Evening star., 1938-04-25
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

reader can get the Gns,Der to anv
question OF fact By Driting The Euenino
Star Information Bureau, Frederic J.
HaSktn. Director. Washington, D. C.
PleaSe tnciose stamp tor reply
Q; When were the McGuttey Readers
published?-J. P. M.
A. The First and Second McGufYey
Readers appeared in 1886, the Third and
Fourth in 1897, the Fifth in 1874, the
Sixth in 1857.
O. What city celebrates mule day3
j. X.
A. Columbia, Tenn, the home of the
largest street mule market in the world,
celebrates mule day annually on the
first Monday in April.
@. How many stamp covers were flown
on the Baltimore Bermuda airmail
flight in March?-J. G.
A. The Post Office Department SAYS
that there were 7l,113 covers flown on
the March 16, 1888, Baltimore Bermuda
airmail fight.
Q. What is meant in the Bible by
camefs going through a needles eye2
R. w. R.
A. According to some Jewish his
torians, the needles eye was the name
Of small gate in the Wall of Jerusalem
through which camel by stopping and
being divested of all its pack and bur-
dens might squeeze.
G. How many trotting race tracks are
there in the United States?-W. H. B.
A. The National Trotting Association
says that there are SAT trotting race
tracks in the United States.
O. How long has the amaryllis been
grown in this country?-E. H.
A. Plant breeders became interested
in the amaryllis back in the 18th century
and both English and Dutch gardeners
developed the earliest hybrids In 1909
Department of Agriculture plant men
brought IL amarylis varieties from Eng
land and began working to produce new
colorS by -pollination. For years
they worked to bring out a pure white
blossom and the first of these was eX-
hibited in 1920. In 1884 an American
Amaryllis Society was formed and in
April of that year the new society spons
sored its first national show at Orlando,
Fla. The Department of Agricultures
yearly show at Washington, D. c., is
still the largest exhibition of amaryllis
in the country.
O. Are unclaimed bank deposits ad-
vertised in the papers in New York
State?-H M.
A. New York State has law provid-
ing that any account that has remained
dormant for Is years or more shall be
advertised annually for five years in
local newspapers designated by the
State superintendent of banks.
@. Who succeeded Joseph P. Kennedy
as chairman of the Maritime Commits
sion?-E. OK.
A. Admiral Emory S. Land has been
appointed chairman of the United States
Maritime Commission to take the place
of Joseph P. Kennedy, who is now Am
bassador to England.
G. What is the origin Of the Knights
of the Garter?-W. H. F.
A. Two stories are given concerning
the origin of the Order of the Garter.
One is that Richard 1 at the siege of
Acre caused some of his officers to tie
leather thongs around their legs as
distinction. However, the origin of the
order Is generally attributed to Edward
III. According to legend. the Countess
Of Salisbury while dancing dropped her
garter. The King picked it up and
bound it about his own knee, with the
words, "Honi soft qui NAL y pense"-
Evil to him who evil thinketh."
@. How many students are enrolled at
West Point?-A. l.. c.
A. The total number of cadets at the
United States Military Academy at West
Point is 1859.
@. Who is the patron saint Of avia-
tion?-E. G.
A. Our Lady of Loretto was chosen as
the patron saint of aviation in 1920.
@. When was the first chain depart
ment store started in the United States?
&C. j.
A. According to Famous First Facts,
the first chain department store in the
United States was the Zion Cooperative
Mercantile Institute, created in 1868 in
Utah.
O. Whom did Theodore Roosevelt call
the most useful citizen?-H. l..
A. After the death of Jacob RiiS,
Theodore Roosevelt sent telegram to
Mrs. Rils saying: Il am grieved more
than I can express I feel as if I had
lost my own brother. Jake's friendship
has meant more for me than can ever
say. I mourn with you and wish I
could say anything that would be any
comfort to you" He then commented:
when I was police commissioner Of
New York 1 felt that Jacob Riis was
the most useful citizen in New York.
In all the United States I never knew
a more useful man nor stauncher
citizen"
@. How did the Russian custom origi-
nate of giving elaborate jeweled eggs at
Easter?-W. G.
A. According to Herbert P. Whitlock,
curator of gems of the American Mu-
scum of Natural History, the custom Of
exchanging eggs at Easter was very
old one in imperial Russia. According
to an ancient legend. Mary Magdalene
gave the Roman Emperor Tiberius a
hens egg dyed red as q symbol Of the
risen Christ. Up to the close Of the
World War, the great mass of the Rus
sian people yearly gave one another
hens eggs dyed red. Among the
wealthier class, eggs carved from the
variously colored Russian decorative
stones were used. The Emperor Alex
ander III inaugurated the custom of
presenting to the Empress at every
Eastertide specially elaborate and