Pride and Presidents

Despite the 1971 congressional designation of Presidents Day as a holiday honoring all our presidents, many people still think of it as the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln combined.

In Southern California, we have two presidential libraries that celebrate the day--and chief executives--in varied ways.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley will observe the holiday Monday with its seventh annual Presidents Day lawn party, a daylong event with a kaleidoscopic array of activities for all ages, including music, dance, storytelling and presidential look-alikes. In honor of the holiday, admission for the day is free.

“We change our programs all the time to keep it interesting and different, so people will come back year after year, and this year we’re trying to do a little bit more on the educational side,” said Lou Anne Missildine, director of education and public programs at the facility.

Laughter and Leadership

After several morning road races (a 5K summit run, a one-mile sprint up Presidential Drive and a family fun run around the library), the festivities kick off with a presidential quiz bowl, described by Missildine as “a kind of ‘College Bowl’-’Jeopardy!’-’Trivial Pursuit’ ” in which two teams from nearby Royal High School compete.

“It should be interesting, because the questions will all relate to presidential or first lady history, and we hope that the visitors would want to come and test their knowledge too,” she said.

A new feature this year will be “Leading With Laughter,” a talk by motivational speaker Malcolm Kushner, scheduled twice during the day. “He’ll illustrate how recent presidents,” including Jimmy Carter, George Bush, Reagan and Gerald Ford, “used the technique of humor to motivate and to communicate,” Missildine said.

Equally enlightening for children and adults should be the chance to talk to the roving presidential look-alikes, who, besides the usual Washington and Lincoln, include such nontraditional Presidents Day faces as Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Reagan. First Lady Abigail Adams, as played by Judith Helton, will give a performance about her life and times.

Brian Adams, depicting Jefferson for the second year in a row, will deliver his inaugural address and then, with the others, “meet, greet and interact” with visitors.

“Kids here are really smart. They quiz me on Jefferson’s presidency, facts and dates, so I have to really bone up the night before, or they’ll get me,” Adams said with a laugh.

Dance Troupes, History, Food and Crafts

There will also be two children’s dance troupes, live music, free all-American food (Popsicles, popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs and cake), carnival booths and a Children’s Discovery Area with hands-on crafts and historic toys (Lincoln Logs go over big with adults too, Missildine said). And making a first appearance, running around the terrace all day: a scale model of the Ferdinand Magellan presidential train used by several presidents, including Reagan.

“It’s just a fun time,” said library “resident storyteller” Jim Woodard, back this year in the Wasserman Theater with stories about Lincoln’s whiskers and other hairy presidential tales.

“There’s always a lot of kids here with their families, and everyone is real upbeat. The great thing is, the kids just think they’re going for a fun outing; they don’t even know they’re being educated.”

Visitors can take advantage of the free admission to check out the two exhibitions running through April 19: “The Spirit of Tiffany,” featuring the jewelry, silver, pottery and art glass of Charles Tiffany, and “Landmarks of the Reagan Legacy: The Miniatures of Gene Gill,” miniatures of monuments and buildings--from St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow to the Governor’s Palace in Williamsburg, Va., --that are noteworthy in Reagan’s presidency.

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At the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda, the Presidents Day celebration starts Sunday with a screening of two films produced by political commentator Bruce Herschensohn:

* “Days of Lightning, Years of Drums,” at 1 p.m., is a 1966 Oscar-winning film narrated by Gregory Peck about the days surrounding President John F. Kennedy’s death and funeral.

* “From the Heart of America,” at 3:30 p.m., features Nixon’s eulogy for former President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Herschensohn, once a documentary film producer for the U.S. Information Agency, will introduce the films.

On Monday, actors playing Lincoln and Washington will speak (at 1 and 2 p.m., respectively), telling stories about their lives and times. Visitors will be able to meet the presidential look-alikes and have their pictures taken with them.

The weekend will also give visitors a chance to view the new exhibition, “Barbie as First Lady: Gowns and Patriotic Costumes of America’s Legendary Leading Lady,” a collection featuring more than 115 Barbie dolls in models of inaugural gowns worn by first ladies from Martha Washington to Hillary Clinton.

BE THERE

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (800) 410-8354 or (805) 522-8444. Admission is free Monday. Otherwise, general admission, $5, adults; $3, seniors; children 16 and younger, free. Free parking.

Nixon Library and Birthplace, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda. Open Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (800) 872-8865 or (714) 993-5075. Adults and children older than 12, $5.95; children 8 to 11, $2; active military, $4; seniors, $3.95; children younger than 7, free. Free parking.

--- UNPUBLISHED NOTE ---

The federal holiday popularly called “Presidents Day” is officially called “Washington’s Birthday.” The U.S. Office of Personnel Management says: “This holiday is designated as ‘Washington’s Birthday’ in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.” In addition, President Nixon never issued a proclamation declaring the holiday Presidents Day.

--- END NOTE ---