Robert C. Byrd: Child of the Appalachian Coalfields

4. MR. BYRD GOES TO WASHINGTON

chapter 4 z mr. byrd goes to washington  On the National Scene  S oon after my election to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 1952, Erma and I bought a five–room house, priced just under $20,000— for which we went into debt. The address was 1323 North Wakefield Street, Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from the District of Columbia. Our older daughter, Mona, wanted to continue her studies at the Sophia High School, where she had been enrolled while we were living in an apartment and operating the grocery store in Sophia. We arranged for her to stay with Erma’s mother, who lived at Crab Orchard—about three miles from Sophia. Mona traveled back and forth with a Sophia school teacher while continuing to attend that school. Marjorie, our younger daughter, also wanted to remain at Crab Orchard with Mrs. James until Mona’s graduation, both of our daughters having many friends in that area. Mona graduated from the Sophia High School as valedictorian of her class three years later, in 1956. I had the honor of delivering the commencement speech at the Sophia school that year. Mona then joined Erma and me at our Arlington, Virginia, residence and enrolled at George Washington University, from which she graduated in due course, with a major in English and a minor in history. She later taught school for three years in northern Virginia. Marjorie came to be with us following Mona’s graduation from Sophia High mr. byrd goes to washington 57 School and enrolled at Washington and Lee High School in Arlington, from which she later graduated. The first letter that I wrote after being sworn in as a new member of the United States House of Representatives was to our daughters Mona and Marjorie. The text of the letter, dated January 5, 1953, follows: Misses Mona and Marjorie Byrd, Crab Orchard, West Virginia My dear daughters: To you I have the honor of writing my first letter after assuming my responsibilities as a member of the Congress of the United States. I hope that you will keep this letter always. As I write to you, I think of the days when you shall both be here with me. I know that your visit here will be enjoyable, inspiring, and educational. Few young ladies there are, indeed, for whom such a golden opportunity awaits. In closing, I quote the words which I would have you always remember, “The future belongs to those who prepare for it.” With love as always, Your father  Enters Law School  Very soon after being sworn in as a new member of the U.S. House of Representatives, I entered George Washington University Law School, in the District of Columbia. There, I accumulated more than twenty credit hours before transferring to American University’s Washington College of Law upon learning that George Washington University would not give me a law degree because I lacked the prerequisite baccalaureate degree. Having been advised to see John Myers, Dean of American University’s College of Law, just down the street, I asked for an appointment. 58 chapter 4 Dean Myers told me that American University also required a prerequisite baccalaureate degree. But he said: “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. You have seventy hours of straight ‘A’ college work, and you have completed twenty-four hours at George Washington University law school, where you have been doing well. If you can complete the required courses in law with no lower than a ‘B’ average, I will recommend you for an LL.B. degree.” That was a challenge, and it gave me a chance to obtain a law degree. Over a ten-year period, attending law school at night, I managed to finish the required courses with a high “B” average. When I graduated cum laude in 1963, at the age of forty- five, I had the honor of receiving my certificate of that LL.B. degree from President John F. Kennedy, the commencement speaker. Having to face reelection every two years when I was in the House significantly delayed my law studies. During each election year, I had concentrated heavily on my congressional district, keeping my political fences mended and serving my constituents. Once elected to a six-year term in the Senate, however, I was able to speed up the pace and finish my law school...