Evening star., 1923-09-19
Washington Sketches
Seif-Mdksrs.

It's just about time for the self
makers to be getting busy again.
Vacation time is ending and the might
schools are reopning. You'll be rec
ognizing them soon when you ride
on street cars or busses about 3
o'clock when you see them with
sheafs of books under their. arms
possibly trying to read one. Gener-
ally they wear a. tired--pessiblys hag-
gard--expression. And they look at
the young couples starting to a dance
or party about that time, with a world
of wistful wishing in their eyes.
OF all of Washington's citizens, pos
sibly, this is the class for the honors.
They may not go to parties or dances
or have good time now. Their good
days are yet to come.
They get up early in the, morning
and take a glance at law book or
some other type of book before break
fast. They go to work and stay
there until dusk begins to fall in the
winter months. They gulp down a
hasty dinner and. show up in the
! classroom at or g. O'Clock. And the
grind is on.
They're getting knowledge. It's not
an easy thing to acquire. 1t takes
as much pluck and sand as 1t does
TO fight a dozen rounds or SO every
month. 1t takes more, will power
than dancing. And. though it ought
not to be, it takes a toll of youth
and gives. age and wisdom in its place.
There are. thousands of them here.
Washington per capita probably has
| more self-makers- within its gates
than any other city. Does the city
notice them? Today 1t is not aware
of tn cir existence. Tomorrow - ah,
| that's another story. Tomorrow the
| city is beating pathway to. their re-
To-Day in washington are physicians
who gained their education at the
expense of enjoyment during the dusk
and evenings. And they are good.
clerks, in some other, line of work
and obtained a degree. The city
didn't know them then. Today il is
recognizing them. 1t has given them
homes and automobiles and, most of
all-respect.
Today in Washington are thousands
of night students. Those girls who
are not arrayed as f1appers and pleas
ure seekers. dressed in neat. quiet
brown, bending over their books in
street cars, are not noticed today.
Some time, with woman gaining daily
her place in society-in the broad
ened Sense of the word-they'll win
recognition.
InOSe cnapS tndt are 100 'tlBnt TO
give the girls a twist and twirl once
in q while and who think more of
dry books and dead lectures than of
jazz and chorus girls will be wearing
knickers on golf links at exclusive
clubs some time in the future. They
are capitalizing their sacrifices.
1t takes plenty of courage and sin
gle mindedness of purpose, however.
to keep them on at the task. They'll
fall asleep at night over their books
more than a score of times before
they finish. They'll have many a
heartache at the pleasures they've
missed before the goal is reached
But when they get there-oh, boy!
\ degree is worth as much as the
energy it takes to earn it. The harder
II is to get the more that gold seal
is worth when you get Ii.
Now, this isn't a sermon. It's SIM
ply a collection of words and letters
calculated to direct the attention of
the poor folks who wade through 1t
to the fact that there are some heroes
in the city about whom no songs are
made and no paeons sung, but who
deserve them, just the same. Wash
ington ought to be proud to have
them, They make the city better.