Evening star., 1938-04-25
j. s. WILL MARK
A|RMA|L' START
National Celebration Set for
Week of May 15-First
Flight Was in 1918.

With a national celebration that
will reach into every community in
America. the Federal Government will
celebrate during the week Of May l5-
81 the first scheduled airmail flight,
made May IS, 1918, between New York
and Washington:
The plans will include the commits
sioning Of hundreds of 'airmail pilots
for a day" and the establishment on
May l9 Of airmail feeder routes in
every State On that day any com.
munity which has an airport may
arrange to take its place on the Ma
tion's airmail network.
Washington <ill be the focal center
Of the celebration. High school essay
contest winners in every State will bt
brought to Washington for national
honors, Federal aviation officials will
take active part in the week OF cele-
bration and the original airmail route
will be re-flown by the FIRST pilot to
complete a scheduled airmail run-Lt
James c. Edgerton. now a research
specialist in the Bureau of Air Com
merce.
Special CachetS.
The Post Once Department has
authorized the use of special airmail
cachets in all parts Of the country on
May l9 and will itself sponsor one
for use on mail to be dispatched from
Kitty Hawk, N. c., birthplace OF the
anplane
Chairman Frank R. McNinch. chair
man of the Federal Communica tions
Commission. has offered a personal
award to the American radio station
which gives the most cooperation in
local educational and stunt broadcasts
in connection with the airmail cele-
bration during the period March 81
May 81. The award is to be known
as the McNinch Educational Airmail
Award
State, county and municipal cele-
brations in all parts of the country
are scheduled during the week and
there will be an airline cooperation
day on May l8, with special pro-
grams at air transport terminals.
The weeks celebration, under the
sponsorship Of the Post Once Depart
ment. local postal oficials, chambers
OF commerce. the American Legion
and similar organizations, is expected
to result in a new period Of airmail
expansion, possibly greater than any
in history. in the opinion Of postal
chiefs.
Students Vie.
Thousands Of high school students
In all parts Of the country now are
at work on essays and posters in ma
tional contests sponsored by the Post
ONCE Department. Prizes, in addi-
ton to the trip to Washington, will
include transcontinental air tour,
with all expenses paid, to either Holly
wood, Calf, or Miami, Fla. Local
prizes also will include flights, plaques
and other awards.
The first flight will be re-enacted
on May Is, when the first pilot will
be flown over the original route in a
modern airmail transport of Eastern
Air Lines and will broadcast over ma
t1onal hook-ups description of to-
days flight as contrasted with that of
20 years ago.
On May 10 an army Of "airmail
pilots for day" will inaugurate hun
dreds Of one-day airlines in every
State, and at the same time there
will be commemorative air demon
strations over the scene of the first
airplane flight at Kill Devil Hill, Kitty
Hawk, N. C.
State committees. cooperating with
the Post Once Department, will select
routes and the contributary cities and
towns, and will set up schedules for
airmail pickup service and flights to
mainline airmail stops, where the
mail will be placed aboard regular
transports.
Displays Planned.
Governors OF all States have been
asked to issue appropriate proclama-
tions and newspapers, radio systems,
theaters. advertisers and schools have
been asked to aid in the campaign.
Displays Of stamp collections, model
airplanes and other' collections are
planned.
The National Airmail Week Com
mittee is headed by Postmaster Gen.
eral Farley, honorary chairman, and
Paul r. Younts, executive chairman.
Among its members are Second As
sistant Postmaster General Harllee
Branch, in charge Of airmail, and his
deputy, James w. Cole; Stephen A.
CHler. general superintendent of the
railway and airmail service: Charles P.
Graddick, superintendent of the divi-
sion Of airmail service, and State
chairmen in each State.
1T Is expected that as q result of
this campaign every American will
be impressed with the airmail service
and the progress which has been made
IN aviation since the airmail service
was established" Mr.. Branch said.
1T Is also expected that every citizen
viii be acquainted with the advantages
which the airmail service affords"