Evening star., 1932-03-28
RAIN LIMITS FUN
=. AT EGG ROLLING
But Mrs. Hoover Revives
Spirits of Youngsters.
Crowd Is Small.
Continued From First Page.)

NOAAA
she would have them all in to the
party indoors, where some $50 children
of the official family were being enter
tanned, if space permitted.
The First Lady expressed the wish
that the children enjoy themselves in
spite of the weather and then descended
to the south grounds. followed by uni
formed attendants bearing baskets of
Easter eggs.
President Hoover was unable to leave
his desk to go out to see the chill
dren on the lawn until the time came
for him to return to the White House
for luncheon. With Mrs. Hoover be-
side him, he walked to the rear portico
shortly after / o'clock and for a mo-
ment or so stood looking on at the
smiling though shivering youngsters on
the ground below. The President fire.
quently waved to the children and
received responding waves.
The ver.' small children in the crowd,
formed a line and shuff1ed forward
eagerly to accept an egg. One toddler,
who may or may not have been through
the line before, was greeted by Mrs.
Hoover with:
I'm sure I haven't seen this little
Red Riding Hood before, so here's a
nice red egg for you"
When the gates were thrown open
at 9 o'clock bleak northwest wind and
driving rain had reduced the usual
hundreds to a handful of parents and
children bearing umbrellas and muff1ed
in woolens, gloves and overshoes. The
temperature was lowering in the upper
30s and the White House grounds were
sodden.
AS the morning progressed and
brought no sign of clearing weather,
g F1llr tv,
was abandoned because OF wet grass
and cold. The circus revue was pre-
sented on the graveled drive below the
south portico by members OF the Girl
Reserves of the Y. w. G. A, whose
animal and circus entertainer costumes
were heavy enough for the low tenn
perature.
Many at Reception.
A check-up at the south gates today
revealed that more than 5000 visitors
came to the egg-rolling before noon,
but more than half of them had left
when Mrs Hoover came out to greet
the youngsters.
The reception in the east room OF
the White House was well attended by
children of diplomats, members OF
Congress and Government officials.
After being greeted by Mrs. Hoover, the
youngsters we're served refreshments in
the state dining room, and later re-
turned to the east room to see mlnueL
dance in costume put on by members OF
the Girl Reserves. This number was
to have been presented on the lawn
outside. Later the official children col
lected on the south portico and waved
a greeting to the visitors on the grounds
below.
While the weather was responsible
for one of the smallest crowds in the
history of the traditional event, it fail
ed to dampen the spirits of several
hundred youthful irrepressibles, who
rolled their eggs down the gentle slopes
of the south grounds, blowing on their
fingers to warm them and shouting
gleefully.
Use Rubber Eggs.
This year, it seems, has produced an
innovation in Easter eggs, gayly
painted rubber variety, which will with
stand the most enthusiastic rolling. A
White House policeman drew back IN
some alram when he saw a youthful
, reveler preparing to hurl an egg to
the sidewalk near him. The officer
was astonished to see the egg strike the
pavement, and rebound high into the
air quite intact.
What sort of an egg Is that?" asked
the astonished officer.
Rubber" answered the youngster,
scurrying after his treasure. There
are lot of 'em around here today, be-
cause they roll better"
The traditional egg rolling, sport
which Is comparatively unknown to
children of other communities. was
staged on the graceful slopes thrown
up by Andrew Jackson, in stimulation Of
his native Tennessee hills.
A section of the Marine Band played
for the children at the indoor White
House party, and the band was ex-
pected to turn out in full force this
afternoon for an outdoor program be-
tween and o'clock on the south
grounds.
While only adults accompanied by
children were admitted to the grounds
this morning and early this afternoon,
the gates were to be thrown open to
the general public at 3 o'clock.
Some of the youthful visitors who
recalled having seen President Hoover's
grandchildren, Peggy Ann and Herbert,
Sd, during the egg rolling last Easter,
were keenly disappointed today, when
informed that the young Hoovers were
with their parents this year at Pasa-
dena, Calf