Page 131 - REALLY What A time Book IX

REALLY SO WHAT
What A Time

FAMILY OUTINGS

woods, either camping or playing out back in Fairlington I’m
happy to say I never came across a live snake.

The Seals were hyper. They would dive into the pool , spin
around head for the bottom, and swim the full length coming
up for air. They had so much energy. They would chase each
other around like playing tag. I could watch them for a long
time, but by the time we’d stopped at their pond it was later in
the day and time to head for the car and back across the ford.
Swimming at Haines Point was much more fun than going to
the Smithsonian Museum or Mellon Art Galley. Somehow
Pop was seldom around to visit those places. We’d go on the
weekdays, when there were smaller crowds. Joe wasn’t able to
make them either. Nothing was left out. If there was an open
house, whether the White House, Capital or Archives, we’d get
to go. Mom was an inspired tour guide.

Did you know that the first electric building in Washington
was the Library of Congress. Or it was designed by the Army
Corp of Engineers. It used to be open to everyone. I studied
there in college, just by walking into the Jefferson Reading
Room and ordering any book. Any book except maybe the
first copy of the Gutenberg Bible which was on display. Even
today when I visit I take the time to get a Library of Congress
library card. It’s good for a year, and even has my picture on
it.
The Mellon Art Gallery became The National Art Gallery in
1937. Andrew Mellon, the rich banker from Pittsburg, and

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