The New York herald., 1921-02-23
NEWSBOYS REVEL IN
CHICKEN AND JAZZ
1900 Break All Eating Rec
ords at Mrs. Guggenheimer's
Annual Dinner.

Take. for instance an occasion when
1900 newsboys are eating roast chicken
former Gov. Al Smith. who used to sell
newspapers himself. sitting on the plat
form, a jazz band doing everything that
Ted Lewis ever thought of doing ana
Dotty Poppo of Joe Gordon's Roosevelt
Club singing "Margie" and you're war
ranted in saying that entertainment re-
suited Add to this songs and dances by
Fay Marbe, the musical comedy actress ;
Fern Rogers of Harry Carrolls review
and Bill Lennon, star Of the famous An
nunciation Minstrels. and, provided you
imagine each of them breaking all per
sonal records, you have an idea OF what
was going on n the mess hall of the
Brace Memorial Newsooys' House in
William street Yesterday afternoon.
These 1000 lads were the guests Of
Mrs. Eliza Guggenheimer. who was CIV
ing them their annual Washington's
Birthday dinner by way of "A memorial
to Randolph Guggenheimer. her husband.
who died in 1907. The eating was done
in three relays four hundred boys at a
time There was chicken. fresh ham,
cranberry sauce mashed potatoes,
ashed turnips, sweet potatoes, celery.
cake, coffee and Ice crean:--so much OF
1t that not even 1900 newsboys could
get away with all Of 1t. Joe Gordon.
Sam Lobert, Johnny Garino and Law
renee Tew, all of whom are directors OF
neighborhood clubs to which the boys
belong, did sentry duty between the
tables. seeing to II that everybody de-
voted himself to his own dinner and
RETAINED from starting in OH a slower
eating neighbor's.
As an example OF expert eating, no
holds barred, the affair was epoch mark
ing Rfka Pitkin, for example sat at
the first table. where he got away with
the entire food programme. was ushered
out into William street. where he
shucked his overcoat, turned his cap
around and came in with the second
bunch. He repeated the dose for the
second time and then. just to show that
he wasn't foundered, lcaped to the plat
form singing Broadway Rose" Fin
ishinR that. he challenged any eighty
two pound boy in the place to n finish
Aght with eight ounce gloves. and when
Mt least 200 members of his audience
accepted the bid to do battle he took to
the fire escape. He tried to enter for a
third go at the refreshments. but was
caught at the mess hall door by Will
lam Lewis Butcher. superintendent OF
the house. and, in his own words. given
the air
AL Smith talked to the boys in words
wildering reception.
Manhood is going to steal upon you
boys so quietly you will not realize that
it's on YOU" ne said Take II from one
who looks back now TO days when he
was a newsboy in Park row. when all
the newspaper plants were on Prining-
house Suuare--just about the time the
bridge was opened and most Of the
travel TO Brooklyn had to be done on
1nVaar q no
looking back over IT, It may seem like
long time off to you. this coming man
hood. but Il isn't The boy who puts
off preparation for useful manhood Is
losing time. losing opportunity. losing
place The time never comes back. You
get but one chance to prepare While
young. You're only young once.
Everything in America that is Ameri-
can represents the work OF the man who
worked the hardest. There are no sub
stitutes for industry. honesty. thrift,
cleanliness and straight thinking. And
you don't have to be grind. There's
plenty of time for amusement. You boys
are living in the greatest country in
the world. Every night you ought to
/ thank God that you are here. are or
/ can be American citizens. We know
\ that. don't we?"
YES sir" came the response.
ut makes no difference what your
4 early life may have been so long as you
are Industrious honest clean, fearless
and God fearing"
And then. in a quiet so intense that II
was hard to believe the audience was
composed Of newsies, Mr.. Smith spoke
OF Washington on his knees In the snow
at Valley Forge and Lincoln with his
face raised to the skies and his lips
moving in prayer.
IF those two men knew humility
pIety, obedience TO authority and sim
plicity. is II not up 10 us to emulate
them?" he concluded.
And then. when the last relay had
cleaned the last patter. Giacomo Inelli
who lives at % Roosevelt street stood
on a table and began to sing THE star
Spangled Banner"