Evening star., 1934-03-08
ST, MARYS CITY
WA|TSSTAMP DAY
Army of PhiIatelists Ex.
pected for Sale of Ter
centenary Postage.

Coming events are casting their
shadows before at St. Marys City, Md.
On Friday, March %, when the Mary
land tercentenary commemorative
postage stamp goes on firSt-day sale
there, an army of philatelists is ex-
pected to descend on the town, and
the community already is busy with
preparations to receive and entertain
its visitors.
A first-day rush invariably is a
prodigious occasion, and the tiny post
office which serves the ordinary needs
of st. Marys is hardly suited to
| accommodate such a tidal wave of
business. The building is a mere
polka dot on the landscape, perched
on the side of the State road above
historic St. Johns Creek. Built of
ordinary timber, painted white. it
has stood for six undistinguiShed
years, entirely adequate for usual pur-
poses, but only theoretically competent
for the anticipated celebration. With
in its walls, four persons would be a
crowd.
Iand-Canceling Die.
Mrs. Ethel Goddard, postmistreSs,
has nothing but hand -canceling die
to mark outgoing mail and she won-
ders how she will manage if 100000
covers pour in upon her March 23
She has been on duty 10 years, but
| her experience does not include emer-
gencies. Yesterday she said, Il only
know what I've read in the papers.
The Post Office Department author
tiles have not informed me of their
be sent down to sell stamps-if any
at all" She. added that she did not
want her photograph printed.
But Robert E. FellerS, Superintend-
ent, Division of Stamps, says she need
! not worry. He has been to st. Marys
City, and has made personal survey
| of conditions. An ally has been found
! in Miss Adele M. France, principal.
st. Marys Female Seminary, and
| through her courtesy a fine large
/ music room in the school will be avail
| able as supplementary postal station
/ Electric canceling machines from
| Washington will be set up in advance
! of the sale, and a dozen experienced
clerks will be on hand to operate them
in the approved philatelic manner.
Mr.. Fellers himself, will have charge,
! and his secretary, Mrs. Louise ShaWen,
a veteran of several first-day scrim-
| images, will be his first assistant ST.
MaryS City temporarily will be q
third-clasS post office. credited with
all the cancellations of the place and
time.
Miss France. Mrs George H. Harris
and Mrs. Nelson Macomy, wife of
the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church,
are wondering what arrangements to
make for feeding the expected crowd.
The seminary might provide 200
luncheons. and the parish house is
! large enough to take care of at least
! half that many. Also. there are sew
eral wayside hot dog" stands in the
neighborhood, and, as the ladies say,
perhaps some of the collectors will
bring their own lunches"
Much depends on the weather. If
the day is clear and bright, the rush
will be commensurately greater than
would be the case if it were dark and
rainy. But the real, true, fanatic
flrst-day cover enthusiast. Washington
philatelists declare. will be at St.
Marys City. March %, though the
heavens fall-climate is one of the
things they care nothing about.
Indications are that the Maryland
stamp will be an exceedingly popular
| philatelic item. Not many are being
printed.