davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-30
STATE

"Sing Me A Love Song, starring
James Melton of radio, concert
stage and screen fame, Is to be en-
joyed today and tomorrow at War
ner's State theater. Patricia Ellis,
Hugh Herbert, Zasu Pitts, Allen
Jenkins and Nat Pendleton are in
the supporting roles.
1t is a highly entertaining song
and dance fest with three new
catchy tunes and two old favorites.
But 1t is not all music by long
shot. There Is one Of the most en-
pertaining stories the screen has
produced. There are laughs by the
car load, some thrills, and a ro-
nance that will gladden. every
heart.
Melton sings all of the songs,
mostly in solo, but one with a male
chorus, and one with Miss Pitts,
who bursts into melody for the first
time in her career. Two numbers
are staged and directed by Bobby
Connoly, one on the roof of de-
partment store and the other In a
honeymoon cottage within the store.
The companion feature Is Legion
OF Terror, story ripped from SEN
sational newspaper headlines OF a
few months past, telling one OF the
strangest stories ever to come from
American life. Bruce Cabot, Mar
guerite Churchill and Crawford
Weaver head the cast.
The activities of the Infamous
hooded legion that terrorized many
communities in the midwest pro-
vides the theme of the film, as the
title may have limited. Much ex-
element Is injected into the pic
ture when the federal government,
in the person Of postal inspectors,
go to work on the hooded folk when
they attempt to send time-bomb
through the mails.
Don't forget tonight is Bank
Mite" with $50 reasons why you
will want to attend. Also 1.-THE
Good Will Chest" which Is proving
exceedingly popular with State fans
as the weeklys roll by.
Tomorrow night the State will
hold a gala midnight show TO wei
come the New Year. Headlining the
program will be the premiere pre-
view of Gold Diggers of 1887" with
Dick Powell, Joan Blondell and
hundreds of Hollywood's most beau
tiful girls. Also I'm His Steps a
new dramatic smash hit with Eric
Linden and Cecilia Parker.
Tickets are now on sale, so and
rs cents with loges reserved. Make
up a party and welcome the New
Year at the States midnight show.
A big time for everybody.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-30

you recall, dog. Sc
Anyway, Fitzmaurice applied
for the job and got 1t. He was so
good that he beat out he gent
who does all the barking for Walt
Disney's pup, Pluto. This and
some subsequent barking engage
ments won him chance at seri-
GUS dramatic roles on the air.
In no time at all the movie peo-
pie were knocking at his door.
His first important role, oddly
enough was in "Treve", the AL
bert Payson Terhune dog story.
But Fitzmaurice didn't bark in
that one. Indeed, now that he's
an actor, he says he'll never bark
again. S@
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-30

Movie star? No, Chloe EIrod, above,
is q film executive
joke. But when Miss Elrod starts
talking, they realize they're being
interviewed by one of the bosses.
She was born near GAINESVILLE,
Tex, and one of her grandfathers
was G. A. Walling, the big oil
and-cattle man. But she went to
high school and college in Los
Angeles, and was determined from
the first to get into the production
end of movie-making.
Several studios have offered her
acting contracts. She says mo,
thanks" It's more fun to remain
behind the scenes.
Banks Up Right Tree
If you want to crash the movies,
but are talented only as an
ear-wiggler or a hen-cackler,
don't despair. Michael Fitzmaurice
Is movie actor today, with a
nice contract, because he could
bark like a dog.
For six years he tried to crash
Hollywood, and for the same six
years Hollywood tried to make it
plain that 1t wished no part Of
Mr.. Fitzmaurlce. Eventually he
became discouraged and turned
publicity agent. That got him into
a radio station, where he turned
announcer and new commentator.
One day an executive heard
him amusing friends with his
barking. 1t was a trick he had
learned as kid. The executive
said that frantic search was be-
ing made for the voice" in the
radio production of 1.-THE Voice Of
Bugle Ann" Bugle Ann was, If
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-30

gravel voice. He Is a little sensi-
tive about his ferocious face, and
his stock retort to all wisecracks
is "You amt no Rembrandt your
self"
AS a specialist in roles which
have a very high rate of mortal
ity, Wilson estimates that he has
been killed at least 80 times. He
remembers being hanged three
times, electrocuted twice, and
moved down by tommy-gun in
four pictures.
On the other fatal occasions he
was just plain shot, or Dashed
with a blunt instrument. Only
once was he stabbed, but that was
while he was on loan to Universal
for heeby- jeeby item called
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-30
TAN Club PLANS
MINSTREL REVUE
Annual Event to Take
Place January s in st.
Joseph's Hall

Many surprising, new, and novel
attractions will make the annual
minstrel and dance of the tam
GLIB at st. Joseph's hail January
8, one Of the most outstanding in
years. The cast will be under the d.
rection of John j.. Jannetty, with
Miss Edith Belotti as accompanies.
Peter Augelli, president Of the
club, will occupy the role Of mas
ter Of ceremonies, and Joseph La
vecchia, is chairman Of the COM
mittee on arrangements. Anthony
Comardo has been appointed chair
man Of the program committee, as
sisted by Anthony Vitarelli. Andrew
DiPietro is supervising the distribu-
ton of advance tickets. Other. serv-
ing on the committee are John
Fisher, George Ricciardi, Rocco
Genua, Thomas Lepore, Peter Aug
ellli, John Juliano and Naff Mari
marc. f"-
Included among the principals of
the cast are several well known
dance, song and comedy performers,
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-30

1.-THE Cat Creeps".
Dying, says MIR. Wilson, isn't SO
easy as it looks. 1T takes a lot
of practice = learning to fall right,
he declares. II can't just flop
over, because on the screen it
would look like going into a faint.
And imagine a mug like me pull
in swoon No, sir, when I die
I pass out like light"
One of his little jokes is the
statement that crime does pay
Being screen gangster has paid
him handsomely. But that's the
only handsome thing about him.
Before coming to Hollywood he
was a professional wrestler, and
before that a sailor.
He looks somewhat like his IA
vorite actor. Wallace Berry, and
sometimes he serves as Beery's
stand-in. Wilson's nickname on
the lot is "Cuddles," but there are
not many people big enough to
call him that to his face.
Beautiful Boss
There are lot Of pretty girls
over at Universal this season,
but one of the prettiest is not an
actress. More remarkable than
that is the fact that she doesn't
want to be an actress.
She an executive. Her name
is Chloe Elrod, and she Is the
studios assistant casting director.
Newly signed players and candi-
dates for acting contracts get quite
a start when they are shown into
the presence of blue-eyed blond
vision with peaches-and-cream
complexion.
At first they suspect that one OF
the studios starlets has been
planted behind the desk for a
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-30

Additional features in sancing win
be provided by Anna Erfichetti.
while Romeo Ricciardi, and John
Fisher. u. have arranged . pleasing
accordion duet. The endmen during
the evening will be Ralph Ventresea
and Louis DiPietro. veterans In this
capacity who need no further IN
PRODUCTION.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-30

such as ar. and MRS. Alex Conan.
do. Mis- Lucille ColuccL youthful
tap and buck dancer and Daisy
Dillon with the tam Mites quartet,
Others to be heard during the
program will be Billy Carbon, who
recently appeared on Fred Aliens
program, Patrick Stack, popular
singer Dob Arcar, and Frank, Orso.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-30

and Vincent. Alice Kennedy, Joan
Mavis, Lou Petel, Sam Gould, and
20 Ha-Cha beauties who appear in
the many song and dance numbers.
An extra New Years eve midnight
show will be given on Thursday
night at 1880 o'clock.
The next burlesque revue coming
to jacques theater next Monday
matinee is called "Steppin' Stars"
and features the beautiful Yvonne
and Sam Raynor and fifty other
singers, dancers and comedians and
specially stars. Ladies' matinee
every day at Jacques theater at pop
ular prices.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-30
BY PAUL HARRISON

NEA Service Staff Correspondent
Hollywood.-The most murdered
man in all Hollywood is Harry
Wilson, who has been in every
gangster and tough sea picture
filmed at M-G-M in the last ten
years.
Mr.. Wilson is 2lO-pound plug
ugly with a flattened nose and
Evening star., 1936-03-06
Ignorance and Prejudice
Govern District Taxation

To the Editor of The Star:
The Star says editorially: Nothing is
to be gained by berating Mr.. Blanton"
The charitable thing to do is to give
Mr.. Blanton credit for being sincere and
assume that his attitude is due to a lack
of knowledge and we'll seasoned with
prejudice. The writer owns no real
estate to be taxed and can therefore
speak up without being charged with
having an ak to grind.
The District tax rate is all right. but
the assessed, or taxable values. are mostly
all wrong to the extent that on a fair
cash valuation the real estate tax burden
in the District will average at least z
per cent.
The writer has yet to find buildings
undertaxed, while the great ma jority are
overtaxed. Many are taxed on valua-
ton double their real worth. When
making appraisals one is led to wonder
II the word depreciation" is in the
vocabulary of the tax assessor. Ask any
one with even fair knowledge of values
If he would recommend purchase with
taxed values as guide and he would
only laugh. .-..-...,
In view of excessive assessments and
other abuses the investor Is subject to
in many instances, rents have to be high
In order for real estate investors to get
even a fair return ON the investment.
1t is reasonable to assume that a new
and competent assessment for purposes
Of taxation would cut Is per cent off
the present income from taxes on real
estate in the District Of Columbia 1t
is easy to prove to Mr.. Blanton or any
fair-minded individual that District real
estate is heavily taxed.
e. M. PETERSON,
Evening star., 1936-03-06
Heroic Endurance as
The Show Goes On
To the Editor OF The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
How little the public realizes the silent
heroism frequently required of our execu-
tive artists in every field, appearing under
most trying circumstances-with the
facts wholly unknown to the audience,
who, indeed, never stop to consider the
possible existence of such vicissitudes.
Artists, forsooth, should be of super
caliber: subject to none of the ills that
flesh is heir to!
Sylvia Lent-until year ago resident
OF this city-came from the Pacific Coast
chiefly to appear here on Sunday after
noon as soloist for the National Sym
phony Sunday concert. During her
superb rendering of the Bruch Violin
Concerto" in Constitution Hall, who
could have possibly suspected that only
one hour before the concert an abscessed
ear (possibly resulting from a recent at
tack of f1u) had been lanced under gas,
that the ear was still draining while she
awaited her call in the green room. and
that during such an exacting perform
ance the ear was SO stuffed with cotton
that at times it was difficult for her to
hear the orchestra adequately? Yet her
legato was q joy to listen to-, her rapid
passages characteristically finished and
true to pitch and her attack in the
spirited finale rhythmically vital.
Schumann, upon hearing the first
work of Chopin. cried: Hats of, gentle
men, a genius!" We. in turn, are surely
entitled to cry: Hats off, gentlemen. a
heroine!" PERCY LEE ATHERTON.
Evening star., 1936-03-06

impairment Of the elemental principle
Of freedom and responsibility. The
theory is that politics Is everybody's
business; and 1t may be, in effect, q
form Of treason to endeavor to escape
the obligation inherently involved. Ger
tainly those who refuse their civic liabil-
tiles are in no position to complain Of
misgovernment.
And the same observation may be
made with regard to other issues. Pro-
tests against vast number Of current
ills are registered by persons who never
on any occasion have presumed to
realize that their own default Is to
blame. For example, there is the doc
trine, more or less widely held, that
the churches 'lack vitality" 1t Is 4
favorite theme among folk who rarely
attend religious service.
But the instinct to shun self criticism
is not utterly indefensible. Indeed, In
trospection may. lead to despondency
and chronic melancholia II 1t be over
INDUCED. Better by far is a rational
balance Of mind which permits wise
discrimination between divergent values
plus or minus. And that can be
achieved by the careful cultivation OF
philosophy Of choice predicated on
conscience, not on convenience. 1t hap
pens that complexity is enhanced, rather
than diminished, by unavailing policies
Of laissez -faire.
Evening star., 1936-03-06
Petworth Branch Library.
and particularly tn,

washington and particularly the Pet
worth community are grateful to the
House Appropriations Committee for its
approval and initial appropriation of
funds for the greatly needed Petworth
branch Of the free Public Library. The
new building will cost $15O,OOO and efforts
will be made, in spite of rising costs of
construction, to obtain as fine building
as the new Georgetown branch, which
cost the same amount. The site for the
Petworth branch, on the grounds of the
new Roosevelt Senior High School and
the Mcfarland Junior High School, was
already available. This means that the
entire ppropriation-$75,00 900 this year
and an equal amount next year-will 60
into building construction.
The citizens of Petworth have been
urging and petitioning for this new
branch library for many years. 1t will
supply the needs not only of the educa-
tional center with which 1t shares the
site, but Of large residential area
hitherto relying in some degree on the
Mount Pleasant branch, the facilities of
which have been sorely overtaxed. The
new building will mark the third branch
library erected with public funds, the
two others being the Northeastern and
the Georgetown libraries. The Takoma,
Southeastern and Mount Pleasant
branches were built through Carnegie
corporation grants.
1t Is unfortunate that the Public
Library system as whole did not fare
as well as the request for the new Pet
worth branch. Funds for book pur-
chases and personnel are lamentably in
adequate in view of the increasing de-
mands for library service. 1t is to be
hoped that the Senate committee will
be able to remedy, in part at least, this
deficiency.
Evening star., 1936-03-06
Conplexity.

The ever-increasing cofnplexity OF civ
ilisation prompts a natural reaction IN
favor of what has been called "the
simple life" But 1t may be wondered
# anything worth while can be done
about the problem. Also, there is reason
to doubt the deslrability Of willful retreat
from the world as 1t is.
To illustrate the difficulty, the case
OF al, average citizen may be cited. One
evening recently he remarked to his
wife: 81 suppose we might as well put
the radio in the attic for the next six
or eight months. The air will be full
of political speeches, and simply dare
not get interested in them. I have too
many other things to think about
OF course, the speaker was justified
In his attitude Of resistance. Yet it
would be fatal to the welfare of the
Nation if majority of the people were
to follow his example. In a democracy
universal concern for the state IA q
duty which no one may. avoid without
Evening star., 1936-03-06
Shooting Stars.
BY PH1LANDER JOHNSON.
Strange Hero Worship.

Strange Hero Worship.
When crowds lift up mighty cheer
For some one who is drawing near
You naturally turn to see
Who such favorite can be.
rs it some general" you ask,
Or some great scientist whose task
Has helped the progress Of mankind?
Is it statesman wise and brave
Whose thought averts our perils grave
Or some athlete whose well-knit frame
Has won the proud award of fame?
And as you press and struggle through
The throng to gain nearer view
You find that 1t is not of these
That the admiring public sees.
1t is a man who has defied
The penalty Of homicide.
Evening star., 1936-03-06
Errors in Star Story on
Kindergarten Anniversary

TO the Editor OF The Start
I should like to call your attention
to two errors in the article entitled
ID. G. Schools Kindergartens Observing
Thirty eighth Anniversary" by Jessie
FAINT Evans. which appeared IN your
Sunday issue for March /, 1885, page B-4.
The following statement is made: 1.-THE
white kindergartens were located in the
Addison, Amidon, Dennison, Monroe,
Seaton, Peabody, Buchanan ana Bruce
Schools. The Bruce Is now used as q
school for colored children" In this
connection permit me to say that the
Bruce School was then and is now q
school for colored children, but was at
that time under white supervision.
Further in your article the statement
appears under EARLY kindergarten
Teachers: Among the white teachers
who pioneered with Miss Watkins in
the teaching and motivating OF those
early kindergartens which set a pattern
of excellence for our Nations Capital
were Miss Mary I. Sewell, Miss Nellie
d. Moot, Miss Alice M. Parker, Miss
Mary v. Griffith, Miss Eliza Green, Miss
George C. Vance, Miss Carrie w. Green,
Miss Katherine Brown, who Is now Mrs.
D. w. Prentiss: Miss Emily Carr, Miss
Harriet Foster, Miss Daisy Prentice,
Miss Isabel Meloy. Miss Juliet Searle,
Miss HALEY and Miss Jane McKnew."
The Miss Carrie w. Green named here
should have read Miss Cora w. Green;
who is now Mrs. Cora w. Wilkinson.
Miss Cora w. Green was appointed to
the District of Columbia public school
system in 1898 and was the colored
kindergarten teacher under white super
vision at the Bruce School.
shall appreciate it If you will pub
lish this letter in an early edition of
your paper.
MRS. CORA w. WILKINSON.
Evening star., 1936-03-06
Even Birds and Squirrels
Are Victims of Speeders
To the Editor of The star:

To the Editor Of The star:
Noting in Thirteenth street near
Arkansas avenue this morning a tree
almost fully budded. pair of jays, which
I also heard; slain squirrel and q
slain dove in the center of the highway,
is it not fair to assume that Spring is
fast approaching?
Quick though squirrel may be; like
wise, though less SO, dove, it was easy
to see that flying motorists, now that
the fever of Spring Is upon them, are
even more quick. One may judge of
the speed of motorists in Thirteenth
street at the point Indicated by the
strewn feathers of the unoffending dove
and the mangled carcass of the equally
unoffending squirrel.
The campaign of The Star for legal
speed driving might well be reimpressed
upon the Traffic Bureau For about three
hours in the morning and for similar
period of time In the afternoon the
average speed of motorists in Thirteenth
street from Upshtir street to Kennedy
ana beyond (and vice versa) approxi-
mates 35 to 40 miles an hour. Try to
cross Thirteenth street at such times!
DAVID MONTGOMERY.
Evening star., 1936-03-06

until the first Of the thrush's song pat
tern is heard through the trees.
That viii he several days before the
bird is aeen. ana probably few blocks
from our garden.
Then, one day, he, too, will be hop.
ping around on the lawn as If he, too,
had never been away from us.
They come and they go, and none Of
us has anything to do with 1t at all.
We accept their arrival and we accept
their going away from us, and none Of
us has anything to do with either.
The birds teach us lessons Of accept
ance, without which life Is too hard.
The thrush Is the one bird we would
miss. ..s
We would have the little sparrows and
the big starlings everywhere, but only
to the suburbs come the woods thrushes
One may exist for many years without
knowing thrush, but after 1t has been
watched for some months. and espe-
cially its music sunk deep into ear and
heart, its departure would be like losing
a real old friend.
A thrushless world, thereafter, would
be unthinkable. at least, to those who
love the birds.
And this, too, may be q natural, and
1t may be an acquired, taste. Because
this latter is true, Is why many OF us
profit.
If the liking for our feathered friends
of the tree tops does not come
naturally, in the blood, as 1t were, still
1t may blossom into something very
wholesome and fine, merely by taking
thought.
It is one Of the beauties Of intelli-
gence, that one may think ones self
into good things as we'll as into bad ones,
into the liking for the>more subtle COM
Partnerships of life as well as the more
disreputable ones.
There is no more subtle companion
ship than that between human on the
earth and bird in the air.
There are certain gifted persons who
can have friendships with a fish in the
water.
So why not with bird?
The creature may never know about
it, but even he, in his little way. responds
to the friendship, and understands 1t
the best he can.
st. Francis was one such, and preached
to them, as follows-and surely they
understood:
my little sisters. the birds. much
bounden are We unto God. your Creator,
and always in every place ought ye to
praise Him, for that He has given you
liberty to fly about everywhere, and hath
also given you double and triple raiment;
moreover, he preserved your seed in the
ark of Noah, that your race might noe
perish out of the world; still more are
We beholden to Him for the element of
the air which He has appointed for you;
beyond all this, We sow not, neither do
We reap; and God feedeth you, and CIV
eth you the streams and fountains for
your drink; the mountains and the val
leys for your refuge and the high trees
whereon to make your nests; and be-
cause We know not how to spin or sew,
God clotheth you, you and your children;
wherefore your Creator loveth you much,
seeing that he has bestowed on you
SO many benefits: and therefore. my little
sisters, beware Of the sin of ingratitude,
and study always to give, praises unto
God"