The Wilmington morning star., 1940-11-17

this city.
Dutch so we'll that she sometimes
has to hunt for the exact phrase
in English.
After the Holland interlude, MIR.
Van Starkenborgh returned to Bel
GUM, this time as Minister, and
then four years ago, he was ap-
pointed Governor General of h e
Netherlands East Indies.
In ordinary times the Governor
General is rarely in Batavia. He
lives most of the time {: the Butt
enzorg Palace, less than an hours
drive from Batavia. There is also
a third residence in a mountain
resort. But since the invasion of
Holland, they have been living in
Batavia almost continuously.
The palace in Batavia is a most
attractive and unpretentious build
ing, of one story, like nearly all
buildings here except offices. One
enters on the traditional red ar
pet-across the reception hall, i'm
pres5ive with crystal chandeliers
and gilded furniture, impressive
but not ornate. Mrs. Van Starken-
borgh and I talked on a porch out
side what is probably called the
library, a quiet. pleasant room
dominated by the portraits of their
two daughters. The younger, who
is 16, is here in Java; the elder
%, i in Holland, at The Hague,
caught there by the German in
Vasion.
Mrs. Van Starkenborgh is keen
ly interested in everything con-
nected with the East Indies. We
talked for two hours. or rather she
talked, l only listened. AS the wife
of the Governor-General she is
president of one large charitable
organization, to assist needy ma
tives; and patroness for countless
other such enterprises. She is ire
mendously interested in education
al work, especially the smaller pri-
vate projects.
She told me about one school for
low-class Eurasians, boys f o m
small communities who had the
usual failing of those of mixed
blood-they thought they e e
above working on the land, yet
had neither sufficient intelligence
nor the training fa' other work.
A Dutchman and his wife h a d
started this school, tc teach them
better methods Of cultivation, and
to try to eradicate his idea. 1t
was very small, only about thirty
pupils, and was just barely manag-
ing to exist.
At the time Mrs. Van Starken-
borgh visited them, they were in
such dire straits that they were
going to have to sell their COW.
Whereupon she arranged that the
COW be donated to them, and in
all probability her PERCEPTION in
seeing the real value of the pro-
ject vas partially responsible for
the schools getting a subsidy la
ter.
Before catastrophe overwhelmed
Europe, the Governor-Genera
made it a habit to tal.> extensive
trips to various parts of the East
Indies twice a year, accor panied
by Mrs. Van Starkenborgh. On one
occasion when they were in Su-
matra, she decided they should
visit a small island nearby where
there were still very primitive
tribes.
Life there is primitive, really so.
The houses are built on stills to
escape the swamp. The men wear
leaves, the women a sort of grass
skirt, the children their birthday
suits. The inhabitants were much
enthralled at safety pins, and sew
eral beautiful gold ones were for
mally presented. Then, seeing
some nails loose on one of their
boxes, Mrs. Van Starkenborgh
thought maybe they would like one
Of them. She just managed to grab
her offering back before a m a n
could poke it through his ear.
Mrs. Van Starkenborgh is a
niece of Mr.. and Mrs. j. Victor
Granger, of this city, and has
visited here in Wilmington many
times. Her mother was the former
Miss Fannie Granger, of Whining
ton, who later married Mr.. Mar
burg. MIR. and Mrs. Marburg spend
part of every year in Whining
ton. al
Birty Announced
Mr.. and Mrs. R. S, Tilden,. Jr.,
announce the birth of a son, Ro-
land Seamon Tilden, III, on Tues
day. November 5. at the Marion