Evening Star Newspaper, January 25, 1942, Page 63

NEWS AND FEATURES FOR BOYS AND GIRLS - E-8 he Funior Htar WASHINGTON, D. C, JANUARY 25 1942. ACTIVITIES OF YOUTH IN WASHINGTON AREA Young Tap Dancer Does Her Bit Entertaining Service Men and Veterans Belongs to Unit Abpearing At Camps and Hospitals Cadet Has Collection of Army Buttons Given to Him by Father, Who Was British Officer Prize Contribution By DEMETRA BACAS, 15, Calvin Coolidge High School. One of the most interesting hob- byists I have ever met is Jack Hud- son of Baltimore, my brother’s room- mate at Massanutten Military Acad- emy. While I was there one week end he told me about his hobbies. Jack’s father was an officer in the British Army. Once ‘while visiting his father’'s old home, Jack was given a collec- tion of army uniform buttons. He said they represent about Demetrs Bacss. every section of the British Army, besides the mili- tary forces of some of the other units in the great British com- monwealth of nations. Aside from this, the buttons take in most of the services. Naturally, he considers this his prize collection, and will, no doubt, soon have more buttons to add to it. “Other than that,” said this en- thusiastic collector, “I collect shells of different colors. This hobby also proves very interesting at times.” I thought these were enough col- lections for one person to have, but Jack added another, saying: “I pick up old swords, guns and other such reminders of the past. Although it’s not much, it gives me pleasure.” Jack has attended Massanutten for nearly three years and is in the percussion group of the R. O. T. C. band. Although I'm not sure whether he’s a sergeant or lleutenant, I know he stands well in his subjects. Girl Earns Money Washing Dishes For Neighbors When a girl goes around looking for dishes to wash, it is, or should be, news. But when she gets paid for it, and well, too—it becomes & money-making idea. Arletta Berry, a high-school freshman who lives at 326 New Jersey, Kansas City, Kans., reports: “I decided I needed money to help my mother and buy school supplies. I heard many of the neighbors com- plaining about washing dishes, and I thought of starting a service for them. I went around and told them I'd wash their dishes for 25 cents a night, or 50 cents if they had com- peny for dinner. About 20 of them call me from time to time. “They don’t like to wash handker- chiefs, either, and I now do that for 50 cents a hundred. Some of the neighbors combine theirs with their friends, and as a result I wash about 500 a week. In all I make about $750 weekly.” Prizes Totaling $5 Offered for Best Contributions Boys and girls of all ages up to and including high school age are invited to write and draw for The Junior Star. Prizes of $1 each are awarded for the best five contribu- tions published each week. ‘The following rules must be observed: 1. All contributions must be orig- 2. Name, age, address, telephone number (if any) and school of the author must appear at the top of the first page of every written con- tribution and on the back of every drawing. 3. Stories, articles, poems, etc. must be written on one side of paper; if typewritten, they must be double spaced. Drawings must be in black-and-white and must be mailed flat, not rolled or folded. 4. The editor’s decision as to the Balance Is Most Important AS YOU BEGIN O SKATE IN ICE SKATING AS WELL AS IN ROLLER SKATING BALANCE IS THE ALL titles. perject possible. to becoming a good ice skater. hardly help skating well. for a skater, and I bicycle 200 to 300 miles a week during the summer months. Eat simple, wholesome food, taking it easy on the pie and cake, and never skate for two hours after eating. A properly fitted shoe is the first requirement on the ice. It is even more important than the length or quality of the blade. Next, be surg the blade isn’t too long. Speed skat= ing on a large outdoor rink, where most or all of the skating is done on a straightaway, requires a fairly long blade. But if you step out on an in- door rink for pleasure skating with a 16-inch blade, you're asking for trouble. Left Foot Forward. At the start, center the weight of your body, bending your knees slightly and crouch forward a little, The bent knees give a sort of spring action. In speed skating, bend them a little farther and crouch more. A vertical line drawn up from the cen- ter of the skate would bisect the body of the good skater. As you be- gin to skate, the weight of the body should be over the skate that is in use. Shoulder and leg come for-. ward together in the stride. Coast along in a glide while your momen- tum lasts, then shift to the other foot. Move forward in a straight line, with the least possible weaving of your body from one side to the other. As you near a turn, try to hit it with your left foot forward. Rink skating is done in a counter-clock- wise motion, so that this would be THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY Factor in Ice Skating The author of the following article is “Ice Follies.” His leaps through a outstanding attraction, and he also holds a nu! His skating style has been described as | flaming By HARRIS LEGG. Can you roller skate? If ygu can, you're pretty well along the way Balance is the most important factor in each. When your weight is properly distributed at all times, you can First, however, let’s take a look at your equipment and physical con- dition. Like any other sport, skating requires physical fitness. Hiking and bicycling are the best exercisess¢p—m——080890@ M8 the foot on the inside of a racing course. Reaching the turn with the left foot is especially important in racing, since if you get there with your right foot you'll be forced to veer out from the inside of the course, leaving a lane for an oppo- nent to slip through. Even in ordinary skating, however, the same principle applies. Reaching the turn on your left foot 'will prevent you from veering to the outside, possibly colliding with some one. Make a quick cross-over with your right foot over the left, until you have rounded the turn and are in the straightaway again. Sharpening Skates. As you stride along, your feet should be six to eight inches apart. If they are too far from each other, your body will sway from side to side. Be sure your body isn't too far forward, as a pronounced lean will give you the same effect as an auto- mobile going uphill. When your weight is properly distributed, your “automobile” will be going on level te: E You should learn to sharpen your own skates. Clamp the skates side by side on “blocks” and line them up. Then pass over the surface with an emery stone in a figure eight move- ment. Finish with a smoother emery stone, using ordinary machine oil. Take the skates off the blocks, and remove the “wire edge” by running a small hand hone along the sides. Good skating, and here’s hoping you won't need too many cushions at first! The Open Book Prize Contributien. By LEONARD C. HERR, 14, Surrattsville High School. Clinton, Md. My life shall be an open book With not a single page or line removed, £ So that all may come and freely look. For act by conscience not approved. For oft some trivial act of life, If not of record in the open book, Does cause no end of pain and strife, And bring a reproachful look. Age Is Obvious Jane—How can you tell the age of a partridge? John—By the teeth. Jane—Don't be silly. Partridges haven’t any teeth. John—No, but I have. Posers How’s your knowledge of animals? Here are the names of eight, with the proper names of their offspring at the right. The young animals are all mixed up, though. Can you straighten them out? 1. Horse Pup . Whale Shoat . Seal Kitten . Deer Cub . Hog Colt . Cat Lamb . Bear Fawn . Sheep Calf Deflated “A deafening report at the circus was followed by a.groan. The crowd ran around in panic. Some one said a tent had collapsed. Others thought & man had been shot.” “Dear me! What had happened?” “The India rubber man had a blowout.” Prize Contribution By PAULA SIMQNDS, 10, Lafayette School. I have seen pictures of men facing a charging lion or looking down the throat of a well-toothed hip- popotamus, but I don't believe they were as fright- . . ened as I was. & when I first § looked down the throat of & frowning micro- phone. This is how it hap- winners will be final and The Star | pened reserves the right to publish any contribution received in whatever form he may deem advisable, re- gardless of whether it is awarded a prize. Checks will be mailed to the winners during the week following publication of their contributions. 5. Contributions will not be re- turned. Boys and girls who wish to act as news correspondents of The Junior Star may qualify by submitting at Jeast one feature story (the prin- cipal stories on this page today are good examples of what is wanted), together with the information called for above. Those qualifying will be given cards identifying them as re- porters for The Junior Star. The editor reserves the right, however, to decline to issue reporters’ cards or to revoke those already issued when- ever such action appears advisable. ned: One night, when I was peacefully read- ing “Little Wo- men,” there was 8 knock at my front door and a man asked, “Does Paula Pauls Simonds. Simonds live hm?"tot corse, 1 ked up my ears at once. mlfiy u.ugr was the editor of The Junior Star and he had come to interview me about my butterfiies. The. next Sunday I was written up in the “Just Between Ourselves” column. A few dgys after that, when I came home from school, there was a letter for me. It was the editor asking me if I would to go on the Junior Star radio pro- The Frowning Microphone A Gir{’s Impression of Her Part In ‘The Junior Star of the Air’ time came I was very sorry, for that meant I could not work on my script any more. That night I dreamed that a microphone was chasing me around the room, but when I escaped into another room, it did not get to the door in time to follow me, so I was safe. Next I dreamed that I was on the ajr and had forgotten the script and _that the microphone was scoldfng me, but it was only Mother | calling me to wake up. I couldn’t eat breakfast, so only drank a glass of milk. When I had finished, Mother took Daddy and me to the bus stop and started us downtown. On the bus the temper- ature was at least 90 degrees. I was excited and perspiring terribly, not from the heat so much as from the thought of what was going to walting moments seemed ages, al- though I know it was not very long. ‘When the editor came we had re- hearsal and then I was told to await my turn. At last Coyle “The Junior Star is on The program began. I ‘The enterprise of modern youth is an almost constant source of amaze- ment to me. proposed fea- ture. At the ap- pointed time, a | boy and a girl appeared, carry- ing a rather exceptionally good, consider- ing the fact that the artist, June Klein, 445 Manor place NW., is only 11. And the scrapbook con- tained some even better drawings, in ‘water colors, of pretty girls. Larry Steme. panion, Larry Stone, also 11, of 636 “We work together as a team,” Larry said. “I try to think up the stories, and June makes them into pictures. Of course, she thinks up ideas, too, and sometimes we work them out together. It's a lot of fun, isn’t it, June?” “Yes,” the girl agreed. “It's much more fun than just writing stories or drawing pictures. It's a combina- tion of the two, and that makes it at least twice as much fun.” Larry’s ideas, as presented in the sample comics, are Just as clever and original as June’s drawings” Of course, the strips are not yet ready for the professional market, but they will be in not too many years if their creators keep up the good work they are now doing. Larry, who is the team’s business manager, prom- 1sed: “We're going to keep at it until we turn out a strip that’s good enough to be used sort of ad- dition to ‘The Spirit. I like boys and girls with the kind of initial shown by Larry and June. are the people who get world. They are earniest, ind and enterprising, and theyll know how to make the most of their talents. And I know that, when their comic is ready to meet professional competition, they won’t be lacking in the business ability needed to dispose of it. In the mean- time, they are thinking of launching a little newspaper of their own to ve tion to their strip. “That,” Larry pointed out, “will give us a chance to get some valuable e ” Larry and June are classmates at Just Between Ourselves By PHILIP H. LOVE, Junior Srar Editor. that the trip is not planned for pleasure alone. A more important M;mrmue is to study fossil remains in Junior Jottings. “Thank you very much for the dollar for my story about Jimmy Cerda,” writes Demetra Bacas, 15, of Cooldge. “I no longer have to sit and think of a way to spend it, as I can invest it in defense stamps and know that it will do some good.” . . . Incidentally, Demetra has decided to become a member of the Washington Amateur Press Association, which is being organ- ized by Shirley Turner, 15, J: 8 correspondent at Central High School. . . . And Shirley, by the way, reports that she has participated in four radio broadcasts during the last six months. “I have found broadcasting very interesting, and hope to learn more about it,” she says Bob Hamilton, 11, Ben W. Murch School, is the proud owner of two Defense bonds and $3.50 in Defense stamps . . . Dorothy Margo- lies and Allene Bildman, Alice Deal Junior High, are collecting tincans for use in the defense program. “If you have some,” they write, “please bring them to 5241 Chevy Chase parkway” . . . Marjorie Jeanne Smith, 14, Central, tells of a pet bulldog which liked to push bricks with his nose. “The dog's friends were sad,” she said, “when they learned he had died of lone- liness because his owner had moved to & neighborhood which did not have any bricks with which he could play” . . . Mary Gribben, 11, Wood- ridge School, is sad because some- body poisoned her little brown-and- white dog, Triger. “I loved him” she writes, “ 50 I put a round tomb- stone on his grave” . .. “Thanks very much for the check,” post- cards Murlel Baker, Rockville, Md. “It was just what I needed to fill | in that space left from Christmas shopping” . . . The Pebruary grad- uating.class at McKinley High has abandoned plans for the senfor prom because of the war . . . Audrey Garner has been appointed presi- dent of the Tech bank, succeeding Katherine Grange, who will be among the February graduates. “I know I'll have plenty to do,” Audrey comments, “but I won't care, be- cause we are selling Defense bonds and stamps.” Uncle’s Assignment Starts Girl in Sign Painting Business ‘When Ruby McCullough’s uncle asked her to paint a few signs for his restaurant, she didn't know she was stepping into & first-class money-making idea. Ruby’s first jobs for her uncle were simple signs like “Hamburgers 5¢” and “Pop on Ice.” He gave her 10 to 25 cents a sign, depending on the amount of work necessary. Then her® business began to branch out. “Some of my uncle’s patrons, who owned other restaurants, saw my signs,” Ruby, 16, writes, from Boom- ington, Ind. “My uncle would take orders for signs from them, then pass them along to me. The busi- ness grew so that I began to spend a lot of money for paints, and as a result I had to charge definite prices for signs instead of taking what the customer thought it was worth. My 3 winter gone to work for her school, t- ing signs for the cafeteria, dances and sports events. Riddles 1. What grows on paper and dies on water? 2. Why are people tired on April Fool's Day? 3. What is the most bashful thing in the house? . 4, What stays in a corner, yet gets all over the world? 5. If your uncle’s sister isn't your aunt, who is she? 1d like to wander through the North, Exploring or all, But still I'd like to see what lles ~ Beneath that icy wall. ' & Passenger Pigeons, Once Billions Strong, Killed by Hunters The story of the extinction of the passenger pigeon is one of the sad- dest in the annals of American wildlife. Once it was estimated that there were 2,000,000,000 pigeons in a single flock. Now, the species is ap- parently gone forever, as the last one known died in a Cincinnati 200 in 1914. The flocks were sometimes 200 miles long, and thick branches of trees often broke under thé weight of the birds' nests. It is said that 50 to 100 nests in almost every tree over a 150,000-acre forest tract were counted. The noise made by the birds could be heard several miles from the edge of the nesting place. But the birds’ very numbers made them easy prey for hunters. A shot- gun fired into a tree would bring down enough birds to fill a game bag. Hunters followed the flock from nesting place to nesting place, often traveling on trains and tracing the birds by telegraph. The last recorded slaughter took place in Petoskey, Mich. in 1878. Fifteen tons of ice were needed to pack the squabs alone for their trips to the markets. From then on the birds were seen in decreasing num- bers, and in 25 years their ex- termination was about complete. Riddle Answers 1. Fire, 2. They have just finished & March of 31 days. 3. The clock. It always holds its hands in front of its face. 4. A postage stamp. 5. Your mother. Answers to Posers 1. Colt. 2.Calf. 3.Pup. 4. Fawn. Kitten. 7. Cub. 8. Lamb. Cuddles and Tuckie | By FRANCES ROYSTER WILLIAMS. Trade-mark Registered . 8. Patent Office. She always makes a tiny hole For air to travel through— It reaches down inside her den Just like a chimney flue. ‘While Oh how I'd like to peek inside And the Httle chap! Anne Calvert doing a toe-tap dance. Prize Contribution By JEANNE BARINOTT, 14, McKinley High School. v 4 A talented dancer, Anne Calvert, months ago to do her bit for her country. During the past summer she | entertain men in the service. Toe tap, | incidentally, is quite ‘difficult to master. | Anne belongs to an organized unit which had euditions at Centrll[ High School before performances were given to entertain the boys at did military toe tap dancing to Fort Meade, Md.; Fort Belvoir, Va., and Aberdeen, Md. The group, in| which she is the youngest, gave a show at Eastern High School for marines and S sailors, Several other shows were given for veterans at Wal- ter Reed and Mount Alto Hospitals. A grand new adventure for Anne was a trip by plane to Camp Lee, Va. where the group performed. An- other time she danced at the % Shoreham Hotel Jeanne Barinott. for the Rhode Island State Society and eived an autographed copy of thé American Creed from a Rep- resentative of that State. In virtually every large Wash- ington hotel, Anne’s nimble feet have danced for the American Legion, State societies, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Elks, Lions Club, —Star Staff Photo. , 15, of McKinley High School started ”— Knights of Columbus, the Masonic Order and the Eastern Star. She did more stepping for the theater | | shoe fund and for a four-day peanut festival at Suffolk, Va. Anne has| taken part in numerous operettas and variety shows at both Taft Junior High and McKinley. Be- sides this, she has given tapping | exhibitions at most of the local theaters. | For six years, Anne has taken dancing lessons, and last winter she | decided to give lessons. Every week she gave class and private instruc- tions in tap dancing at her home, | 3204 Walnut street NE., to children between the ages of 7 and 12. From this source she derived all her spending money. However, she had | to give it up because it interfered | with her school work. It was in 1936 that Anne made her | first public appearance. Since then | she has given tap and military toe tap exhibitions once or twice a| | week. She has a large number of attractive costumes, all designed and | made by her mother. Of course | she looks forward to a stage career. Smooth Defensive Required For Winning Basket Ball By CHARLES “CHICK” DAVIES As Told to Haskell Cohen. Give me a team that knows how to play defensive basketball and I'll give you a winning combination. If a player is only good at shoot- ing, he is a 50 per cent basket ball player. There are certain defensive fundamentals that must be remem- bered and practiced at all times. When the play is away from the basket the defensive men stay far- ther from the advancing opponents. As the play moves nearer the hoop the defensive men move in closer to their opponents. The important thing is to stay between your man and the basket. The defensive players point to their opponents in order to avoid confusion when the offense breaks quickly. Thus, if the break is so quick that a defensive player is caught flat-footed by the offense, a teammate can pick up the loose offensive man. In turn, the man caught flat-footed picks up his teammate’s opponent. This chang- ing of men is known as a switch. If the offense is bringing the ball down the left side of the court, the defensive player confronts his man. His right hand is stretched upward to block a shot, while his left foot is placed behind his right to serve as a pivot. If the ball is brought down the right side of the fioor, the defensive man holds his left hand aloft while his right foot is Playing an offensive man not the ball, back up with ) COMING DOWN THE RIGHT 610E i OF THE FLOOR the offensive men did not cross the floor. The crossing is employed to block and to confuse the defense long enough for the offense to shake a man loose for the basket. To combat this crossing of offen- sive players, the defense resorts to “switches.” A switch is used when the two offensive players attempt Household Antiques May Be Valuable Girl Cites Saying, ‘Everything Comes Back Into Style’ Prize Contribution By RACHEL E. HUNTT, 17, Oxon Hill (Md.) High School. Everyone, I am sure, has heard of antiques and knows what they are, The dictionary definition of an an- tique is anything very old, or an encient relic. | Most people are FZ tond of tiques. £ In every room of our house there are at least three or four relics. One of the most in- teresting of all is my great- grandfather’s sword and scab- bard. He fought in the Civil War, on the Southern side, Rachel Huntt. Today, in nearly every home, there is & china closet. The modern ones, however, are not all glass. The one my grandmother has is surrounded by plate glass. In this, she has a white china cream pitcher which has been in the family for five generations. Going through the pantry, what should my eyes discover but an old coffee grinder. In the old days you had to grind the coffee. We also have an old griddle on which eight or nine griddle cakes could be fried at once. No modern housewife would want such a piece of junk in her pantry. The dough tray, which was made of wood, has long since been done away with. Many people have valuable relics in their home and, them trash, throw them awey. So, if you have any old treasures, keep them. Who knows but that some day they may pro‘er to be very valuable, especially 1n Outdoor Campers Can Sleep Well in Klondike Bedroll. By B. J. McMILLEN, Ever hear of a Klondike bedroll? Probably not, unless you have considerable time in the mountain: during cold weather and know most an- | FOLD BLANKETS INTO EACH OTHER AND PIN - g of the tricks of comfortable camping in any kind of weather. A good sleeping bag is expensive, but you can make a Klondike bed- roll, which is just as good, for prac- tically nothing. Three or four warm blankets and three 3-inch safety pins are all the materials needed. Spread the blankets out flat. Put them evenly on top of each other. Fold the top blanket the long way, and once. Pull the entire blanket over to the edge of the second blanket, letting the folded edge of the first blanket-lie along the edge of the second. Fold the second blanket in half, letting the edge of this one be even with the creased edge of the first blanket. Lift the second blanket, being sure to keep the first blanket inside, over to the edge of the third blanket. The creased edge of the second blanket should be even with the edge of the third blanket. Now proceed in the same manner as before with the third and the fourth blankets. Us- ing one of the large safety pins, pin the top single edge—not the creased edge—to the rest of the blankets, This will insure the roll from be- coming unwound during the night. Now fold one end of this roll over onto the top of the blankets. Pin each edge to the rest of the blankets. ‘This is done in order to keep your feet warm. When you go to bed, just crawl in through the opening, and the coldest wind in the world can't bother you. The Junior Star’s Radio Program Boys and girls who write fof The Junior, Star have a radio program of their own—“The Junior Star of the Air,” broadcast each Saturday .| at 10:45 am, over Station WMAL. Taking in yesterday's program were Lham?vweu Junior High School