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Virginia Capitol C onnections, Spring 2016 29
Accommodations were not provided for the Pages in the forties.
They had to find their own place to stay and often times rode the
streetcar to the Capitol every morning. While the Pages today are left
with many responsibilities and a lot of freedom, the Page Program
does have a lot more structure. Each Senate Page has to spend time
every evening with tutors doing school work, where as in the forties
school work was not something they had to do while at the Capitol
participating in the program. Pages today are paid weekly and have to
learn money management, which was not the case in the forties. Today's
Pages are provided with accommodations in a hotel downtown so they
are responsible for getting up on their own, getting ready and getting
to work on time. They are also allowed to venture out on their own in
groups for dinner. When former Senator Holland was a Page he stayed
with his aunt and uncle so these were not personal responsibilities.
Both of Hannah’s parents commented on how much responsibility
the Senate Page Program has taught Hannah, and said had their other
children not been so busy, the Senate Page Program is something
they definitely would have encouraged them to do. Hannah has her
grandfather to thank for encouraging her to do the Senate Page Program.
Hannah said she would definitely encourage others to apply for the
Senate Page Program. She, like I am sure all past Pages, said she will
miss her friends the most and said the Senate Page Program has been the
greatest experience of her life thus far.
Clancey Holland:
Page and Senator
By Hayley Allison
When you hear the name Clancy Holland the first title that may
come to mind might be Senator or even Doctor. One you might not
expect is Senate Page. Clancy Holland the former Senator of the seventh
senatorial district, which covers part of Norfolk andVirginia Beach, got
his start in the Senate as a Page. Clancy Holland was a Page in 1944, and
later held the role of Senator from 1984 through 1996. Holland credits
the Page program for much of his success in life, it put him on the right
path, he said. Holland, who also practiced family medicine for a number
of years, said it was his time in the Senate Page Program that inspired
him to run for Senate.
I’m sure Holland never imagined 70 years ago that he would be
speaking to his granddaughter Hannah’s 2016 Senate Page class
about his experience as a Senate Page back in the forties. Holland’s
youngest granddaughter Hannah had never really heard much from
her grandfather on his time as a Senate Page until she was about the
same age as he was when he applied for the Page Program. Holland
encouraged Hannah to apply to the Senate Page Program, he told her
what a great experience it was for him and how much it changed his
life. Hannah who had never before been away from home for a long
period of time decided to take her grandfathers advice and apply for the
program. Hannah was one of about forty 13 and 14 year olds selected
to be a Senate Page during the 2016 session. In 1944 when the former
Senator was a page he was one of eight.
The differences do not stop at the number selected to partake
in the program, as I am sure one can imagine. The Virginia General
Assembly today and in 1944 have very few things in common. The
General Assembly Building did not exist in 1944. The Legislators did
not have offices but did all their work from their desks on the floor in the
Capitol.With that being the case the tasks Senate Pages performed in the
forties were somewhat different than tasks Senate Pages perform today.
Ask any Senate Page from the 2016 class what their favorite task was
and their answer very well might be working on the Senate Floor. They
would all be very happy as Senate Pages in the forties when according
to Senator Holland all the Pages were always on the floor since there
was really no where else for them to go other than the Capitol. Much
like in every other aspect of the world, technology has also modernized
the Page Program. Pages no longer have to run down to the Bill Room
to retrieve a bill for a Senator since they can now pull it up right on the
floor on either their laptop, tablet or even phone.
The Senate Page Experience
When I was nine years old there was a girl who was in theVirginia
Senate Page Program and was in the newspaper. That was when my
interest for the program started, then last year I started preparing my
application for the program. So the whole summer before eighth grade
year started I was writing my application essay speaking with people
who could write a letter of recommendation and doing community
service. And then when school started I spoke with my guidance
counselor and she was excited that I was applying, because her son
was a Senate Page in 2006. So all of my teachers were on board
with the program, my friends were so-so with me leaving and my
father said “you can stay longer if you get a check.” So on Halloween
night my parents and I completed the online application with my
letters, essay and paperwork from the school! And the moment that
we clicked the button to send in my application, my future, I prayed
that I would be successful. And all of the month of November and
December I waited, and waited, and waited for the decisions to be
sent out. And around the beginning of December every time the
mail truck would drop off mail, I’d run out to the mailbox. And by
December 20th, I lost hope. Then on Christmas Eve, when I was in
Continued on page 30
Catch the former Senator and his granddaughter Hannah on
the March 11th episode of This Week in Richmond archived
under This Week in Richmond on
Three Senate Pages talk with Senator Dave Marsden and Senator Chap Petersen
on the Senate floor.
V