Albert R. Anness
Between Capitol Page School, assignments in the House Document Room, and operating the sound system for committee hearings, Albert Anness stayed busy as a House Page in the 81st Congress (1949-1951).
Featured Audio
Hide-and-Seek in the Library of Congress
Hide-and-Seek in the Library of Congress
Albert R. Anness, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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Abstract & Transcript
When Albert Anness first learned about the House Page Program in his high school civics textbook in 1947, he set his sights on working in the Capitol. After volunteering for state and federal Democratic campaigns, Anness received a Page appointment from Congressman Edward Breen of Ohio at the start of the 81st Congress (1949-1951). In his oral history, Anness traces his time living and working in Washington, D.C., in the years following World War II.
Anness and his fellow Pages worked long days and weekends under the watchful eyes of Doorkeeper William “Fishbait” Miller and Speaker Sam Rayburn of Texas. He describes his daily routine, attending the Capitol Page School and working in the House Document Room, as well as his unique assignment to operate the sound system for the House Ways and Means Committee as it debated amendments to the Social Security Act of 1935. Anness also reveals his mischievous side. He and his classmates played hide-and-seek in the Library of Congress, memorized secret passages throughout the Capitol campus, and carved their names on the Capitol roof during President Harry Truman’s inauguration. Throughout the interview, Anness recalls how his political interests shaped the course of his life.
Biography
In 1949, Ohio Representative Edward Breen appointed Anness as a House Page for the 81st Congress (1949-1951). During his time in Washington, D.C., Anness attended the Capitol Page School, worked as a phone and bench Page, and lived in boardinghouses around the city.
After his Page service, Anness joined the U.S. Army and earned his GED through the United States Armed Forces Institute in 1951. While attending Miami University (Ohio), Anness met Sharon Kirby, and the two were married in 1957. In 1960, he opened an independent insurance agency, and in 1962, he ran unsuccessfully for the Ohio state senate. The following year, Anness started his long career in sales and marketing of automobile parts and machinery. Albert Anness died on July 4, 2017, in Franklin, Indiana.
Audio
Becoming a Page: Part One
Becoming a Page: Part One
Albert R. Anness, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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Becoming a Page: Part Two
Becoming a Page: Part Two
Albert R. Anness, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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"High Hopes for the Future"
"High Hopes for the Future"
Albert R. Anness, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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Doorkeeper "Fishbait" Miller
Doorkeeper "Fishbait" Miller
Albert R. Anness, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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Working with the Ways and Means Committee
Working with the Ways and Means Committee
Albert R. Anness, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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Hide-and-Seek in the Library of Congress
Hide-and-Seek in the Library of Congress
Albert R. Anness, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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President Truman's Inauguration: Part One
President Truman's Inauguration: Part One
Albert R. Anness, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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President Truman's Inauguration: Part Two
President Truman's Inauguration: Part Two
Albert R. Anness, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
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