cultural history 

 hall just described. Here, in a series of special rooms, reproduced from 

 various periods at the White House, are dresses actually worn by the 

 wife or the official hostess of each President of the United States. In 

 developing this series an effort was made to put in place furniture and 

 other objects actually used in the Executive Mansion in Philadelphia 

 before the White House was built and in the White House itself in 

 different periods. This series is especially appropriate in this truly 

 national museum setting of the Smithsonian. For example, the room 

 in which the dresses of Martha Washington, Dolley Madison, and 

 Abigail Adams are exhibited contains objects that were owned and 

 used by President and Mrs. Washington. The visitor views this full 

 series of simulated "Wliite House rooms from a setting treated in a 

 dignified manner to suggest the White House itself. A large and 

 beautiful early Victorian chandelier hanging in the middle of the 

 visitors' space does much to enhance this atmosphere. In small wall 

 cases are other objects related to the presidential families of America, 

 including fine examples of White House china of various periods, 

 jewelry, and decorations used by the Presidents and their wives 

 throughout the history of the country. 



15. TEXTILE MACHINERY AND FIBERS 



The Textile Machinery and Fiber Hall shows the evolution of man's 

 efforts to make materials of plant and animal fibers from prehistoric 

 times to the present. It supplements well the First Ladies Hall 



