Three-Ten hears program on McKinley, Lincoln and Ford

The Three-Ten Club met on Tuesday, March 15, at the home of Jackie Fogleman, with Catherine Hodges and Peggy Sandidge serving as co-hostesses.
President Suzanne Gray called the meeting to order, and Barbara Geesey led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and the club collect. Sissy Gall, club secretary, called roll and read the minutes from the February meeting. In the absence of Treasurer Bobbie delaHoussaye, Fogleman provided the group with a financial report.
After the business portion of the meeting, Sandidge took the floor for presentation of the program, “Illnesses of Sorts: Mary Todd Lincoln, Betty Ford, Ida McKinley.”
Ida Saxton McKinley, attractive, refined, educated and charming, married William McKinley when she was 23. Grief over the loss of her mother and her two daughters within a short time caused her to develop a fragile nervous temperament. She then became epileptic, and her dependence on her husband was complete, so his assassination in 1901 was a crushing blow to her general health. She lived under the care of his sister for six years after his death.
Mary Todd Lincoln also began life as privileged in every way, though her physical and mental health crumbled as time went on. She married Abraham Lincoln when she was 23. The Civil War immediately became the national focus, and Mary Todd tried to do her part by volunteering and by using her influence to bring about the Emancipation Proclamation, but her emotional swings had begun to be noted. Subsequently, her brothers were killed fighting for the Confederacy, she sustained injury in a carriage accident, two of her young sons succumbed to illness and her husband was assassinated before her very eyes. As her behavior became more erratic, she was committed to Bellevue Insane Asylum by her son, though was later declared sane and was released. She died at the age of 64.
Elizabeth Bloomer Ford became first lady in 1974, when her husband, Gerald, succeeded President Nixon. She was popular and politically active, supporting women’s causes concerning health and equal rights, and was outspoken on every other hot button issue, including sex, drugs, gun control and abortion. She went public not only about her bout with breast cancer. Despite being plagued with physical and emotional problems, she stayed active in her causes after her White House years and lived to the age of 93.
Lively discussion followed the program, and members were reminded that the April meeting will be the Spring Fling Luncheon at Chef Roy’s on April 19.
In addition to those previously mentioned, members in attendance included Carolyn Barousse, Muff Bier, Adele Carr, Isabella delaHoussaye, Joan Finely, Letza Fogleman, Mary Freeland, Mary Beth Geesey, Liz Harrington, Sandy Melancon, Louise Morrow, Gretchen Ohlenforst, Georgie Petitjean, Ann Sibley and M’elise Trahan.