Viewing NYC Articles by Theresa LaSalle

“Dog Tags” for New York City Students During World War II

2020-07-21T12:00:00-04:00

During the Civil War personal identification of soldiers killed and severely wounded in combat was daunting, because of inadequate record keeping in both the Union and the Confederate armies. An early attempt to ID them was called "name discs" or "soldier pins" but this met with limited success. Historians estimate that 50% of those killed in the Civil War were simply marked unknown.

In World War I, aluminum discs the size of silver half dollars were required for all military service members. They had to wear two ID tags-- one remained attached to the body of the deceased, while the second was used to mark the coffin or grave site, often where they fought and died.

In World War II, military service members were issued a metal rectangular shaped ID tag, similar to those of today, with a notch on its bottom edge. It was during World War II the nickname "dog tags" was adopted. (Some historians think it is likely that the nickname "dog tags" comes from Thomas Jefferson, as he wrote the first dog license law in Virginia, requiring dog owners to license their dogs to identify those that were killing sheep.)

During World War II, NYC Teachers were also trained in civil defense and first aid. The Board of Ed distributed emergency equipment to teachers, and this included ID’s similar to the military "dog tags". Students on the East and West Coasts, and near defense production areas, were to wear the ID tags, in case the enemy brought the war directly to our shores. In New York City, students not only wore dog tags, but also were finger printed. The School defense council arranged for public, parochial and private schools to wear emergency ID dog tags around their necks, and by 1942, 1,600,000 NYC school children had received tags, embossed with their name, date of birth, school district and a serial number.

In 1942, Rosalind Weiss Rothman attended public school on the upper west side of New York, and she said the children were required to wear the tags everyday.

I even remember one air raid warning (not a drill) I was at the Museum of Natural History with my class…the alarms sounded. Our tags were checked so that we could be returned to our homes. The whole city shut down.

From February 20, 2017–February 15, 2018 we had an exhibit at Gracie Mansion titled "New York 1942" and were fortunate to have one on loan from the New York Historical Society: Rosalind's circular brown dog tag. It was made of Bakelite, just over an inch long, with the inscription: "R.Weiss/8-12-39/8-1629NMC". Just seeing it makes me wonder how a child and parent felt when putting this "necklace" on as one of the daily rituals for getting ready for school. With all the various tour groups going through Gracie, I recall only one woman saying, "Oh I still have mine."

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How the Historic Gracie Mansion Foyer Floor Tricks the Eye

2020-07-02T14:00:00-04:00

Gracie Mansion was built in 1799, during the Federal Period (1790-1830). This mansion serves three purposes. It is the New York City Mayor's residence, and it is also the Mayor's workplace. The house belongs to the residents of New York City, so the public can enjoy tours of this historical site. Divided into two wings, the old wing was built in 1799, while the new wing was added in 1966.

Gracie Mansion's foyer, also referred to as the front hall, was the entrance to the home in 1790-1809. When we enter this foyer, our eyes are immediately drawn to the floor, a floor that upon first look one would think is marble. However, during the federal period, floors were not supposed to lay bare. To do so was considered bad taste and/or a display of low economic status. A well-to-do family, or maybe a family with those aspirations, would make sure their floor was covered in some manner, whether it be marble, matted, carpeted or painted to look like marble. In Archibald Gracie's day, the foyers were large, as this one is, because they would also use it as a miniature ballroom for parties and dancing.

Mayor Ed Koch, who founded the Gracie Mansion Conservancy in 1981, desired to restore and renovate the mansion to its historic form. He wanted to replicate how it might have looked during the Federal Period. Lisa Krieger researched floorings of the period and the color scheme of ochre and charcoal was decided upon. Decorative artist Stephen Gemberlin designed a faux marble diamond pattern, similar to what might have been used in 1810. Its design features a compass rose, which pays homage to Archibald Gracie's success as a shipping merchant. The wooden floor is painted to look like marble using a technique known as trompe l’oeil, French for “trick the eye”. The artists who painted the wooden floor were HIV and AIDS patients. Mayor Koch was responsible for hiring these artists.

To complete this delight, the "marble" floor brings your eyes up to the staircase and you can visualize two centuries of New York City mayors descending the stairs from their private apartment and walking across that beautiful floor to go about their day. I hope they take their shoes off.

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"She Persists: A Century of Women Artists in New York", a New Exhibit at Gracie Mansion

2019-02-12T14:00:00-05:00

Archibald Gracie is Being Gracious.

Did you know that all New York City mayors from Fiorello LaGuardia in 1942 until current Mayor de Blasio have lived at Gracie Mansion? The only exception was Mayor Bloomberg.

Oh the history of this place. The original owner in 1799 was shipping merchant Archibald Gracie and now his spirit has been gracious enough to share his mansion with New York City's finest women artists, in an exhibit called "She Persists: A Century of Women Artists in New York".

So if you visit now, you will not only experience the history of the People's House (a term put forth by the Bloomberg administration to increase and encourage public access) but also the work of New York City Women Artists from 1919 until 2019. And if that isn't cool enough , in light of all the women who have recently won seats in the U.S. House of Representatives there is a timely tribute to Brooklyn's own,"Unbossed and Unbought", Shirley Chisholm. Shirley in 1968 was the first African American woman elected to the United States Congress and the first African American candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States.

Whatever form of art catches your fancy, or speaks to your soul, the new Gracie exhibit has it. On display are 60 works of art: Oil on Canvas, Abstract Art, Prints, Photography, Quilt, Ceramics, Video, Sculpture, Etchings, Furniture, Hand Crafted Dolls. All of these pieces are created by New York City Women artists. To name a few: Dorothy Eisner (Washington Square Park), Elizabeth Colomba (Haven), Lee Krasner (Free Space), Shinoda Toko (Fugue), Ruth Orkin (Mother and Daughter at Penn Station), Martha Rosler (Semiotics of the Kitchen), Kara Walker (Invasive Species), Isabel Bishop (Etchings), Florence Knoll (Knoll Lounge Chairs) and the sweet surprise, Katharine Clarissa Eileen McCray, mother of NYC's first lady, Chirlane McCray (Quashie Hand Crafted Dolls)

The exhibit is open until December 2nd, 2019. So history buffs and lovers of the arts, and I'm sure many of you are both, this is for you. And all of this good stuff is free. Tours are on Mondays at 10:00AM, 11:00AM and 5:00PM. Make a reservation here to visit.

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Mourning for Hamilton at Upper Manhattan's Hamilton Grange National Memorial

2018-08-23T11:00:00-04:00

Yes, you probably already know that Alexander Hamilton’s House is in Hamilton Heights. Most likely, you haven't been, so when will you finally go there?

Did you know Alexander’s House is called the Grange? Officially it's the Hamilton Grange National Memorial. Did you know the house, Federal style, was built in 1801? Did you know the house was moved twice, once in 1899 and the other in 2006? In 2006, they managed to move it in ONE piece. There is a 7-minute film titled Moving the Grange playing at Alex’s House. It is fun (and tense) as you watch the contractors move it. This particular film you cannot find online. So you must go to Alex’s house to see it.

The Grange was the only house Hamilton ever owned, occupying it in the last part of his life after he retired from public office. How is it that the first Secretary of Treasury did not own a house until late in life?

Recently, a park ranger took me on a tour of the house. We were able to enjoy the entryway where Alexander’s visitors would have come through. We also were taken to a few rooms, e.g.his parlor, living room and study. Unfortunately, we were not permitted to go upstairs to the Hamilton’s living quarters with their 8 kids. I asked why, and was told that one of the reasons is that they have no documentation as to how it was laid out when the Hamiltons had occupied the house. Therefore, they cannot interpret it and do not want to do it an injustice.

Downstairs, there is a 15 minute video of the bio of the ten dollar man from his childhood to the duel. Good concise review of his life for those of us who might need “cliff notes”. Also downstairs is a room displaying artifacts, articles, and quotes of Hamilton.

I was struck by one item in particular: An original mourning scarf that was worn by a person at the time of Hamilton’s death. The exhibit explains that in Hamilton’s time sometimes people wore scarves to mourn the death of a political leader.

Very detailed and intricate with drawings, sketches, words, this particular scarf tells a story. For instance, there is an image of an African American mourning at Hamilton’s tomb. This represents Hamilton’s work as an opponent of slavery. And on the same scarf there is a scroll on the right with the words “health and honor to any senator who can find a way to end dueling in the U.S.” Other images are also depicted that symbolize his life.

A quote that stands out, written to his wife Elizabeth before his duel with Burr (in perhaps a just-in-case letter) "Adieu, best of wives and best of women. Embrace all my darling children for me."

Also, downstairs is a gift shop. Alex’s mug is on mugs, thermoses, and a myriad of other products.

Even though I was disappointed that the upstairs living quarters was not open to us, I kept saying to myself, this was his house. I am in the House of Alexander.

On my way out as I exited the gift shop, I noticed a very large wooden plaque that read:

If it were to be asked, what is the most sacred duty and greatest course of security in a Republic? The answer would be, an inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws.

-- Alexander Hamilton

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