Evening star., 1937-01-23

IT can picture it in my imagination" !"
she explained, with exhibition gall
leries, library, Offices, committee rooms
and an auditorium. Such a
museum could be provided by con-
gressional action. Personally, prefer
that 1t should come, indirectly per-
haps, from this-our own-philatellc
congress. I want it to be all ours, a
gift of the philatelists Of today to the
philatelists of tomorrow. 1t would be
what every good museum must be-a
center for the demonstration of learn
ing, the dissemination of knowledge"
The assembly was fired by her vision,
but it did not surprise them. for we'll
they know Mrs. Manning and her
broad outlook. She is the only woman
ever to hold an office in the American
Philatelic Society, of which she is one
of the vice presidents. She Is also
recorder for the vice presidents, which
means that she does all Of their sec
retarial work. She was one Of two
women on the Committee Of Arrange
ments for the second American Phila-
telic Congress, held at Cleveland last
December. This congress, in recogni-
ton of her many services to American
philately, awarded the first lady OF
stampdom an engraved silver plata
small reward, they said, for a big job,
we'll done.
ALL this would seem TO indicate
that Mrs. Manning is one Of those
super women we hear about. Well,
she may be, but thank fortune, she
doesn't act like it. Quite the con-
trary. She is a kindly. human, self
effacing little lady with lively sense
of humor. She Is the mother Of three
children and manages her own house
in Arlington, Va. Affectionately, she
supervises the stamp collection OF
Hugh, her 9-year-old grandson.
Mrs. Manning's personality is shown
in her advice to the youngster, who
is often more interested in the cata-
logue price of a new stamp than in its
technical qualities. II tell him." she
said, "that we don't want to know
how much it catalogues-that, If he
watches closely and collects conscien-
tiously, the prices will take care Of
themselves"
II don't believe in forcing children, ="
she added, thoughtfully. Teach them
to do thing for the love Of It," Her
tutelage Is getting results, for young
Hugh, to whom she gave his first al
bum a year ago, now has about l 500
stamps!
Stamps are an excellent investment,
however, Mrs. Manning feels, even
though the collector can spend only 4
limited amount for them. She seldom
pays more than Is cents for one speci-
men, yet she has seen those quarters
multiply at a rapid rate during the
passing years. After IS years or 50"
she explained modestly, "a few cents
can we'll become a few dollars. For
instance, in 1904, bought the Canal
Zone issue for IS cents. 1t Is now cata-
logued at STATS. A Panama.
Exposition Commemorative, which I
bought in 1915 for Is cents, lists to-
day for $685."
mot that I'm planning to sell mine" !"
says the stamp curator, smilingly.
1.-THE philosophers tell us that We can't
love inanimate things, but sometimes
when look at those 5000 stamps Of
mine I wonder il they really know.
My preference In collecting is United
States issues, but I feel that all stamps
have the happy faculty of re-creating
history for us. Certain it Is that few
investments bring bigger returns in
recreation, education and friendship
than does even a modest sum spent on
a stamp collection"