Evening star., 1938-05-30
BROTHERS ENTER
SOAP BOX DERBY
Two Sets Among Boys Now
Registered for Prize
Races in Capital.

Brother against brother-all in .
spirit of friendly competition-will be
one of the features of The Star Amer
lean Legion Soap Box Derby for boys
Of the Washington area this summer.
Thus far, two sets of brothers are
among the steadily increasing list of
entries for Washington's first Soap
Box Derby.
They are George S. Banning. jr, IS,
and Robert w. Banning. II. of 100
New York avenue. Takoma Park. Md.
cons Of George S. Banning. and David
Robb, .. and John Robb. IL. of 3034
Dent place NV. sons of c. E. Robb.
George Banning, jr., Is student at
Paul Junior High. where the derby idea
ia spreading like wildhre. while his
brother Robert goes to Takoma Park
School. John Robb is a Gordon Junior
High student and David goes to Fill
more School.
Preparations Going Ahead.
Plans for the derby, which probably
will be held late in July at a site to be
designated later, are progressing on all
fronts. according to Derby Director
o. J. Holleran, chairman of the Amer
icanism Commission of the District
Department of the American Legion,
which is co-sponsor with The Star
Of the coaster racer event.
The race is attracting not only boys
interested in building their own mo-
torless soap box" automobiles but
those who have shown leadership in
other activities at school and in their
own neighborhoods. in the schoolboy
safety patrols. school athletics and
in the Boy Scout Troops and boys
clubs about the city.
Derby aspirants are being registered
by IL Chevrolet motor car dealers in
Washington, Alexandria and Claren-
don. Va. and Silver Spring and
Hyattsville, Md Entries are restricted
TO boys not younger than nor Older
than l6. A boy who has passed his
18th birthday anniversary on the day
OF the local race is ineligible.
Parents Must Sign, Too.
Each boy who goes to a Chevrolet
dealer to register should be accom-
panied by his parent or guardian,
who must sign with him the applica-
tion for membership in the All-Amer-
ican Soap Box Derby and the safety
pledge for safe driving of derby racers
on streets and sidewalks.
The dealers are furnishing the 1888
official rule book. which gives minute
rules and regulations on how to build
. racing car that will qualify for the
derby.
One OF the greatest attractions to
boy racers are the prizes that go to
the winners-a trophy a gold wrist
watch and trip to the national and
international finals at Akron. Ohio,
on August IA. for the Washington
champion. and four-year college
scholarship for the boy who wins the
United States championship.
OF course there will be numerous
other prizes for Washington racers,
such as trophies. medals and athletic
goods.
More than a score of prominent
Washington citizens are serving on the
Executive Committee for the derby.
Commissioner George E. Allen is
chairman.
Mr.. Holleran is assisted by the two
other members of the Americanism
Commission. Zeb T. Hamilton and
Joseph A. Walker, as assistant direc-
tors.
Friends on Committee.
Other committees for the all-boy |
event will be named later. but on the !
Executive Committee the boys are |
finding a number of their old friends, |
including Scout Executive Linn c. |
Drake, Leonard w. De Cast. general |
secretary of the Young Mems Chris
tian Association: Clark Griffith, owner |
OF the Washington Nationals, Maj. |
Ernest w. Brown. superintendent of
police; TRAFFIC Director William A. |
Van Duzer. j. Edgar Hoover, head of
the Federal Bureau Of Investigation.
and j. Elmer Zearfoss. director of |
manual arts in the District public
schools.
In building racers boys may seek
the advice (but not the actual help |
of their parents and friends, Chevro-
let service managers and mechanics,
while local merchants will sell wheels,
axles and a few other parts which,
under derby rules, may be purchased,
instead Of picked up in the neigh
borhood or made at home.
Watch The Star for derby news.