United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
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House Pages

Eyewitnesses to both ordinary proceedings and monumental events, Pages played an important role in the House of Representatives from the earliest Congresses. Learn about the institution through the eyes of the young messengers who ran errands for Members and assisted in floor operations. Accounts from as early as the 1930s, provide an historical overview of House Pages’ work, school, free time, and living arrangements.

Celebration at the House Rostrum/tiles/non-collection/o/oh_inst_page_celebrate_bartlett.xml Image courtesy of Joe Bartlett, provided by the Office of the Historian, U.S. House of Representatives House Pages, and Joe Bartlett, a longtime House employee, celebrate at the House Rostrum.

The Office of the Historian invites former Pages to complete a biographical form as part of an ongoing project to document the history of the House Page Program.

    Video

    House Pages Through the Years

    For nearly 200 years, Pages shuttled bills, delivered messages, and tracked down Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. When they weren’t combing the Capitol campus, they went to school and explored the city. Watch as former Pages describe their day-to-day experiences on Capitol Hill during the 20th century, including their living arrangements, their education, and their many responsibilities. Included in this documentary are interviews with Pages who broke color and gender barriers, and Pages from different eras, including one who served in 1932.

    Learn more about House Pages in the online exhibition History of the House Page Program.

    Responsibilities of Pages

    Representative Kanjorski describes the responsibilities of House Pages during the 1950s.
    The Honorable Paul Kanjorski, U.S. Representative of Pennsylvania
    Interview recorded October 26, 2011 – Deed of Gift

    Unique Opportunities

    Representative Kanjorski recounts his favorite aspects of Page service.
    The Honorable Paul Kanjorski, U.S. Representative of Pennsylvania
    Interview recorded October 26, 2011 – Deed of Gift

    Last Day as a House Page

    Lasting House Page memories.
    George Andrews III, Page, U.S. House of Representatives, and Son of Representatives George and Elizabeth Andrews of Alabama
    Interview recorded May 21, 2010 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    A Trip to the White House

    Memories of a Page trip to visit President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House.
    Myles Garrigan, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded May 25, 2012 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Patronage in the House

    Memories of New Jersey Representatives William Sutphin and James C. Auchincloss, and of the role patronage played in the Page program.
    Myles Garrigan, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded May 25, 2012 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Typical Day as a Page and Description of the Republican Cloakroom

    Memories of a busy Page schedule and of the Republican Cloakroom.
    Frank Mitchell, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded June 2, 2010 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Congresswoman Frances Bolton of Ohio

    Recollections of Pages interacting with Congresswoman Frances Bolton of Ohio.
    Frank Mitchell, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded June 2, 2010 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Treatment as a Page and Speaker John McCormack of Massachusetts

    Account of meeting Speaker John McCormack of Massachusetts on the Speaker’s Rostrum.
    Frank Mitchell, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded June 2, 2010 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Memories of Fellow Pages and the Democratic Cloakroom

    Descriptions of Felda Looper's fellow Pages and the Page school environment.
    Felda Looper, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded January 25, 2010 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Arriving at the Capitol

    Memories of arriving at the Capitol for Page service in 1953.
    Bill Goodwin, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded November 2, 2009 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Life of a Page

    Recollection of "enriching" experiences as a House Page.
    The Honorable John Dingell, Jr., U.S. Representative of Michigan and Son of Representative John Dingell, Sr., of Michigan
    Interview recorded February 3, 2012 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Diverse Responsibilities

    Description of the various duties of a Page.
    The Honorable John Dingell, Jr., U.S. Representative of Michigan and Son of Representative John Dingell, Sr., of Michigan
    Interview recorded February 3, 2012 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Experiencing Government Firsthand

    Description of the Page program as a unique educational opportunity.
    The Honorable John Dingell, Jr., U.S. Representative of Michigan and Son of Representative John Dingell, Sr., of Michigan
    Interview recorded February 3, 2012 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Audio

    On Becoming a House Page

    On Becoming a House Page
    Jeffrey Oshins, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Jeffrey Oshins explains his route to becoming a House Page during the summer of 1965.
    Jeffrey Oshins, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded September 10, 2013 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Memorable Page Moments

    Memorable Page Moments
    Jeffrey Oshins, Page, U.S House of Representatives
    Jeffrey Oshins recalls putting a bill in the hopper and meeting Representative Hale Boggs of Louisiana.
    Jeffrey Oshins, Page, U.S House of Representatives
    Interview recorded September 10, 2013 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Capitol Page School

    Capitol Page School
    Joe Bartlett, Clerk to the Minority, U.S. House of Representatives
    Memories of the Capitol Page School during the 1940s.
    Joe Bartlett, Clerk to the Minority, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded April 7, 2006 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    First Day as Page

    First Day as Page
    Felda Looper, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Recollections of media attention and memories of Speaker of the House Carl Albert of Oklahoma.
    Felda Looper, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded May 21, 2007 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Whip Call

    Whip Call
    Donnald K. Anderson, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives
    Description of Whip calls during the 1950s and 1960s.
    Donnald K. Anderson, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded February 23, 2006 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    First Days as a House Page

    First Days as a House Page
    Bill Goodwin, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Memories of coming to Washington, D.C. and the first few days as a House Page in 1953.
    Bill Goodwin, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded October 20, 2005 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Answering Phones in the Democratic Cloakroom

    Answering Phones in the Democratic Cloakroom
    Bill Goodwin, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Recollections of the duties of a House Page during the 1950s.
    Bill Goodwin, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
    Interview recorded October 20, 2005 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Senate Page for a Week

    Senate Page for a Week
    Joseph Hillings, Assistant Journal Clerk for the Minority
    Joseph Hillings remembers volunteering to be a Senate Page during recess in the 83rd Congress (1953-1955).
    Joseph Hillings, Assistant Journal Clerk for the Minority
    Interview recorded October 21, 2015 – Deed of Gift
    Transcript (PDF)

    Images & Artifacts

    Pages Celebrating
    <em>Pages Celebrating</em>/tiles/non-collection/o/oh_inst_page_celebrate_bartlett.xml
    House Pages, and Joe Bartlett, a longtime House employee, celebrate at the House Rostrum.
    Image courtesy of Joe Bartlett, provided by the Office of the Historian, U.S. House of Representatives
    National Fraternity of Pages Pin
    <em>National Fraternity of Pages Pin</em>/tiles/non-collection/2/2005_214_001PQ1.xml
    This Page fraternity pin dates from the early days of the Page School. It seems, though, that the National Fraternity of Pages predates the founding of the school in 1931. The former owner of the pin speculated that the “1912” on either side of the shield may indicate the founding date of the organization. Pages were introduced into the Capitol in the 1840s.
    Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives, Gift of Glenn Rupp About this object
    Capitol Building Pass
    <em>Capitol Building Pass</em>/tiles/non-collection/2/2005_214_002-1.xml
    Glenn Rupp, a House Page from 1932 to 1936, was issued this pass for President Herbert Hoover’s address to a Joint Session of Congress marking the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth. Pages often had access to memorable events at the Capitol.
    Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives, Gift of Glenn Rupp About this object
    Page School Varsity Letter
    <em>Page School Varsity Letter</em>/tiles/non-collection/2/2007_152_000PQ1.xml
    In 1944, the Capitol Page School gave House Page Joe Bartlett, whose career as a House staffer ultimately spanned 38 years, a varsity letter in basketball. Pages attended school in the early morning, worked as messengers in the Capitol in during the day and in Bartlett’s case, played basketball in the evening. Bartlett recalled that the team was not championship material, and that his own contribution was modest: “My height was never in my favor.”
    Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives, Gift of Brigadier General Joe Bartlett
    About this object
    Frank Mitchell
    <em>Frank Mitchell</em>/tiles/non-collection/2/2008_188_001.xml
    Appointed on April 14, 1965, Frank Mitchell became the first African American in the 20th century to serve as a Page in the House of Representatives. Congressman Paul Findley of Mitchell’s home state of Illinois recommended the 15-year-old for the appointment.
    Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives, Photography Collection
    About this object
    Frank Mitchell With Republican Leadership
    <em>Frank Mitchell With Republican Leadership</em>/tiles/non-collection/2/2008_273_000.xml
    Frank Mitchell, the first African American appointed to the House Page Program in the modern era, is shown with Representatives Paul Findley, Leslie Arends, and Gerald Ford (left to right). Congressman Findley, who represented Mitchell’s home district in Illinois, made the historic appointment.
    Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives, Photography Collection
    About this object
    <em>Pages Celebrating</em>;
    <em>National Fraternity of Pages Pin</em>;
    <em>Capitol Building Pass</em>;
    <em>Page School Varsity Letter</em>;
    <em>Frank Mitchell</em>;
    <em>Frank Mitchell With Republican Leadership</em>;
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    Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
    Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov