8 x 10.5” printed letter on The White House stationery with bold 4.5” long signature “Theodore Roosevelt”. The name and name/address of the invitee (Seymour Stone, Gen. Secy. Boston Children’s Fund Society) has been added by typewriter to the form letter. This was the first of seven White House Conferences on Children and Youth that took place in Washington between 1909 and 1970. In addition to the Roosevelt letter, the lot includes The White House mailing envelope to the invitee postmarked Washington Dec. 28, 1908 (light age and neatly slit on top edge) along with four 8.5 x 11” printed pages dated December 22, 1908 and addressed to Honorable Theodore Roosevelt sent by nine sponsors of the proposed conference spearheaded by James E. West, Secretary, National Child-Rescue League (and the person to whom Roosevelt instructs his invitee to respond). Theodore Dreiser, Editor of The Delineator, is among the nine sponsors. These four pages describe the needs of non-delinquent, destitute children and present nine propositions “for consideration and action at the Washington Conference.” In Roosevelt’s invitation letter, he echoes the need for action stating: “Surely, nothing ought to interest our people more than the care of the children who are destitute but not delinquent.” About 200 conference attendees joined TR in D.C. for a White House reception and conference Jan. 25-26, 1909 emphasizing the importance of family and home in their proposals. On Feb. 15, 1909 President Roosevelt submitted a letter to Congress urging passage of pending legislation on the Federal Children’s Bureau which occurred in 1912. Each of the five sheets in the lot has a pair of horizontal folds from mailing. Overall condition is Exc. A rare letter signed by TR on his last Christmas day in The White House. Comes with Hake’s COA and JSA LOA.