The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
WASHINGTON
DAYBOOK'
BY JACK

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-1f you aren't wax
ing your skis or filing your skates, you're
clear out of the running.
What has happened to the vacation and
sports-minded in this country in the last ten
years is something for the historians to null
over. And whenever they start, they will be
going to the records of several government
agencies and at least one private organiza-
ton which headquarters here.
Ten years ago, the American Automobile
association started laying off its staff in Octo-
Der, and by January only a few of the boys
and girls stuck around to keep the lamps light.
ed and see that no Eskimo-minded tourists
lacked for those little packets of fascinating
maps if they did venture out on the unsnow-
plowed highways.
Ten years ago the Civilian Conversation
Corps was no more than a few wisps in the
subconscious of some potential New Dealers.
Ten years ago, most of the national parks
shut up shop in the winter and left only a
few oldtimers around to worry about how the
buffalo herds were going to weather the storms
or about how the bears were alternating in
the bridal suite in Ranier's Paradise Inn.
FIRST SKI TRAIN
Eight years ago, the first ski train pulled
out Of Boston with about 200 popeyed young
MageIlans of the ski-ways staring at each
other and wondering what darn-fool idea had
prompted them to pay good money for such
a junket.
the north and east are easier to get on week
ends than a local to Whistle Junction. From
Grand Central station in New York You can
catch one practically every hour.
Ten years ago, during the four months from
November to February inclusive, less than 20
per cent of the years auto routings were made
by the AAA Now those four months, c~onstitu-
ting a third of the year, account for 40 per
cent of the annual AAA r~outings.
Ten years ago, it was almost impossible to
find winter accommodations in any of the
snowed-in national parks. Now Is of those in
the zero belt keep open all year around, and
in them the CCC has built ski-tows, runs, to-
boggan runs and tin pants slides for miles
and miles.
From Maine to Mount Rainier in Washington
and as far south as Shenandoah in the Blue
Ridge mountains of Virginia, these parks are
doing a thriving business on winter week-ends.
Ski and skating instructors, with Scandinavian
and Swiss names, are as thick as mosquitoes
In summer. And the good sportsman's fashion
note is wax on the seat of the breaches to
show that he has participated in the lowly,
but hilarious, 'tin pants slide"
EXPLANATIONS LACKING
Americas increasing interest in winter
sports has outstripped widest expectations of
national park officials, as we'll as manufacture
ers of the necessary paraphernalia. The for
mer have no explanation for it. Some point
to the improvement in winter travel and the
resultant accessibility of winter Fairgrounds.
Others think Sonia Henie and the indoor lice
spectacles" had something to do with it (sta-
tistics prove that the fad was on its way be-
fore Miss Henie made her debut or 'ice fol-
lies' ever became anything like a winter cir
cus).
But credit it to anything you like. When
the census bureau issues its manufacturing
and distribution reports in a few weeks, skis,
ice skates, and other winter sports equipment
will be in the lists-and not at the bottom. 4