New Deal Exhibit: News and Photos: Brooklyn College

Remarks at the Dedication of Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, N.Y. October 28, 1936

Mr. Mayor, my friends,

I have seen blueprints and I have seen photographs and now I see the real article with my own eyes.

Every time that the Mayor of the City of New York comes to Washington I tremble (laughter), because it means he wants something and he nearly always gets it.

This project for Brooklyn College is killing two birds with one stone. We are not only putting to work, we not only have put to work, many thousands of good people who needed work; but we are also improving the educational facilities of this great Borough, not just for today but for generations to come.

Out of this depression, while there have been much misery and much suffering, there has also come much good; because, not only in this city, not only in every other city of the country, but in almost every county of the three thousand and more counties in the United States, there has been given to this country an opportunity to get better schools for the young people. That is why I am very keenly interested in all of these public works projects which have improved the schools of the Nation.

I am glad to come here today and to wish Brooklyn College the fine and successful future that it deserves.

You, here, are doing a great work. May it live through the generations to come for the building up of a better American citizenship. I am glad to have been with you today. I have a somewhat hectic and hurried day, but I hope some time in the future to come back and see this building being used and occupied.