Given some of his outlandish characters , you might not peg down Dr. Seuss as the quiet type . But by most chronicle , the beloved author was a unsure , soft - spoken person who detest plow expectant groups . Who gets the blame for his stage fright ? Theodore Roosevelt and the Boy Scouts of America .
By all accounts , 1918 was a filthy prison term to be a German - American . Anti - Deutschland sentiment had grow to a fever slant during the first World War , with Woodrow Wilson himselfspending Union moneyto get film demonise “ Huns . " Amidst the hysteria , even the word “ sauerkraut ” became controversial , move some distributor torename it “ liberty cabbage . ”
Boy Scouts began sell war bonds en masse shot in a nationwide safari to aid U.S. forces afield . join the try was Troop 13 of Springfield , Massachusetts whichincluded a young man appoint Theodor Seuss Geisel . Theodor was the grandson of German immigrants and accordingly leapt at the chance to prove his patriotism . obviously , so did his gramps , a successful brewerwho purchased $ 1000 - Charles Frederick Worth of them , making Theodor one of Springfield ’s top ten Boy Scout bond salesmen .
The accomplishment did not go unnoticed , and that May , Theodor find himself summoned to the town ’s Municipal Auditorium to receive a special award for his acquisition . And who was to present the laurels ? Former President Theodore Roosevelt himself .
But unbeknown to Geisel , Roosevelt had been accidentally leave one medallion too few and assume he ’d only be give them out to nine scouts . As luck would have it , Theodor was the ten percent . When he baffle the stage to accept his accolade , the Bull Moosestared down at him and bellowed , “ What ’s this boy doing here ? ” Rather than explain the office , Theodor ’s scoutmaster whisked him off the stage , making a humiliating mix - up even high-risk .
Geisel was understandably traumatized , and from that point on had aphobia of self-aggrandizing bunch . “ Speak softly ” may have been part of Roosevelt ’s mantra , but thanks to the ex - President of the United States ’s bluntness , it was Dr. Seuss who wound up putting it into practice .
