Evening star., 1935-12-01
Cipics Is Hobby No. I, With Stamps No. 2
For III. N. StulI, Stanton Park Leader
School Affairs Seen as
High Up Among His
Many Interests.
Wal,ts Driving Permits
Hard to Get and Easy
to Lose.
BY JOHN III. Cassidy, Jr.
TIME stamp collecting public of
Washington, the city often

washington, the city often
spoken of as the philatelic
n capital of the world, has an
enthusiastic member in Harry N. Stull,
president of the Stanton Park Citi-
Zens' Association and recently elected
first vice president of the Federation
of Citizens Associations.
Philatelist Stull started his collec-
ton when he was quite young, forgot
about it for a number of years and
then took it up again several years ago.
But Stull has found two schools Of
thought concerning this popular di-
version, he told reporter who inter-
viewed him at his home. at 408 Fourth
street notreast, recently.
"Philately has often been called the
king of hobbies and the hobby Of
kings" he said, laughingly adding,
but there are some who regard it as
mild form Of insanity"
Has Collection of 1900.
Stul enjoys his hobby despite the
opinion of this latter group. But he
insists his collection of some $4,000
stamps is small in comparison with
those of other philateliSts.
If his stamp collection has suffered,
it is probably because Stull has def
nitely placed another hobby in the
front seat, relegating philately to
position No. in the field of side
interests.
The other hobby is civic affairs, in
which Stull has become one of Wash
ington's foremost leaders. He has
been a member of the Stanton Park
unit for a great many years, was
president from 1926-1928 and then
elected to the post again this year.
Born in Frederick, Md, Stull came
to the Capital City when he was 6
years old and has resided in the STAN
ton Park section since that time. Soon
after joining the citizens group of that
area he was chosen as delegate to the
federation and has served there for
about II years.
Interested in School Affairs.
Stull has distinguished himself in
the position of chairman Of the fed
eration's Education Committee, which
he has held for the last five years.
School affairs. one might say, have
always been the favorite "subhobby"
of Stull'S favorite hobby.
He believes the high schools are tre-
mendously overcrowded. The ele-
mentary school buildings seem to be
in favorable condition but junior and
senior high schools are wholly made
quate to meet present requirements,
he says. Improvement of school facili-
ties is one of his major fights at all
times and, incidentally. he feels the
present Board of Education personnel
to be 'the best in my experience in
school activities"
Stull is also member of the fedora
tion's Law and Legislation Committee
and a vice president of the Interfed-
Grafton Conference from Montgomery,
Prince Georges and Arlington Counties
and the District of Columbia.
He is greatly interested in that i'm
portant and perplexing problem of
traffic-and he has some very definite
ideas on things he feels might aid ma
terially in reducing the huge yearly
traffic toll
His first suggestion, which would
attack the problem from two angles,
may be stated very simply: Make it
harder to get a drivers permit and
make it easier to take the permit
away"
More rigid examinations of permit
seekers must be started" Stull de-
clared. Something should be learned
about the applicants past; it should
be definitely established he is physi-
cally, mentally, temperamentally and
financially fit before he gets a permit
Can man get permit to operate
railroad locomotive just by answer
ing a few questions and taking easy
testS?" Stull asks, then answers, mo,
of course not. He is trained for years
before entrusted with the care of
human lives"
Training Held Need.
Automobile drivers should be trained,
Stull believes, before they are allowed
to take their cars onto the streets and
highways. And when driver is found
guilty of a major traffic violation, his
license should be revoked Immediately
by the officials.
Stull does not string along with that
group which believes the problem can
be solved by widening the streets to
allow swifter movement of automobile
traffic. He points to the figures an
nounced by Traffic Director William
A. Van Duzer, which show the greater
number of accidents occur on the
broader thoroughfares.
SubWays may come in the future,
but right now they are only visionary,
according to Stun. BuSSes eventually
will take the place of street cars, he
believes. but right at present the prob
lem is to get one standard fare fixed
for both branches of the transit serv-
ice. On some bus lines the fare is
straight 10 cents, he says. while on
others, which have replaced street car
lines since the merger, the fare is
street car token.
Turning to sports, we find Stulls
favorites are foot ball, base ball and
basket ball. He used to play all of
these. He is quite interested in the
stadium and National Guard Armory
project on East Capitol street; says
that will mean a lot to the Northeast