Evening star., 1939-10-15
By James Waldo FaaUceft
and D. H. Davenb0rf.

and D. II. Davenport.
The ever-growing interest in phi
lately was impressed upon postmas-
ters attending the annual conven-
ton of the National Association OF
, Postmasters, held last week at the
Mayflower Hotel.
Post once Department frames of
stamps were displayed in the lobby
of the hotel, at the Capitol Theater
and in q show window at Woodward
q Lothrop's.
Alvin r. Meissner, artist of the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing,
gave nightly demonstrations of the
execution Of stamp designs, and a
motion picture entitled "The Travels
OF q Postage Stamp" was shown
hourly.
A f1at-bed printing press was set
up in the hotel lobby, on which
specimens of the current red and
blue Scent airmail stamps were
produced.
Five airplane companies took 2,108
postmasters on flights to acquaint
them with the operation of mail
planes, and there was a demon
stration of the new airmail pick
up and delivery now providing So
Eastern cities with direct daily air
service. Another demonstration
showed the operation of an auto
giro plane now in regular service
between the Camden Airport and
the roof of the post Office at Phila-
delphia.
Although postal officials had pre-
viously declared that no mail would
be carried on the demonstration
flights, Eastern Airways sponsored
the servicing of 5000 cachet covers
for the poStmasters and their guests.
These philatelic souvenirs were
flown from Philadelphia on the au-
togiro, landing on the Mall Thurs
day afternoon.
A resolution approved by the post
masters during their convention
recommended the issuance of 2 and
3 cent stamps with appropriate de-
signs for use during the Christmas
period.
In this connection an official as
sociated with the Division of Stamps
suggested that a distinctive special
delivery stamp for Christmas mail
ing might prove popular. The use
Aof such stamp would make it
possible to dispatch greetings for
delivery on Christmas Day.
A group of New England post
masters urged the issuance of a
special stamp to commemorate the
300th anniversary of the establish
ment of the first postal service in
America.
. The following story from Roper's
History of the Post Office Depart
ment" gives little-known informa-
ton relative to the manner in which
early settlers received and dispatched
messages:
"The colonists brought to America
no ideas of postal service from Eng
land. The general post Office of
Great Britain was not established
until 1857. and the service was not
extensively developed until after the
close of the 18th century. The
colonists. moreover, were separated
from one another both by vast dis
tances and by their political and
religious differences There was
scant desire for communication
among them.
The mail which the early Ameri-
can colonist regarded as important
was that which crossed the Atlantic
and kept him in touch with the
motherland. Masters of ships leav-
ing England for America would un-
dertake for ! penny each to see let
ters safely delivered across the
ocean at some reputable tavern or
coffee house, where the addresses
could call for them. This ocean
penny postage appears to have been
profitable to the shipmasters, as it
was the custom of some of them to
place in certain coffee houses in
London receiving bags for letters,
which they collected before sailing
and carried on board their ships.
For the convenience of those
who expected or wished to send
these ship letters the General
Court of Massachusetts, in 1889 or
dered that Richard Fairbanks, his
house in Boston, is the place ap-
pointed for all letters which are
brought from beyond the seas or
sabout to be sent thither; (they) are
to be brought unto him, and he is
to take care that they be delivered
or sent according to their direction,
and he is allowed for every such
letter l penny and must answer
all miscarriages through his own
neglect in this kind, provided that
no man shall be compelled to bring
his letters thither except he please
LAS this is the first record of
any official beginning in any of the
Colonies of a postal system, Rich
ard Fairbanks has frequently been
referred to as the first postmaster
in America. However, there is no
evidence that this early post Office
at Boston received or delivered local
letters or was engaged in any cor
respondence with other communities
in America. For many years the
only postal development took the
form of crude arrangements for
handling these ship letters and for
sending and receiving official let
ters."
Two sets of stamps will be issued
by the Commonwealth of the Philip
pines on November Is to commence
rate the fourth anniversary of its in
dependence.
Both series comprise three stamps
In the 2, 6 and II centavo values.
One will depict the Arch of Triumph,
symbolic of American and Philip
pine friendship, while the other will
picture the Malacanan Palace. A
third group, showing President
Roosevelt signing the constitution
Of the Commonwealth, was planned,
but was deleted in Difference to the