Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-28
BY MRS. 2. c. ELLETT.
L
President, D. c. ConsreSs of Parents
Toa

and Teachers.
Elsewhere in this paper will be
found an announcement of a
Bring -Book-Dinner-Party' - to
which everyone-everv man. woman,
child-here is invited There will
be no set place for this party: but
| 1t will be held, it is hoped. in every
home, restaurant and hotel-even at
lunchroom counters.
The idea originated with Mrs
Philip Sydney Smith, chairman Of
the Victory Book Drive It is her
ambition to collect thousands Of
disable volumes which will be sent
to the men in our armed services.
The book drive will close officially
on March 6. But undoubtedly it
will continue unof1cially for many
weeks thereafter. for books wear
out from usage just as clothes do,
and therefore must be replaced. To
date more than $4,000 volumes have
been taken to the Southwest
Branch Library, and later sent to
various destinations. But, Mrs.
quests for 1880 books to be used
in the Washington military area
alone, not including any needed for
overseas. So the need is great.
Want Up-to-Date Books.
One needs only to watch the
newspapers and magazines for evil
dence of the activities Of our men
in the service. Many of them find
little leisure time Many Of them
have no place to spend it when
they have it. But almost all young
men like to read-and their tastes
now are much the same as they
were when they were at home. They
like thrilling adventure yarns,
exciting detective stories. good,
thought provoking fiction, solid BIZ
ographies. and certain kinds oftech-
nical books. They like the same
stories that you and 1 are reading
now-the new, up-to-date stories.
They like the old favorites-Dick-
ems, Mark Twain, Poe, Shakespeare.
They enjoy poetry. Their tastes
are just like yours and mine.
But, to come back to the bring
a-book dinner party" Mrs. Smiths
idea is that on Wednesday night.
March 3, every one will bring a book
to the dinner table. No matter
where you are dining, whether it be
at home, in a restaurant, hotel or
at friends home. YOU are asked
to bring book with you to the
dinner table. which you will donate
to the book drive Arrangements
are being made to collect these
books.
Will Collect Piles Of Books.
The idea is an Imagination teaser.
One can visualize piles upon piles
of good, readable books. brought to
the thousands OF dinner tables in
Washington, all to be contributed
to the men in the services. I am
sure that the men who benefit from
this project will be eternally CRATE
full for the thoughtfulness of the
chairman of the committee, and for
the whole hearted co-operati ton
from the citizens of Washington,
which Lam sure will be forthcoming
Go through the books which you
have on your shelves, take out the
ones you think young men would
like to read, and earmark them for
the victory book drive. and when
you are selecting these books re-
member that the paper-bound ad-
venture and detective stories are
most welcome. Take them with you
to your dinner table, and see how
many you and your family collect
in that manner. If you are having
friends in to dine ask them to
bring book with them. If Wash
ington could average one book for
every family the number would be
many more than the $4,000 already
collected.
But don't put it off any longer.
Get the books out now, so that they
NAV be made available to our serv-
lcemen now Let's not wait until
next week or next month, but let's
make this a project where time is of
the essence. and where the official
close of the drive will see a great
outpouring of the materials.
The Parent Education Study
Group, conducted by the George
Washington University, meets each
Thursday from 9:45 to HAS am.