Evening star., 1941-05-18

Demetra Baeas. student at Paul
Junior High School. And it will
continue to live there always, re-
gardleSs of what happens to the
country and its conqueror.
For the most memorable period
In Demetra'S life thus far is the
six months she spent in Greece
in 1887. Both her parents had
come from there-her father from
1ssari and her mother from Sparta
so the trip, for them, was home
coming. But to Demetra, it was a
new and thrilling adventure-"the
most wonderful trip I have ever
taken," she says in a letter to The
Junior Star.
II X X
Demetra and her family landed
at PiraeuS, the Athens port that
was mentioned in so many news
dispatches during the blitzkrieg.
Athens seemed just as modern
as an American city," Demetra
writes. I'VE enjoyed our stay there
and took many trips to the Par
thenon and the other buildings on
the AcropoliS.'
After a few weeks in Athens, the
family went by train to Mr.. Bacas'
home town. 1T was fun climbing
the mountain on horseback and
having our relatives tell us all about
their life at Issari," Demetra re-
calls. 1--WE stayed at this lovely
village for more than a month,
and every morning we would rise at
5 o'clock, 60 out with our cousins
and try to help them tend their
sheep and goats"
The travellers spent more than a
month in Issari, then entrained for
Sparta, where they stayed nearly
two months. Demetra went to
school with her cousins until their
vacation began.
School started at 8 O'clock" she
says. "At II, the children went
home to sleep; they returned to
school at 2, and their day ended
at or S.
Sparta is small but compar-
atively modern" she continues
MANY times, when my uncle and
7 went walking outside the city
we would pass green olive trees and
see ruins of the ancient barracks
and temples of old Sparta. Once
we saw the remnants of a theater,
round piece of land with steps
circling it, and many inscriptions
on slabs of stone all over the
field. I have often wanted to go
back and read those Inscriptions
after I learn ancient Greek"
X X X X
The family visited relatives and
friends in other parts of the coun-
try, but Demetra liked Issari best
of all the places she saw. She would
rather live there than in any other
community in Greece.
I'm the summer it is very warm,
and the people practically live in
the fields" she explains. I'm the
winter they usually have what wish
Washington had feet of snow
and sometimes even more"
X X X
Demetra was particularly i'm
pressed by the games played by the
school children of Sparta.
Every June, at the close of school
all parents, relatives and friends
gather at the modern blue-and-
white high school. which is at one
end of the CITY," her letter goes on
''It has huge track for running, a
place for all kinds of jumping and
room for any number of games
When I was there the children OF
running and jumping ability COM
peted until there was only one left
The honor went to the visitors
school and parents, and the children
expected no reward. They were
judged by the citys leading men
and always received fair treatment
I was in a relay race between the
girls of two schools, and I wish now
that I had entered more contests.
x X
Demetra's trip also took her tC
sthe Azores, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Ma.
Piles and other European cities. Anc
when I grow up" her letter con-
cludes, Il hope to revisit all these
places many times again."