The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-02-25
EARLY OBSERVER OF SOUTHERN
CROSS WINTERING in KEY WEST

The recent publication in The Citi-
zen of an article on 1.-The Southern
Cross has disclosed the fact that
one of the earliest observers and adj
mirers of this brilliant constellation,
who is also one of the most widely
read women writer's in tie country,
is spending the winter in Key West,
having found Miami entirely "too
noisy"
Mrs. Katherine DOORS Sharp, au-
thor of "Eleanor's Courtship and
Songs That Sing Themselves" 'The
South Ward" ''The Dr.'s Speaking
Tube" "Sonnets for Woman" and
her latest literary triumph, Summer
in a Bog" with her sister, Miss SalIie
DOORS, both of London, Ohio, is
spending the winter season most de-
lightfully in this city.
Mrs. Sharp has been coming to
Florida for several winters, and while
she was IN Miami during the winter
of 1925, a lecture on "How Worlds
Are Made" was announced to be given
in February by DIR. Harlow Shapley,
astronomer in charge of Harvard COLI
lege observatory.
In opening his address DIR. Shapley
announced that his attention was first
called to Florida as an important
point to astronomy, and the only
state in the Union from which Ger
tain notable stars in the southern
hemisphere, especially the constella-
tfon "The Southern Cross" is visible,
by an article on the subject read by
him three years before. Mrs. Sharp
was the author of the article referred
TO and her presence at the lecture is
an interesting coincidence.
This same article had resulted in
Lynn S. Rhorer, of Atlanta, placing
a 5-inch telescope in Royal Park each
of these years, until at that date
there were three 5-inch telescopes at
the free service of the public.
DIR. Shapley had dedicated spot
for the erection of the @Southrn
Cross Observatory" and thus Miam:
: and South Florida became a center
of astronomical knowledge and at
tracted interest of the world to this
section. The University of Miami,
now being built. is in keeping with
this spirit of intelligence and learn
ing, which is bound to win for the city
popular place in the worlds es-
TEEN.
A member of the American Asso-
citation for the Advancement of Sci
ence, Mrs. Katherine DOORS Sharp is
q naturalist in the truest sense of
the word, although a botanist first,
and the author of a book on this sub
ject, Summer in a Bog" copy of
which she has presented to the public
library in this city.
Mrs. Sharp's interest goes out to
the heavens above as well as the earth
beneath, and it is for this reason, she
says, that she Is here in Key West
spending the winter in company with
her sister, Miss DOORS.
Mrs. Sharp is the mother of three
sons. One of these, Capt. T. L.
Sharp, spent four years in the U. S.
Navy. He was in charge of the radio
on the u. s. s. New York and later
on the u. s. S. Boston, on the Pacific
coast. An interesting incident in his
life was after the great earthquake
and FIRE in San Francisco, when he
held open communication with the
world. Resigning from this position
he was. later, commissioned in the
World War, where he used his radio
knowledge to advantage in the signal
marine corps service. Another son,
DIR. W ID. Sharp. resides in Cleveland.
Mrs. Sharp takes great interest in
Key West Last winter she attended
a flower show in Miami and was told
by a horticultural that roses are q
failure in that part of the country,
owing to excessive dryness and heat.
One rose, in particular, pa.e pink, he
told her has no name; but she thinks
IL is the "roek rose," so successfully
grown in Key West; and she suggests
that Key West send liberal showing
of its wonderfully beautiful roses to
the flower show there, and especially
the "rock rose," which she says
should be ''the flower" of the Island.
The article about the stars REFER
ed 70 by DR.. Shapley as written by
Mrs. Sharp will be published in a
later issue of The Citizen. It should
be of particular interest in Key West,
where ssthe Southern Cross" is more
elearly visible than at any other point
In the United States.