TO:             Ed Papenfuse

DATE:         November 3, 1999

RE:   Report of findings on the Lane administration (January 3, 1947-January, 1951) from newspaper articles, The Evening Capital.

After skimming The Evening Capital for articles on Mrs. Lane and Government House during the Lane administration, I can report the following observations and conclusions:

I. General observations and conclusions:

1)  The Lanes and their daughters, accept when away at college, lived year-round at Government House.

2)  Mrs. Lane is almost always referred to in the Evening Capital as "the wife of the
Governor." This changed in May, 1949, when "First Lady" Mrs. Harry S. Truman visited her in Annapolis for the Tercentenary celebrations and she was called the "First Lady of Maryland." (5/26/49).

3) A highlight of Mrs. Lane’s tenure as First Lady of Maryland was "Tercentenary Week," a week-long celebration of the 300^th anniversary of the founding of the city of Annapolis (See The Evening Capital, May 20-May 28, 1949). During the week, Mrs. Lane received Mrs. Bess Truman at Government House and sat with her in the reviewing stand for the Tercentenary parade. Mrs. Lane spent time in Annapolis with Mrs. Truman again in April, 1950, when Mrs. Truman spoke at a meeting of the Naval Academy Woman’s Club (4/10/50, 4/12/50).
 

II. Summary of the contents of articles (dates of specific articles are in parentheses)

Mrs. Lane’s social and political activities included:

• Being named "Best Dressed of Maryland Best Dressed," 1947 by the Benefit Fashion Show for the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (2/22/47).
• Hosting teas at Government House for:
• The members of the Garden Pilgrimage and other residents of Annapolis (5/14/47).
• The United Democratic Women’s Clubs of Maryland (10/25/47, 11/6/47)
• The Vegetable Growers of America (8/11/48).
• Attending a White House luncheon given by Mrs. Truman (1/28/48).
• Attending a March of Dimes luncheon in Baltimore (1/28/48).
• Accepting a gift on behalf of the state of a radio-phonograph set from the Woman’s Club of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County to the Crownsville State Hospital (5/13/48).
• Being an honorary member of the Naval Academy Woman’s Club, attending its meetings and pouring tea there (10/3/49, 12/7/49, 4/10/50, 4/12/50, 6/28/50).
• Being named one of the ten "best dressed" women of Maryland by the Fashion Group of Baltimore (1/4/50, 1/16/50).
• Participating in the Anne Arundel County Community Chest’s 1950 campaign for funds (10/10/50).

• Holding open houses and receptions at Government House for state officials, legislators, friends in Annapolis, the Naval Academy, and St. John’s College. These included the annual New Year’s Day Reception and the reception for the members of the General Assembly of Maryland and their guests as well as the Superintendent of the Naval Academy and his wife (1/7/47, 1/9/47, 10/7/47, 7/28/48, 1/2/48, 12/22/48, 1/3/49, 3/17/49, 10/22/49, 10/24/49, 12/30/49, 1/3/50, 12/21/50, 12/30/50, 1/2/51).
• Receiving the first female Secretary of State, Vivian Simpson, at Government House (12/16/49).
• Attending a dinner-dance held in their honor by the Anne Arundel County Democrats.
• Attending the March of Dimes party to benefit the annual campaign to combat infantile paralysis (1/23/47).
• Hosting the Governor General of Canada and his wife, Viscount Alexander of Tunis and Lady Alexander, at Government House (2/5/47, 2/7/47).
• Attending the annual General Assembly balls in their honor (3/14/47).
• Attending meetings of the Maryland State Bar Association (6/14/47).
• Attending the annual governors’ conferences (7/28/47, 6/11/48).
• Attending the Maryland State Fair in Timonium (9/4/47).
• Attending Homecoming festivities at the University of Virginia, W.P.L.’s alma mater (10/13/47) and at the University of Maryland (10/16/48).
• Vacationing in Hot Springs, Virginia (11/21/47) at Sea Island, Georgia (11/23/48), Ocean City (8/27/49), and Bermuda (3/31/50, 4/13/50).
• Attending luncheons preceding the meetings of the Naval Academy Women’s Club (12/1/47, 12/3/47).
• Holding a reception at Government House for the members of the Maryland State Grange (12/4/47).
• Attending Halsey Day ceremony and luncheon at the Naval Academy (12/13/47).
• Attending the regatta in Chestertown (7/30/48).
• Re-dedicating the Francis Scott Key monument in Frederick (8/11/48).
• Attending the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia (11/24/48).
• Attending dinners hosted by the Superintendent of the Naval Academy (12/9/48).
• Participating in "Tercentenary Week" events marking the 300^th anniversary of the founding of the city of Annapolis (5/20/49, 5/21/49, 5/21/49, 5/24/49) during which the Lanes received Mrs. Bess Truman at Government House and Mrs. Lane sat with her in the reviewing stand for the Tercentenary parade.
• Being guests of Governor and Mrs. Tuck of Virginia and attending the University of Virginia football games, where Governor Lane was an alumnus (10/13/49).
• Holding Christmas Carol concerts outside of Government House on Christmas Eve (12/20/49).