The Washington times., 1924-04-21
Chill DRE'N
HAVE EGG
FR(QI(;
White House Lawn and Capt.
toll Greens Mecca for
Little Ones.

washington went out today to
celebrate its own spring festival
1.-The Easter-egg rolling on the
White House lawn.
By noon, more than 5000 chill
dren and their adult escorts had
passed through the gates and
countless thousands Of eggs lay
hopelessly, shattered on the south
grounds, trampled by shoes Of
every last and size. Over the
fun weiled the shrill laughter Of
the children and the alarmed cries
of their guardians.
Watched by Coolidge.
President Coolidge sat in his
office. which overlooks a portion
of the lawn. and tried his best to
keep his mind on business. A
crowd assembled on the lawn, be-
low the south portico, having heard
a rumor that the President and
Mrs. Coolidge would come out to
bid the children welcome.
Toddlers wriggled away from
their elders and vanished in the
throngs. Rough little boys who
piayfully broke the coIored eggs OF
smaller possessors were scolded to
no good effect. Grown-ups who
were unable to get into the grounds
lined the fence and grinned over
the pickets at the scene of rnirth.
Dressed I'm OveFalIs.
Three knickerbockered business
genuises did a rushing business at
the southeast gate, plotting unes.
corted adults into the grounds for
cents or dime. Privates Kelly
and McCubbin. Of the White House
police force; smiled good-naturedIy
at the petty graft until the trio's
pockets bulged. Then the officers
ordered them to suspend business.
In order that their parents may
know how they bought the candy
that will make them so Ill tonight
the boys names were Philip Pierce
and Lyman Pierce, brothers, Of 223
ii street northwest, and James
Holloway, Of 1850 Z street north.
east.
One Of the centers Of attractions
on the coveted egg-rolling hill near
this gate was little Charles
Chandler, grandson Of DIR. Richard
son, noted throat specialist. Charlie
was dressed In overalls, and his
antics on the knoll were the subject
OF more than occasional comment,
After being restrained from throw.
ing his eggs, in the best manner of
walter johnson, Charlie changed
his tactics by rolling his Easter
Monday material in the direction OF
other eggs, causing untold destruc.
ton.
Secretary of Labor James J. Davis
entered, the grounds with his chill.
dren shortly before noon. Photog-
raphers took him away from his
family and posed him in the center
OF the grounds, with a large group
OF youngsters, who posed for
numerous 'shots" far better than
most grown.ups.
kids" Watch Parade.
Earlier in the morning, about an
hour after the grounds opened, the
strains Of band music drew the
crowds to the grassy eminence over.
looking the west fence. The Fire
prevention Week parade of the Boy
Scouts was going by, and furnished
the children with temporary diver.
sion from the duties Of the day.
The stand for the Marine Band,
located centrally in the grounds.
was the source Of numerous Ques-
tons. Policemen told inQuirers that
the band would play during the
afternoon. The policemen were, as
usual, the butt of every question on
every subject concerning the event
and the White House in general.
One officers steady job consisted Of
Keeping tired mothers and maids
from sitting on the bandstand.
a woman erected an easel near
the fountain, mixed her paints and
began to paint a picture Of the
scene. She was Immediately be.
seiged by gallery of art critics Of
all ages, and the number of her
observers grew with each passing
minute. I
Crowd Is Democratic.
The overcast skies, reminiscent
OF last years weather, when a sud-
den rainstorm sent the Marine
Band and everybody else running
for shelter in the afternoon, ap.
parently failed to outweigh the i'm
portance Of the day. Several
groups departed early, as the
ground was damp and not overly
comfortable to sit upon; but the
vast majority remained faithfully
until the last egg was broken and
its hard yolk ground to yellow
powder in the grass.