Evening star., 1937-12-26

To the Editor Of The Star:
I OFTEN wonder how many people ever
think of the boy who delivers their
daily papers other than as just an
other boy There is little of glamour
| in his work, which, indeed, might be con-
| sidered monotonous, and yet there is
| something akin to thrill as look back
| upon that boy which was I, some
As years ago. When see a boy delivering
his papers in good or bad weather think
| of that time in my life.
My first experience with newspapers, in
a big business" way, was when IL or
seem to hear my voice piping out, Extra
Star here, all about the election!' Later
I served a Star route for Mr. John w.
Douglass. route agent, at that time super
| intendent of the Industrial Home School
| for Boys in Georgetown, on Wisconsin
avenue. My route extended from Wis
consn avenue and M street (then Bridge
street) to Woodley Lane, where the Ca
thedral now stands. At that time Wis
consin avenue was known as High street,
later becoming Thirty second street, be-
| fore finally settling down into Wisconsin
avenue. Across from the Cathedral, far
back from the street, was the old Woodley
| Inn.
On that long hike each night served
| from l25 to $50 subscribers, prominent
| among them being such names as Weaver,
| Barnes, Brooks, Kengla and Others Many
of the houses were quite far back in the
field. or at least we'll back from the
street, being approached by long walks
across the front yards. AS a large per-
centage of the residents on this route were
| subscribers to The Star, it can easily be
imagined how sparsely it was settled and
how great the distance between dwellings.
Indeed, it is hard to identify some of
the old landmarks still standing or to
visualize just where others, now gone
or reconstructed, were located.
| That Hike Back Home.
| Intent on serving my papers, the
walk to the end Of my route was not so
firing, but we'll remember the long hike
back home. through mud, snow rain and
heat. I recall how, in my innocence,
| stopped in the car barn of the old
! Tennallytown Railroad near the end of
my route. and asked the superintendent,
| whose name I can't recall if my brother,
who was my helper, and I might be
allowed to ride back home without the
| formality of paying fare. To this day 1
remember how seriously he seemed to
consider the modest request, without
showing the least amusement or ridicule,
and how he made it clear that it could
not be granted, still without causing me
the least embarrassment for having made
the suggestion. I have often tried to re-
call his name, for shall always remember
him as q most considerate and UNDER
standing gentleman.
Mr.. Douglass was great friend Of Mr..
| B. W. Murch. my eighth-grade teacher, in
| the old Curtis School, both fine men of
| sterling character. I became greatly at
| tached to Mr. Murch, who was a most
loyal friend and kindly helper to all con-
| scientious pupils, though stern to a degree
toward recalcitrants
After I outgrew the actual route-carry-
| ing stage, was assigned the job of going
| to The Star Office each afternoon and
seeing that the papers were properly
! counted (by hand) and bundled for each
carrier on my list. During the day at
tended high school in the Curtis School
Building, before the new Western High
School was occupied, graduating in 1894
which was, as recall, the year in which
Capt Joe Taussig won the pennant for
| Western with Company H. its only COM
pany at that time. The years have
passed so swiftly that it seems not so long
ago that rode back to Georgetown from
The Star Office in one of the little two
wheeled yellow carts so frequently seen on
the streets at that time.
Recollection Of Familiar Faces.
So many familiar names and faces are
indelibly fixed in my memory: Mr., Crosby
Noyes, upon whom looked with more or
less OF awe as at a sort of wonder-man.
but whom later found to be most intensely
human and kindly; MI. Theodore W. Noyes,
who seems to me to have inherited his
fathers talents and kindly manner: Mr..
Thomas G. Noyes, whom saw frequently
passing through the Office Of the old Star
Building; Mr.. Fleming Newbold, at that
time, think, manager of circulation: Mr..
| J. Whit Heron, Henry Hanford Carl
Stodder, Roy Heron. Then downstairs.
counting papers with uncanny accuracy
and speed, was George Boyd. remember
well, without recalling his name, q large
well-built man in charge of the presses,
How envied his physique! Then, among
others, was Gait Burns, now manager of
circulation, at that time a mere youngster
like myself. Numerous other faces I re-
call, whose names I have forgotten, among
them the old, large-boned, multi-dressed
newspaper woman whose picture some
years ago saw in Mr.. Theodore w. Noyes'
office. She was something Of a character,
both on the street and in the counting
room where she came for her papers.
Names and faces Of many of the route
agents OF that day still linger with me.
My memory seems to be flooded with
events Of those days, care-free and happy.
though busy. -.
Sometimes regret that was not able
70 become high school eadst because I