Eleanor Roosevelt was very busy during the war trying to keep morale high on the home front and pursuing rights for women and minorities. For five months, beginning in September 1941, she also served as assistant national director for the Office of Civilian Defense (OCD). It was the first government position ever held by a first lady in U.S. history. Roosevelt worked with the OCD director, Fiorello La Guardia (1882–1947; see entry), to support a wide range of home front volunteer programs in support of the war effort. While La Guardia focused primarily on air raid warning systems, Roosevelt sought to include social services such as nursery schools, recreation centers, and homes for the aged in OCD. These efforts by Roosevelt attracted considerable criticism from the media and Congress. Roosevelt's hiring of a close friend to teach dancing to children was...