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• WORK ENVIRONMENT
  Typically the workday for School Year Pages begins after the last class ends with Legislative Business beginning at 10 AM and usually extends  until 5 PM or when the House adjourns for the day, whichever is later. During the summer, the Page workday starts at 9 AM (Legislative Business starts at 10  AM) and usually extends to 6:30 PM or when the House adjourns for the day, whichever is later. There is the occasional late night session (while serving, I  had to work till 2 AM one day).  The first order of business is to report to the Page Desk and wait for the Chief Page (Supervisor) to handout assignments.

• EDUCATION
  During the school year, House Pages attend classes held in the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress (Attic Level). Classes begin at 6:45 AM (6:15 AM for Senate Pages) covering the subjects of English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, French, Spanish, Computer Technology, and Work Experience. Each Page takes five 40 minute High School Junior grade level courses that they choose to take from a  list of course offerings for the current school  curriculum. Both the House and Senate Page Programs offer similar curriculums, but each Program has their own school.

• OVERVIEW OF PAGE DUTIES
  House Pages are usually divided into three main groups, Runner, Floor Page,  or Flag Page. There are also Documentarian Pages, Speaker Pages, and Cloakroom Pages. Some Pages (at their choice) go to the Ford Building (better known as  Annex II) to answer incoming calls. Every Page is given the opportunity to  experience these tasks. Also, every Page is given the honor of opening the doors to the House Floor for the Speaker. To get a better understanding of the  responsibilities entailed with these Page positions, please visit the Page Duties section.

• PAGE DRESS CODE
  A Page Dress Code must be followed while working on the Capitol  Complex during business hours.
  
  House Page
  Males: navy jacket, dark gray slacks, a white long-sleeved, permanent press dress  shirt, solid black shoes/socks, and a uniform tie (supplied by the Clerk’s Office). Females: a navy jackets, white long-sleeved, permanent-press blouses,  dark gray slacks or skirts, solid black shoes and nylons.
  
  Senate Page
  Males: navy blue blazer, white long-sleeved shirt, plain navy tie, black laced shoes, and dark socks.Females: navy blue plant suit, white long-sleeved black laced shoes, and dark socks.
   
  Senate pages are excepted to provide their own uniforms, including the tie.

• LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
  
  House Page
  While serving as a Page, you are required (summer Pages have the option to commute if they live within the area) to live at the Page Residence  Hall located at 501 1st. Street, SE. The picture at right is of the former House Page Residence Hall, which was located on the third and fourth floors of the O’Neill HOB at 300 New Jersey Ave., SE with fellow pages. Males were housed on one floor and females on another. The current residence hall, like in the past, is staffed by a director and five assistants whom live there as well.

Prior to the new dormitory, there were usually three Pages per room, which were furnished with three long twin beds, dressers, a study room, adequate closet space, private  bathroom, telephone, small refrigerator, and two air conditioning units. Weekly cleaning inspections of Pages quarters were and still are conducted by the RH Staff on a weekly basis. Also free laundry facilities are provided to all  Pages.

Senate Page
Senate Pages live a in Daniel Webster Senate Page Residence Hall, which used to be a funeral home at one time. As with the House Page Residence Hall, the Senate Page Residence is staffed by a Director, Administrative Aide, and four proctors.

• PAGE RULES
  All Pages must abide by a strict code of conduct and curfew. Curfew  is 10 PM weeknights (Sunday-Thursday) and 12:00 AM on weekends (Friday and  Saturday). The rule is if a Page is late, he/she will receive three points and  if Page reaches five points, they are restricted by being required to be in the Residence Hall by 7:00 PM (and that includes weekends).

• CONCLUSION
  The best thing about Page life is that you will have many experiences  and lessons learned that will be hard to express on paper or impossible to forget. As a good friend once wrote me, “Enjoy your stroll down this road,  for you can’t rewalk it!”