Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-11-06
Ruth Elder Was Ton1boy In YOUTH Neighbors State
Girhood Franks OF
Daring ADiatrix Are
Related In Admission

| ANNISTON, Ala, Nov 5.-Ruth
Elder, who became the nations hero
inc and Anniston's especial darling
when she was rescued from her trans
Atlantic plane by Dutch tanker off
the Azores, has always been known
here as bit of tomboy
Her attempt to fly over the ocean,
while it gave everybody here a big
thrill, didn't surprise the home folks
very much
For everybody in Admission was well
aware that Ruth Elder had fond-
ness for spectacular stunts, and that
she wasn't afraid of anything.
They tell you about her most famous
tomboy trick, and chtckle as they tell
it.
Rode an UnbrOhen Horse
Shortly after the World war, Ruths
father, Oscar Elder, bought an un-
broken horse from the army canton
ment at Camp Mcclellan. The Elder
children were warned not to go near
the stable because the horse was VII
ciouS.
Oscar Elders back was hardly turned
before Ruth went to the stable With
out saddle, and with only bit and
bride, she managed to mount the un-
tanned animal. Down the street she
rode, the horse bucking and plunging,
trying to throw her. But she stuck to
it, with half the town watching, and
at length came back home riding
much subdued horse
"That's Ruth Elder for you," say her
friends.
Ruth was quite an athlete during
her high school days. She starred at
forward on the basket ball team, and
often said she wished she was boy
SO that she could play football.
One of the stories Admission tells has
to do with Ruth's Halloween gang.
All small towns have their Hall
lowe'en gangs, and Ruth's gang was
known as the most daring in Admission.
on this occasion she tried to find
a stunt that would be different She
did
She organized her crowd and, mask
ed in fantastic costumes, the group of
boys and girls boarded "a trolley car.
They rode until they were tired, then
tripped up the conductor and got off
without paying their fares. This was
repeated on every car line in town,
until a haraSSed utility company had
to notify the police.
Another story deals with Ruth as a
little girl When she was six years
old she was sitting in the school room
one day when, looking out of the. Win
dow, she saw man pass by eading
a cow She recognized the cow as
belonging to Mrs. Reeves, a neighbor.
Without saying word Ruth ran
out of the building, overlook the man
and demanded to know where he was
taking Mrs. Reeves COW. The man
replied that he was the pound keeper,
that he had found the COW in the
street and that he was taking it to
the pound. Ruth was unimpressed.
She insisted that the COW be returned
to Mrs. ReeveS-and finally won her
point
They All Like Her
The fact that Admission is full Of
stories about Ruth's escapades should
not be misunderstood, however. They
are stories that are repeated with hon
est admiration, and there is nothing
in them that reflects on her in any
way. Ruth had no childhood sweet
hearts they were all pals, instead.
Ruth Elder was an outdoor girl all
the way through. She was young and
peppy and she liked fun-lots Of fun;
and she didn't care what the gossips
might say about her.
And, even so, they never found any
thing to say about her except that
she was a bit of tornboy, out for a
good time.
Which helps to explain why she
tried to fly across the Atlantic.