Evening star., 1939-04-20

Supt. of Schools Nicholas Orem
of Prince Georges County, Md.
today gave his support to The Star.
American Legion Soap Box Derby
and brought the Prince Georges
school system into the pre-Derby
campaign.
Any high school boy in the county
eligible for the midsummer coaster
racing event will be allowed to work
on his racer in the woodshop of his
own school. Manual training teach
ers will cooperate in the program.
Meanwhile, o. c. Holleran, Derby
director, issued call to all boys 10
to IS years old, inclusive, who plan
to enter the Derby to register now
Even If boy has the 1899 rules and
already is working on his car, he Is
not in the Derby until he registers" /"
the director said.
Every boy who drives in the Derby
will be given an all-steel helmet and
a sweatshirt, both bearing the Soap
Box Derby emblem. These will be
worn in the local race, to be held
early in July. I'VE must know in
the near future how many helmets
and shirts to order. and to do this
We must have good line on the
total number of boys who will race, ~
he asserted. Directions for registra-
ton are printed elsewhere on this
page.
Derby List Growing.
The Derby entry list is growing
bigger every day, the Derby director
said. A number of boys who raced
last year for the championship of
the metropolitan area are back
again, not only in the lists. but at
work, In their home or school, build
ing another soap box car.
Boys in the Derby must build their
own cars with actual assistance only
from boys Of Derby age. They may
secure the advice OF parents and
other adults Groups of boys, there
fore, may join together in making a
racer, naming one Of their number
as the driver. Not only the schools,
but boys clubs, Boy Scout troops,
public Fairgrounds, Community Gen.
ter groups and sons Of American
Legionnaires are taking part In the
Derby.
Mr.. Orem said, 1T is G pleasure
to approve and to support the sec
ond annual Soap Box Derby, spon-
sored by The Star and the Amer
ican Legion for the boys of the
Washington metropolitan area.
"The Derby is an excellent prof.
ect for boys from 10 to is years old
because it stimulates their creative
genius, occupies their time in a
pleasant and instructive pursuit and
teaches them the principles of good
sportSmanship.
Teachers to Consult.
THE schools" he continued, can
do lot to make the Soap Box
Derby success and I assure you
the Prince Georges County school
system will do its part. The shop
teachers In the high schools will be
glad to consult with boys who are
building coaster cars for the Soap
Box Derby and to allow use of the
woodshop facilities for making and
assembling the parts. The teachers
will be free to allow credit for a
completed project to each boy who
builds his Derby car.
"Mr. Elmer K. Zeller, vocational
director of industrial teaching in
Prince Georges County schools, and
the woodshop teachers under his
supervision will be glad to Coop
crate with the boys, The Star and
the American Legion" Mr.. Orem
said.
"The winner of the Washington
Derby will go to Akron, Ohio, this
summer to race for the National
Soap Box championship. AS an ed
ucator, I know of no finer prize than
that offered the National Soap Box
Derby champion, a four-year schol-
arship. all expenses paid, to any
State university in the United
States"
= AAAAo 4OA VA1C OClUy were OlS.
cussed by Mr.. Zeller and the shop
teachers in a meeting Tuesday
night at Maryland Park High
School, Seat Pleasant, Md.
Teachers Who Will Aid.
Teachers who will participate in
the Derby program In Prince Georges
County are John Helm, Marlboro
High, Upper Marlboro; Edward
Arnold, Mount Rainier High; Robert
McNabb, Surrattsville High, Clinton;
Fred Alexander, Laurel High; Edwin
Corbln, Oxon Hill High; Chester
Wurl, Greenbelt High: Rufus Jacoby
and James F. Grove, Maryland Park
High; Arthur Robinson and Samuel
Beeler, Bladensburg High, and Ralph
Angel and J. A. Valade, Hyattsville
High.
Today's list of new entries con-
tanned the names of several stars of