Lincoln Discussion Symposium

Which First Lady could converse with her husband confident that it was very unlikely any of the attending guests and Press personnel would understand what was being said?

Due to language? But that would only go with "incapable" audience. However, I try the Hoovers who spoke Chinese (and Latin).

Yes, Eva . Well done especially because you managed to get the correct answer despite me mangling the grammar and words in the question .
Yes, Lou Hoover spoke Mandarin Chinese well, her husband less well. (Me? I'm Australian and struggle with English)

(07-31-2018 07:00 PM)AussieMick Wrote: [ -> ]Yes, Eva . Well done especially because you managed to get the correct answer despite me mangling the grammar and words in the question .
Yes, Lou Hoover spoke Mandarin Chinese well, her husband less well. (Me? I'm Australian and struggle with English)

Darn, I knew that one! The Hoovers were said to speak it in general at the White House to avoid eavesdropping by staff.

I also wondered about Mrs. Coolidge, who worked with deaf children; but she taught in a school that forbid the use of American Sign Language. The children were forced into verbalizing.

In October, the Surratt Society will hold its annual fall banquet and the speaker will be the well-known Andrew Och, a historian, author, and producer who specializes in the biographies of the First Ladies. Visit http://www.firstladiesman.com

My apologies, Laurie, for the poor framing of the question.

Just allow me to remark that Chinese actually is spoken by the most people in the world...
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/the-1...-the-world

Which First Lady was born in Calvert County, Maryland, not far from the birthplace of Roger B. Taney?

Peggy Taylor

(08-02-2018 07:37 PM)Steve Wrote: [ -> ]Peggy Taylor

I don't know how you do this so quickly, but correct again. Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor.

Try this one - who was Roger B. Taney's brother-in-law? And, who was Peggy Taylor's son-in-law (albeit briefly)?

1. = Francis Scott Key? (Star Spangled Banner?)

2. Peggy Taylor's son-in-law was Jefferson Davis, married to daughter Sarah.

Correct on both again...

Who was the first First Lady to stand beside her husband as he was administered the oath of office?

LadyBird Johnson? ( I only say that because the photo is so famous ... and tragic)

(08-04-2018 11:12 PM)AussieMick Wrote: [ -> ]LadyBird Johnson? ( I only say that because the photo is so famous ... and tragic)

That would certainly seem an appropriate answer, Mick, but this particular First Lady stood beside her husband about fifty years prior to 1963.