Evening star., 1943-05-09
10 BicycIists Leave
For WILLIAMSBURG
On Organized Trip
American Youth HosteIs
Movement Reports First
Activity in This Area

Memories of an era when "A Bi-
cycle Built For Two" was more than
a song, were recalled last night when
10 young men and women, carrying
bicycles with them, left by boat for
Williamsburg, Va, inaugurating the
first trip Of the Potomac Area Amer
ican Youth Hostels, Inc.
Assistant Attorney General Nor
man M. Littell, who is president of
the group, was at the pier to see the
party leave. He said he expected
this modest beginning would grow to
a point where $4,000 young persons
would be leaving Washington on
organized trips each weekend, on
holidays and vacations.
BY arranging overnight accommo-
dations in farm houses, homes or
lodges, at an expense of only rs
cents night for each person, Youth
Hostels hopes to restore, during war
time, at least, mode of life that
provided bygone generations with
recreation, happiness and romance
before the advent of the automobile.
The first group, forming nucleus
OF hostel leaders coming here from
other sections OF the country. at
tracted the attention of Washing
ton and Norfolk Line passengers as
the five men and five women wheeled
bicycles across the gangplank. In
wire baskets fastened to the handle
bars the bicyclists carried kits con-
tanning articles needed on the trip.
They were dressed In slacks or other
outdoor clothes.
Dream Comes True.
To Sylvia Miller, 3629 Ordway
street NV, a native WashingtQnian,
the trip held out the prospect OF a
big thrill. ITS something I've
dreamed of doing, and now we are to
have organized parties" she said.
Il know I'm going to like it."
Mr.. Littell grew nostalgia as he
watched the young people depart.
He remembered his boyhood days on
the farm.
"A lot of U.S." he murmued, have
forgotten the good old-fashioned
pleasure Of taking a walk, and
lot more have long regarded the
bicycle as a plaything for boys and
girls, long ago crowded out of prac-
tical use by the automobile age.
Now that We are all thrown back
on our own resources, and are dis
covering a lot of elementary pleas
ures We had forgotten. there are
thousands of men. women, boys and
girls in wartime Washington, most
Of them strangers in these parts,
who need only q little help and
organizational direction to reach
the highways and byways leading
to beauty spots such as Mt. Vernon,
the Great Falls, the Blue Ridge
Mountains and Shenandoah VAL
ley. the Chesapeake Bay region,
Annapolis, and innumerable coun-
try places in Maryland and along
the Potomac River. A lot Of exer-
else, sun. air and fun is available
along the way"
Movement Is Successful.
The Youth Hostel movement has
been highly successful in the New
England States and the Great Lakes
region. Those making trips desire
only plain accommodations They
carry their own sleeping bags and
do their own cooking. What the new
Washington movement lacks chiefly
now is hostels, places for young peo-
pie to stop.
Until the local unit gets fully on
its feet. President Littell said he
hoped 1t would receive "the assist
ance Of the Community War Fund,
which Is expected to act upon our
application within the next few
days"
An announcement will be made
later as to the ONCE to be estab-
lished where information can be
readily obtained as to. anticipated
trips. Our concentrated population
Of war workers is imperatively in
need Of An introduction to outdoor
Washington
On1cers Of the Potomac Area be-
sides Mr.. Littell are: Clifford Pin
chot, honorary president; Mrs. Fred
erick Brooke, vice president; DR..
Fayette s. Warner, secretary, and
Col. Julius I. Peyser, treasurer.
The sponsoring committee and ad-
visory board consists of Mr.. and
Mrs. Clifford Pinchot, Monroe and
Isabel Smith, Robert N. Anderson,
Paul H. Appleby, Mr.. and Mrs.
George c. Clarke, Mrs. Wilson
Compton, DR.. Paul F. Douglass, Anne
Goodwin, Mrs. P. c. Elicit, Mr.. and
Mrs. E. I. Fulton, Rabbi and Mrs.
Norman Gerstenfeld, Mrs. Florance
Kerr, Mr.. and Mrs. Judson King,
Mrs. Eric Kjellstron. Mrs. Jean Mar
burg, DR.. N. P. Nelson, Mrs. Cecil
NJ. Roeder. the Right Rev. John A.
Ryan. Paul Sifton, DR.. and Mrs.
Fayette S. Warner, Mrs. Gertrude
L. Warren, Lyle F. Watts, Gordon
Zimmerman, Mrs. Norman M. Lit
tell, Earl w. Loveridge, James T.
Nicholson, L. c. Schroeder and Mrs.
Sally Vucinich.