Evening star., 1925-11-01
ID. C.. BOY, SON OF ALIEN COUPLE,
is BUDDING POET AT ii YEARS
Harry Val Triumphs Over
Handicap of Birth.
Parents Give Aid.
Work Is Vastly Better
Than Average. Leans
to Classical.

FloominGdale is proud OF its lust
discovered hoy poet" Harry Val.
son of an untutored tailor. who can
neither read nor write and speaks
the English language falterinSly.
Har's is II wears old and an apt
pupil in the hich sixth grade of Gage
School He was horn in This city
His parents are Russian Jews and
have been in this country about IS
Years. The family lives Al Ill Rhode
Island avenue, hut the tailor Shon of
Samuel Val al 1904 First street mort h
west is where Harry writes. mostly
Ia the music of sewing machine
with many an unlettered patron look
ing over his shoulder. and in an
atmosphere of steam from a pressing
machine.
Under these handicaps. between
errands for hiS$4ather and with FIRE
quent Interruptions while he is tend
ing shop. young Harry Val has been
trying to put his thoughts on paper
since he was 6 years old. He reads
poetry whenever it comes his way
and is trying To improve his Nocahu-
larry and style by daily reading books
from the Public Library-mosuy he
reads them aloud TO his father while
the ldlttl pilpS IiS II 'i't ~ ''ii'i'
Likes Stevenson.
He has never had direction in his
reading or writing. except SuCh as
came in the usual course of school
con1posirionS His teacher Is Miss
Frances +. Fernaid. The best known
poet whose works he has partculdrlN
read is Robert Louis Stevenson. lie
has scant acquaintance with the best
1 Il, 81
the mechanics of vcrse-makinE eN-
cent as the music beats time in ms
soul.
And vet. in spite of this ignorance
about structure rhythm. general Know J
edge and erudition, and Win . No'
cabularv limited through the pan"ltN
of educated conversation in The home,
IIarry's verses are not The ordinary
run of School-hoy dOECeret. there l.
imacination and thought behind Them
with some originality Of conception
and treatment. The best part OF 1t i
that he is a modest chap. not AT al
Conceited over the talent he may have.
There is no doubt in his nriud that he
can write-in fact. he feels he can [
help writing: but there are grave
doubts as to just how poor his prod
net may he lie realizes that he mas
wears 10 study and practice ahead OF
him. and that he must submit MS
Thoughts and phrases to the Ia Dor OF
The file before they can be polished
into worthwhile gems of poetrN-hut
he is ready for all that. lie Is Just
cronius around to find out if he really
has any talent. if the spirit that moves
him 10 attempt to express his thoughts
in verse is a call" TO become poStu-
l4rt in this order of artists. lie feels
The music stirring in his soul. and q
great desire Ia give il outlet. but tears
he NAV not he able TO do II worthiiE
or better than SO many another. tie
is INST irving 10 see If his ambition
is directed IN the right channel.
Forebcars tncducatcd.
Where HARRY : cift. or inclination
10 verse making. came from Is mNS
terz.. His parents came from the poor
Of foreign land and had scant oppor-
runitv for edu"ation--hey might
tr1lthfully be called 'illiterate, bu'
thev have a mastering desire and de
tern1iration grown strong by then
own handicap to see that their children
get what they themselves lacked. As
fag as family traditions 80 there was
no near poet or pseudo writer in either
branch. or any collateral branches OF
Harry Walls ancestry. So he has to
blaze his own trail" Already the
patrons of his fathers shop are call
in- him The Bard Of Bloomingdale." "
He has written verses on almost 100
subjects.
Inspired to poetic revelry and
reve,ie by the early coming OF Win
ter. heralded by fast stfalling snow
flakes, young Master Val dashed off