Evening star., 1939-05-08
Engineering Director
OF Soap Box Derby
Launches Task
Must Arrange Facilities
For Contest to Be
Held July 8

With Washingtons second Soap
Box Derby exactly two months away,
Assistant Derby Director Zeb T.
Hamilton settled down today to his
task of engineering the contest.
This is a big order, because 1t
means arranging for location of the
tents, platforms and grandstands
needed for guests and race officials,
location of the starting ramps and
the starting zone. as we'll as room
for thousands Of spectators, and
back of the race course room for
their automobiles.
From the starting zone several
hundred boy racers will be moved
down to the ramps where, running
four in each heat. they will roll
doWnhill in their quest of the 1899
Washington Soap Box Derby cham
pionship. The Derby will be held
July 8. The place will be announced
later.
Meanwhile, the coaster racer that
Norman Rocca, Is. of 2237 Nichols
avenue Sc, Anacostia Junior High
student, piloted to victory in the
Capitals first Derby last year went
on an exhibition tour of Washing
tons junior high schools today. The
tour will continue for the next two
weeks.
Several thousand school children
were turning out at Powell, Mac
farland, Paul and Langley Junior
High to see the winning racer
which bears the colors and the
name of The Star and the official
seal of the American Legion.
From lis am to 1915 pm, the
racer was to be on display in front
of pcwell Junior High School, Hiatt
place between Irving street and
Perry road NV. After this first
stop, where several Legion leaders
were to be visitors, the car was to
be taken over to Mcfarland Junior
High, Iowa avenue and Webster
street NV. at 1890 pm.
At Macfarland, Joseph A. Walker,
chairman of the Derby General
Committee, chairman of the Legion
Americanism Commission and men,
ber of Fort Stevens Post, was to
Join the exhibition tour. The cham
pionship racer was to be shown at
Mcfarland from 1890 pm. to lis
pm.
The next stop was to be the real
Soap Box Derby hotbed of the
entire Washington area, Paul Junior
High School. Eighth and Oglethorpe
streets NV. at l:30 pm. A large
number of Paul students have en-
tered the Derby this year.
The last point on today's exhibi-
ton itinerary was Langley Junior
High, First and T streets N. E., to
be visited at 2:l5 pm.
Hine Junior High, Seventh and
c streets Sc. and Jefferson Junior
High, Sixth and D streets NV, are
on tomorrow schedule. The gold
and-brown racer will be taken to
Hine High at 1:30 am. and to JET
ferson at 1890 pm.
Derby Director o. c. Holleran will
Join the tour tomorrow and will
meet the children at Hine and JET
ferson who turn out to see the racer.
Hugh Armstrong, assistant District
Scout commissioner and member of
the Sea Scout Council, who is taking
part in promoting the Derby, was
to visit Langley High today. He
will continue with the tour tomor-
row.
Champion Norman Rocca will be
with his Derby winner Wednesday
when it visits his own school, Ana
costa Junior High, Sixteenth and R
streets Sc. at 11:30 am. To Mr..
Hamilton falls the task of laying out
locations for such Derby fixtures as
first-aid tents, refreshment stands,
shelter for clerks, determining meth
ods for handling racers and equip
ment. marking off the course for
running of the races and fixing
places for the public address system,
timing equipment and radio broad
casting The assistant director also
will plan ways to protect property
adjoining the race course.
Boys interested in the Derby have
ample time in which to make their