Evening star., 1939-04-11
Go Signal Given
On Building Racers
For Soap Box Derby
Rule Books on Hand
For Boys Second Annual
Stor-Legion Classic

Stor-Leeion Classic
"On your mark-get set-GO."
Director O. C. Holleran gave this
signal today to hundreds of boys in
the Washington area who are ready
to start building their coaster racers
for the 1899 Soap Box Derby, spon-
sored by The Star and the Ameri-
can Legion.
Boys from 10 to Is years old in
elusive are eligible for the derby,
the biggest amateur racing event OF
its kind.
Copies OF the 1889 official rules
were on hand today at the sales
rooms of Chevrolet motor car dealers
in Washington, Alexandria and
Clarendon, Va, and Silver Spring
and Hyattsville, Md.
To enter the derby, boys who are
eligible should visit the nearest
Chevrolet dealer, accompanied by a
parent or guardian, to secure: Cd a
copy of the rules. CD an application
for membership in the All-American
Soap Box Derby and go The Star
American Legion Safety Pledge.
Parent or Guardian Must Sign.
Both boy and parent or guardian
must sign the membership appli-
cation or entry blank and the safety
pledge In the pledge, the boy en-
tering the derby promises mot to
run my derby racer on the streets
or sidewalks in such manner as to
endanger my own safety or the
safety of Others"
Mr.. Holleran called the attention
of boys to the fact they must regis
ter and secure a copy of the official
rules before they are in the derby"
Boys who build coaster cars without
benefit of the rules and then register
later for the derby run the risk of
violating the rules and having their
cars disqualified, he pointed out.
Boys in Washington and nearby
Maryland and Virginia are getting
the benefit of an early start this
year-at least three weeks before
boys in more than hundred other
cities of the United States" Mr..
Holleran said, "and therefore we are
urging those interested to register
early and get down to business while
there is plenty of time to work on
their cars in the wood shops Of the
public schools
Washington Race in July.
The second annual Washington
Soap Box Derby will be held early
in July and the local champion will
go to Akron. Ohio, to race in Au-
gust for the United States and in
ternational Soap Box champion
ships. The national prize is four
year State university scholarship.
The Derby is sponsored in Wash
ington and nearby Maryland and
Virginia not only by The Star and
the American Legion but by more
than so outstanding citizens in all
walks of life.
DR.. Frank w. Ballou, superin-
tendant of District schools, today
allowed his name to be added to the
impressive list of sponsors, making
unanimous the ranks Of public
school leaders who approve the
Derby as a real youth project for
building better American boys.
Other sponsors from District edu-
cational circles include Mrs. Henry
Grattan Doyle, president of the
Board of Education; DR.. Garnett G..
Wilkinson. first assistant superln-
tendent of schools; DR.. Thomas W..
Gosling and DR.. Chester w. Holmes,
assistant superintendents; j. Elmer
Zearfoss, director of manual arts;
Birch Bayh, director of physical ed
ucation. and Mrs Elizabeth K. Pee
pies, director of the Community
Center Department.
Includes Addison, Remon.
From the business field, the spon-
sors' list contains the names,
among others, of Francis G. Addi-
son, jr., president of the Board Of
Trade, and John A. Remon, vice
president of the Chesapeake & Po-
tomac Telephone Co. and long
prominent as leader of the Boys
Club of Metropolitan Police. Mr.
Remon has been interested in boys
work for many years and Is a real
Soap Box Derby fan.
II think the Soap Box Derby
sponsored by The Evening Star and
the American Legion, is a splendid
undertaking, and its growth indi-
Gates very clearly the interest that
the boys of Washington are taking
in this constructive activity" Mr.
Ramon said.
"The more boys we can interest
in this sort af an activity, the fewer
juvenile delinquents we will have,
Mr.. Remon continued. What they
learn from an undertaking of this
kind will be of great value to them
all during their future lives"
(Watch The Star for derby news.)