davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01

one school would use practically the same read
ing direction for the pictures as that used In
the language they were learning, but those at
tending both schools failed to develop definite
pattern to the same extent
Considerable difficulty encountered in
giving the test to adults for the rather anus
ing reason that it was too simple. 1t was nee
ceSSary to explain carefully that there was no
catch, and that it was not an intelligence test.
The examiners position was made particu-
larly embarrassing because of the fact that
the true purpose of the test could not be d.
Vulged until after the results had been obtained.
A mere hint that the purpose was to test nat
ural direction of reading would have served TO
make the subjects self-conscious and the direc-
ton followed would be unnatural as . conse-
Quence.
Vet it was surely difficult to present the group
= Of simple pictures with straight face and
expect the person tested to Solemnly point out
which the boat, the doll the toothbrush
Finally 1t possible to find I12 adults will
ing to carry through the test in seriousness OF
these, so read only English or languages written
in similar direction. Another so read both
English and some Oriental language
From the test results of these adults it was
indicated that the habit OF reading in a certain
direction is more hxed in the person who reads
only languages travelling in one direction.
Forty-one of those reading only English fol-
lowed the same direction in reading the MIC
lures; seven followed some other horizontal
direction ana only TWO used vertical direction
On the other hand, of the so who read both
Oriental and European languages onlv 10
named the pictures in the English direction
Ten used the back-and- forward method of an
Gent Latin. All the others used some vertical
direction.
Miss Smith was anxious also to test adults
who read only some Oriental language but onlv
10 were found who would submit to the test.
One of the 10 Orientals read the test in the
English direction. two followed the Hebrew di-
rection from left TO right horizontally but the
rest all preferred some vertical direction.
Two Tliterates who were tested read one In
the Hebrew direction and one in inverted old
Latin direction.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01

The method OF running letters down q COL
umn Is followed to some extent in advertising
just how much the advertiser sacrifices in legi-
bility for the sake of the novelty Of the presen-
tatton Is one of the facts that may be dis
closed rs result Of this recent study in the
ease Of different methods of reading
II you have found these samples puzzling
imagine the bewilderment of the little 6-year-
old child in Honolulu who starts to school and
Immediately IS faced with the problem OF trying
10 learn to read two languageS-one beginning
at the left top OF the page and going east and
the other starting at the top right and going
south. Naturally the results are chaotic in
both languages.
Miss Smith was anxious 20 find out how
these youngsters would prefer to read If they
were not forced by necessity to follow the ar
patrary conventions of their elders. In q recent
report 70 the Hawaiian Academy of Science
she described tests which she made to uncover
the natural inclination Of children before at
tending school and also after they had had
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01

In localities where only English is in general
use, this may seem like an absurd question but
not all languages use the left-to-right direction
of printing. In Honolulu, for example, several
languages spoken and read-and they 60 in
contrary directions. There the question Of
which direction is more natural is a practical
one and the answer has been sought by Ma
dorah E. Smith of the Territorial Normal
School in that city.
When you learned to read English you formed
the habit of reading from the top left corner
of the page to the right, skipping
abruptly back to the left to go across the
Ond line, and on to the bottom only to make
another abrupt jump to the top of the next
page.
You have learned this method so well that it
has become automatic with you You read
this way with great ease. SO that even when
photograph is described it is from left to
right"
The person who has read only Hebrew, ON
the contrary, would find 1t very awkward. For
hts language is printed from right TO left and
he has become thoroughly used to that back
ward" system.
THOSE who read ancient Latin followed Stin
another method - they read from left
30 right one line and then back from right
70 left ON the next. This method was called
'ox-track" writing, because it is like the way
the oxen worked back and forth across the field
when they pulled q pillow.
Here Is how q familiar rhyme might look
printed In the ancient Latin style:
Twinkle, twinkle little star
era aOy tah0 rednosO I sooH
Up above the world so high
.yks eht nj dnoraaid ekiL
Could you read it? Was it easy? Well. per
haps YOU didn't need to read it-maybe you
remembered it. All right then-see whether
3tuo II uepS Hoy Cd 70 ,drop eht ezingocer HoS
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01

The results among both the English readers
and the Orientals were probably affected by two
factors-En glish-speaking people have q coHS
siderable amount Of practice in reading up and
down because nearly always figures are read in
this manner. On the other hand, the Oriental
has practice in reading in the horizontal direc-
ton because the comic strip in the Japanese
papers is printed horizontally
The tendency of the youngest children to
begin at the right would seem to show that the
starting point of Oriental languages is more
natural in that they, too, begin at the right
hand" Miss Smith concludes
But the children showed an even more
marked tendency to begin at the bottom which
Oriental languages do not do The preference Of
the children who could not read for the hoFi.
1ontal as opposed to the vertical direction NAV
possibly indicate that that direction is the more
natural; but they show frequently an order OF
their own, the spiral, and preference for re-
versing direction on alternate lines as Is found
In ancient Latin
THE teachers in Honolulu are not the only
ones who have TO deal with the problem OF
the child who insists upon reading and writing
IN the wrong direction. Any one who has had
to teach many left-handed children or children
who have not become fixed In either left OF
right hand habits, has met with the youneste9
who persists in writing backwards.
The tendency is known to scientists Is
"strephosymbolia" twisted symbols. Mirror
writing is the natural method Of writing with
the left hand because movements away from
the center of the body are easier than those
toward it. Persons with strephosymbolia find
mirror writing much easier than does the nor
NAL person, and quite often viii write more
easily in this manner than IN the forward
direction.
Leonardo da Vinci, the fanous Renaissance
artist-scientist wrote his win and many other
documents In mirror-script, puzzling many Of
had devised an original code to keep his
thoughts secret.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01

4 the pictures were pointed out and named,
record was kept of the order in which
they were read" The youngest children fol-
lowed a haphazard scheme, or rather lack of
scheme, apparently beginning with the picture
which interested them mos There was how
ever slight tendency for them to begin with
picture nearer the right margin than the left
and also TO start in the lower part of the mage
Apparently children have to be taught to
start the page at the top 1t is not natural
tendency.
Very young children do not follow any order
at all in the pointing out of the pictures OF
the IS 2-year-olds tested, not c-le followed any
clear pattern and only one showed traces of
q pattern
At the age OF 3. however. some children begin
10 follow q definite pattern. The plan some
times follows that used in one of the Oriental
or European languages, but often it is one of
his own not used in any written language For
example Is per cent of the 3-year-olds used a
sort of spiral pattern-they would name the
pictures in turn all around the edge of the
paper and thea travel toward the center
The proportion OF children following n def
mite pattern increases steadily with age up to
the age of s. That was when the children
started to school, and many of them attended
two schools-the native school where an ORR
entail language, printed vertically was taught
and the American public school where they
were taught to read English in q horizontal
direction.
BY the age of z. the children attending only
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01

instruction in either Oriental language or Eng
fish both. Altogether 74O children from
to years OF age were tested and also liz
adults
The test consisted of reading a page Of pic
lures arranged in five rows of five pictures each
The pictures were of objects which would be
thoroughly familiar to even the youngest chill
dren. They included for instance, q ball, an
apple. q shoe and a cat
The page was laid down squarely in front
OF the person tested with no hint of where to
begin. They were just told, Let's see If you
can tell me what an these pictures are"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01
o,-A-s 81. ~ 81. So
n?,nq, 7?77 n'771n rig n7' aS7 ;vyn

TIE Languages that the nswar direction from right
left A. The TOP line Of Arabic beiew: Ens e
HebveD. each running opposite 10 Ensish
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01
lGdd
BY MARJORIE VAN DE WATER.

kOULD you be able to read this
page more easily II it were print
ed from right to left, or from the
II top of the page to the bottom
" provided, of course, that you had
lnarrnad To In Nlnir
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01

Three different D0ps Of reading. Al
tas t,ft. reading Enslish-beennins al he
icft and going right. Center, reading
HebreD. gcing from right 10 left
Right, reading Chinese-beginnins at the
upper right and going dom.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
ON FILMS
SHOW GAIN

Employment in the California
motion picture industry showed
a 6.4 per cent increase in June
1881, over May, according to the
Business Outlook" compiled by
the Wells Fargo Bank & Union
Trust Company of San francisco,
The paper goods, wood manu-.
factures, food, beverages, and
tobacco industry also reported
gains. -
Factory employment through
out the State was only 0.5. per
cent smaller in June than in
May according to reports of
1,143 establishments to the State.
Labor Bureau.
The number of laborers on.
farms this year is reported to
be smaller than usual, because
diminished field crops and low
agricultural returns are forcing
agriculturists to keep expendi.
lures to minimum levels. Com.
pared with June 1880, total.
employment was off 18 per cent
while all classifications show
decreases from last year. Total
payrolls were 26 per cent less
than in June 1880.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
SEARS,ROEBUCK
PROFIT JUMPS.

CHICAFO, Aug. 7 G.N.sJ.
Profits made by Sears, Roebuck
and Company from January /
to July 16, Of this year, totaled
$6,O08, ,483, an increase Of $780,
916 over the same period last
year, 1t was announced today.
Sales for the seven sales periods
Of 1881 aggregated $1S4, 4,707, ,207,
as compared with $19s.263, ,O0S in
the corresponding period one
year ago. Profits for last years
period amounted to $5,617,567,
it was annonced.
Robert E. Wood, president of
the company, pointed out that
the increased profit came in the
face Of a decline Of $13,5OO,0O
in sales. He explained that the
value per order had steadily de-
clined during the first half of
the year, but an economy program
was installed which gave an in
creased efficiency in the retail
stores,
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
FACTORS NAMED
To WATCH IN
STOCKS
Ten Issues Are Listed Having
Requirements Making for
Fair Near Term Prospects
Bx THE SPECTATOR

NEW YORK, Aug. 7 dN.sJ. /.
With the market in a more or
less indecisive frame of mind. IL
is somewhat interesting to get
wind Of the trend Of thought
in financial quarters intimately
bound up with the movements Of
security prices. -:
There are those who believe
that the present sagging market
Is likely to continue for some
time.
Factors to Watch
Those purchasing stocks around
current levels are advised to give
preference to those issues with
attributes as follows: -.
Well liquidated marketwise.
Selling at a reasonable price.
earnings ratio. .-s
The earnings Of which have
held up or increased during, the
depression.
Issues believed fulfilling these
requirements include American
Chicle, Hershey Chocolate, stan
dard Brands. Kroger Grocery, J..
c. Penney, Bohn Aluminium, Ma.
tional Dairy Products, Chesapeake
and Ohio, Grand Union and Gen.
eral Foods.
Another interesting opinion Is
that taken by a well-known wire
firm, which believes that instead
Of taking an extremist attitude
toward the market. either one
way or the other, the following
factors should be recognized at
the moment:
That investors are not in a
risk-taking mood and that no
great trading enthusiasm should
be expected.
May Go Still Deeper
That we may not so much
deeper into depression.
That any early recovery In bust
ness will be limited in extent. and
quality by unsatisfactory cOndi.
tiOnS abroad and their inevitable
reflection in our foreign trade.
One factor which does not lend
any great hope to near term slis-
tanned improvement in stock
prices is the lack of stability id
bonds.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
CHICAGO LIVESTOCK

CHICAGO, Aug. 7 GN.S0.-
Hogs-14,OoO; 1oc lower; top, 8;
bulk, $5.75-7.SS;' heavy, $5.7C725;
medium, $7.6O.s.0O; light, 1856.
500; light lights, $7.4O-7.90; pack.
ing sowS, $4.40-5.85; pigs, $3.50
7.50; holdovers, 5000.
Cattle-1,500; steady: calves,
500; steady. Beef steerS-good
and choice, $7.50-8.75; common
and medium, $5.50-7.50; yearlings
$7.50-9.25; heifers, 5000 90: cows
$3.O0-5.75; bulls, $3.50-6.0O; calves,
$6.5O-10.O0; feeder steers, $3.50
7.O0; Stocker steers, $4.50-6.75;
stocker cows and heiferS, $3.50
$50. !
Sheep-6,oOO; steady. Lambs
$7.00-7.75; common, $4.00-5.50;
yearlings, 100000; feeders,
$4.5O-5.50; ewes, $2.00-3.5O.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
BOND MART ACTIVE

NEW YORK, Aug. 7 INSJ-
The bond market was moderate
ly active today, although price
movements throughout the list
were Of a highly irregular char:
acter. .
Among the weak spots in the
rail group were the Erie IS Of
'67 which dropped 212 points to
73, the st. Paul IS of rs off q
at 40, and Missouri Pacific IS or
'7S off / at 10.
U. S. Government obligations
were firm with Liberty 31as UNI
changed at 102.15, Liberty 4th.
4As up 1 at 104.26, Treasury 33sS
Of '43 up S at 1929, and Treas
ury 31ss unchanged at 101.tS.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
PENNSYLVANIA
At LOW FOR.
SEASON
N. Y. Central at Lowest Since
1921, and Canadian Pacific
Drops to AII.Time Bottom
By THEODORE KOSLOW

NEW YORK, Aug. z Q.N.S0
Relentless selling pressure against
the rails. together with scattered
liquidation in special issues,
dampened whatever hope bullish
forces had held out for a week
end rallying movement on the
big board today, and for the
fourth consecutive session the
average of prices worked lower.
Offerings in the carrier group
could no longer be attributed en-
tirely to bearish sources for there
were growing indications that in
Vestors were beginning to let go
Of their holdings.
Central Off To 7O1s
New York Central fell back to
levels not reached since 1921 in
touching 70h for q loss Of ~
points. Canadian Pacific sagged
to the lowest price which the
present shares have ever been
quoted, in dipping to 22A for a
loss of a point.
New Haven and Pennsylvania
both hit new lows for the year,
the former slumpins to 59A for
a loss of 2H points. and the
latter off approximately point
at AZ. Among the higher priced
carriers, Atchison broke 4 points
to 143, and Union Pacific was 2
points lower at IA.
The rank and file Of popular
Industrial leaders were more or
less ignored by the speculative
element, with issues such as u. s.
Steel, American Can, Case
ThreShing, Dupont, westinghouse,
and others of like caliber main
tanning a position but fractionally
changed from previous closings.
Amusements Lower
Amusements were slightly lower
on the average, with the Fox
weakness carrying over into Gen
eral Theaters Equipment, the
parent company. which fell frac'
tionally to a record low at 3.
Motors were generally unruf-
fled by the new break in Auburn
which dipped almost 4 points to
1865, and General Motors ana
Chrysler were quoted at slightly
improved levels for a good part
Of the day.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
Buyers Advised to Await
New Selling Wave

New Jersey paid its usual divi,
dendS.
There is some hope that the
German situation may be met
without further disaster. Any
definite progress in this respect
would help the market.
But the list of developments
tending to depress the market is
a long one.
Car loadingS were off last week,
which is unusual for this time of
year. Increased opposition is de-
veloping to the proposed IS per
cent rate advance. The rail
stocks, therefore, show persistent
weakness.
DiSCOuraging Factors
The action Of such leaders as
United States Steel and Ameri-
can Can in sagging to new lows
for the current recession is dis
couraging.
It is now pretty generally &C
cepted that some stocks IRE low
enough. I can see no sign, how
ever, Of that investment demand
which is needed to put the mar.
ket up.
Moreover, it is coming to be
just as generally believed that
some stocks are not low enough.
I have never seen Wall Street so
lacking in bullishness as it is to-
day.
My advice is to wait for some
thing Of wave Of selling before
making purchases. This would
clean out our part Of the weak.
ened positions still being held IN
the old favoriteS.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
Brazil Purchases
Surplus Coffee

A cable to the New York Cot
fee & Sugar Exchange stated
that the Brazilian government to
July 81 has paid for 100000
bags Of coffee valued at 217,O00
contos. The procedure Is in &C.
cordance with previously formu.
lated plans whereby the Brazilian
government has decided to pur-
chase the surplus coffee stocks
Of the old crop to be disposed OF
over a period Of 10 years, and
to prevent any new surplus being
piled up.
The National Coffee Council
has destroyed 1900 bags Of San
toS coffee.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
By LEWIS HANEY

director New YORK University, Bureau
OF Business RsearCh
The stock market continues to
look like case of gradual liqui-
dation. particularly in the lead
ing" stock and in railway issues.
Without any heavy selling pres
sure, there is a rather steady feed
ing out of Steel, Can, Telephone,
Allied Chemical, etc.
Dribbling liquidation in rail
way stocks has been plainly ap-
parent.
"Selling Against Box"
A good many observers appear
to believe that no small part Of
the short selling is really selling
against the box" This is selling
stocks which the investor still
holds.
Temporarily the investor goes
short, but he may later make de-
livery on his sales by taking the
stock out Of his strong box. This
sort Of "short selling" is or may
be a sort Of liquidation.
We can point out. as tending
to support the market, that the
volume Of trading is very low,
indicating no necessitous selling
in any considerable amount. Prob
ably, too, there is a relatively
large short interest which leads
to covering purchases from time
to time.
Some Earnings Fair
The earnings of several compa-
nies have held up rather well.
The Standard Oil Company of
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
CLOTH MARKET DULL

NEW YORK, Aug. z Q.NS0.
Spot offerings constituted the
major part of the days business
but a number Of operators dis
played interest in contract de-
liveries to the close Of the year.
The latter found a number of
supply sources disintereSted in
accepting their preferred business
based on concession and learned
that there is a preference to take
chances over the future course
Of cotton and the ability to
book orders than based on what
ever level cotton may reach
meanwhile.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
WASHINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE

Bid Ask
Col cOgntry Club 5hs...".. leSh Ilo1
" : F5Siis Ss;s 5.Ii;;7 siSE;si s5s:E: s:;; . -.
espi;ol 1%iS r:I 4rse.isn Fs'. Co: 1ss ssR 10
Wash Gas 1t Co. ......... :. 115 ....
N & w Steamboat. ......... t175 1S5
Pot, Elec Power So pfd. :. ia I114
Pot Elec Pwr. 6hs pfd..... 111h 112
wash Ry : ii rtd .::::::: ~: ssH ii6cH
Capital Esf=s... .:.!:::.:.: 3=e: seee.: I17s $50
eommsrci.i eolamsla i:t:mpedj i7s rs as
District .,.................. .l1BS I21O
Fed-Amer Natl Blk & Tr. ATM 81
Liberty '''.......'.'. .-''sl sllS9 lzlV
Lincoln . ......,........... 400 l44O
Metropolitan 1878 l2s5
Riggs .................... 1870 1889
Second ...............A .A.... 166 I210
Washington .............l192 L220
trust Company Stocks
Amer Sec & Tr ,Co........I3I6 I325
Continental Trust .......... ..... l125
Natl Saw & Tr. 1880 I410
Prince Georges Blk & IT,. 2S 40
Union Trust 1900 I225
Wash Loan 4 .I4OO t44O
Savings Bank stocks
Bank Of Bethesda. ..........I IS IS
Com & Savings. .l325 900.
East Washington .......... 20 as
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
GARLOCK PACKING

Garlock Packing Company and
subsidiaries report for six months
ended June 80, 1881, net profit
Of $125,33S after interest, Federal
taxes, ETC., equivalent to 90 cents
a share on 201, ,64S no-par shares
Of capital stock. This compares
with $300,330 or $l.49 a share
in first half Of 1880. .
The Washington times., 1931-08-07

5H SS Yellow Trk BE-. 7X TX 7X+ n
Dividend SymboS-G extra b. dividend in stock; a 81
IN Stocki q. scrip: "Sx-diVidsnd: tOx-rightG
Years high prices carried to pravoun acan
Dtvidsud IN dollars parOnthseaa.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
NeIU Cotton Rates
Effective Sent, Is

The revised basis Of rates ap-
plicable to shipments Of cotton
throughout the South as prescrib-
ed by Interstate Commerce Com
mission will become effective Sep
tember IS instead Of october %,
as originally designated, the COM
mission, announced,
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
DRUG INC. PAYS DIVIDENDS

The board Of directors Of Drug
Incorporated, has declared the
regular quarterly dividend Of 81
per share, payable September /,
to stockholders Of record at The
close Of business August IL.
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
MARINE MIDLAND

Marine Midland Corporation
declared the regular quarterly
dividend Of 30 cents, payable
September 80 to stock Of record
September /. 50
The Washington times., 1931-08-07
After Call

<A4yCA N@A
Capital Traction Company, 10
@39A.
Commercial National Bank, 20
200.
Washington Gas IS, 5000 1O7.
Washington Gas IS B, $1,000
los u; 200@105.
Unlisted Department
National Press Building 5hs,
$1,oOO@6O.
Public Utility Bonds Bid Ask
Amer Tel & Tel 4hs..,.,.I12S T.,.,
Am T & T Ctl Tr I1O6Lf.
Anacostia & Pot r r S.. II
Ana & Pot Guar IS. 9S ...,.
c & P Tel Of Va 5s....... HOAX IIO6h
Cap Traction r r 5s..,.. SO 81
City & Suburban IS. =. y. .. II t,.
Georgetown Gas 1st IS. -. I105 ....
Potomac Elec Cons 5s..... l104h I105h
Potomac Elec 6s.....!.....I1IO l
Wash Alex g. Mt. v ctf... 2 ....
Washington Gas 4hs..... l1OOh t101
Washington Gas 5s........ 1861 800.
Wash Gas IS series A...,..I1OS ...
Wash Gas Sc series 3 ,..IlO6
Wash Ry & Elec 4s........I 92Hs 93k
Miscellaneous Bonds
Barber & Ross Inc 6hs....T Is I.....
Chevy Chase Club 5hs... .l10O l.....