Laura Ingalls Wilder's works celebrated at "Women of the West" symposium

On September 17, 2002, Laura Ingalls Wilder was one of three authors whose works were celebrated at a White House symposium under the direction of First Lady Laura Bush. This was the third in the White House Salute to America's Authors series which celebrated the works of three writers who happen to be women - Laura Ingalls Wilder, Willa Cather and Edna Ferber. The program focused on the literary legacy of their work and their lasting impact on the American myth and popular culture.

The programs was moderated by Elizabeth Taylor, Chicago Tribune magazine editor and literary editor, and opened with a discussion of the lives of these writers by Sharon O'Brien, Ph.D., professor of American studies at Dickinson College. Patricia Limerick, Ph.D., professor of history at the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado at Boulder, delivered the keynote address.

The program also featured a presentation by independent scholars, Ursula Smith and Linda Peavy, illustrating the historical realities of the lives of women on the Western plains in the 1880s. Special guest, Melissa Gilbert, shared a collection of film highlights representing some of each author's works. These works have been not only embraced by the American people, but also transformed from the written word to the art of film.

Also a panel of contemporary authors, Patricia MacLachlan, Susam Power and Brady Udall, focused on the continuing literary tradition of women and the changing West.

As a librarian and book aficionado, Laura Bush is using these series to highlight some of America's significant literary figures. Engaging Americans, particularly children, in reading great works is also a key aspect of the effort. Students were a portion of the audience attending the symposium.

Being invited to this symposium at the White House was a wonderful experience, according to board members of the LIW Memorial Society.

Members of the board invited to a September 17 White House symposium were Craig Munger, Vona Lecky, Bernice Mundhenke, Janice Schardin, Don Bohn, Margaret Anderson and Cheryl Palmlund, all from De Smet, Nancy Koupal of Pierre and Peggy Woolridge of Huron. Also invited were authors Bill Anderson of Michigan, John Miller of Brookings and photographer Les Kelly of Los Angeles. All three of these men have spent time working with the Wilder heritages in De Smet.

Don Bohn said a highlight for him was visiting with the others at the White House event. He said everyone was asking, "How did you get invited?" And others at the event were impressed that Bohn and board members from De Smet actually lived in the town Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about. "We almost became the second-most important people there," Bohn said, "just because we were from De Smet."

Palmlund said she was impressed by being able to sit in the White House with all the literary people who were there and she was particularly pleased with Mrs. Bush, because of her connection to the Little House books. Mrs. Bush fell in love with the "Little House" books as a child and they were her favorite books. She kept the books and gave them to her daughters many years later.

"That made it extra-special," Palmlund said.

In her closing remarks at the symposium, Mrs. Bush signled out the De Smet LIW Society for special mention and thanked them for the gift of a set of hard-bound Laura Ingalls Wilder's books.