Evening star., 1937-08-29
More Tips
On Hobbies
Given Here
F feather Collection
and "Pen Friends"
Are Described.

~ ~ oNhNiy /" bioAS ICPaihl OiiC. ouO
both are highly recommended by
several readers Of this page, who dis
cussed them in letters entered re-
Gently in the letter. writing contest
conducted for young writer's in and
near Washington.
The following letters on Hobbies"
which take up these two subjects
failed to win prizes in the contest,
but are published because Of their
merit and general interest.
Margaret Volker, IL, OF 1910 North
Edgewood street, Arlington, Va,
wrote: my hobby is collecting birds
feathers.
Il started it a little more than a
year ago with few parrot feathers
and an envelope of love bird feathers
given me by friend During last
Summer I found many feathers from
such birds as the bluejay, thrush,
robin and others common in the
suburbs Of Washington.
Il also found several feathers at
the Zoo from the macaw and parrots
and one each from the swan, egret
and peacock. The last, though small,
is beautifully iridescent.
During the Winter I did not find
any feathers, but since last Spring
my collection has gotten consider
ably larger. A keeper at the Zoo got
feather from the cage of the argus
pheasant for me not so long ago. It
is 1872 inches long, and the largest
in my collection. The next in size
is turkey feather 14o4 inches long.
1t has a beautiful strip of gold color
at the end.
Il now have So feathers and often
visit the bird house at the Zoo in
search Of new ones for by collection"
Jean Marie Boyer, IA, of 266 Park
avenue, Takoma Park. Md, writes that
her hobby-letter-w writing-is "fasci-
mating and profitable"
What boy or girl doesn't like to
receive letters?" she inquiries. who
doesn't like to make friends? And
every one likes to earn money" she
continued. Therefore this should be
the favorite hobby of all children.
Il still get thrill whenever I re-
ceive letter. 1t is like free chance
at grab bag. Through this hobby 1
make friends who live in towns all
over the country and in foreign States
(quite painlessly, too. Another side to
this hobby is in contests like this one.
You will find quite few of them if
you look for them. Though I seldom
win anything, it is fun to try and read
the winning letters to help improve
my next one.
L first started this hobby when I
was abount IL years old. A poem I
had written was published in our
Sunday school paper and a girl read
it and wrote to me- Six months later
I had another poem published. and
this time three girls wrote to me. I
became very much interested in this
hobby then, and began to write to
girls whose poems, articles, jokes, etc,
were published in papers and maga-
ZINES. Before knew it I had a very
interesting hobby. At present am
corresponding with girl in Iowa, two
in Ohio and one in Tennessee. one in
upper Maryland, one in Pennsylvania
and one in Holland.
In contests I have won only 81 al
together, but think of the fun I've
had"
More tips on making pen friends"
are given by Dorothy Swingle, 16, of
29Ol Legation street. An interview
with Dorothy was published recently
on this page, so only few paragraphs
from her letter will be used today.
Il have map which tells the story
OF my hobby" Dorothy wrote Every
in which have a correspond
ent is colored red, and the four corners
are generously spotted. I also have
four pages in my photograph album
filled with snapshots of my pen pals
along with pictures of Northern
Rhodesian antelope and an Australian
kookaburra. French castle, South
African polopony, German lake,
Turkish cemetery and Dutch lake.
My postal cards are from II different
countries :. and, of course, my stamp
collection has grown tremendously
from GIT in October, 1884, to 2,159 in
February, 1887.
Il write my first letter addressed to
any young person who wishes to cor
respond with an American girl and
though only about two out of five are
answered. it is well worth the scent
stamps.
MY many varied, but related hob
bies, have given me an interest in
geography, and I have found that
people in other parts of the world are
human after ALL"
Editors note: More letters on Hob
bies" will be published in the future.
Watch for the final three prize-win-
ming letters of the August contest
written on the subject, How I Spent
One Vacation" These will appear
next week.