Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-17
BY MRS. p. c. Elicit,

President, District Of Columbia Congress
of Parents and Teachers.
The second Victory Book drive is
now we'll launched, and we shall
hear of it frequently between now
and March 5, when it is supposed
to end. The first drive for books for
| our servicemen resulted most sat-
isfactorily, but since that time many
| thousands more boys have been alb
sorbed into our armed services, and
many thousands more books are
needed 70 provide them with enter
| tanning reading matter for leisure
hours.
In spite of the fact that thousands
of splendid books were contrib
uted in the first drive there we're
other thousands which had no
value at all as reading matter for
young men. In fact, am told that
at least one copy of The Care and
Feeding of Children" turned up in
the Washington collection!
Normal Reading Tastes,
There's no reason to think that
| because John or Tom or Joe has
been sworn in as member of Uncle
Sans armed services he has be-
| come overnight the kind of young
man who would dote on delving
into the intricacies of a learned
tome written quarter of a CEN
tury before on subjects which no
longer strike responsive chord in
the memories of even their fathers
and mothers. But there is every
reason to believe that these same
boys are just the same in khaki or
blue as they were in multi and that
their reading tastes are much the
same as those of any normal 10 to
Is year-old.
What is wanted, and wanted des-
perately, are books that you would
read with enjoyment-books of ad-
venture, recent books of fiction, in
Guiding hair-raising detective sto-
ries; recent biographical works, re-
cent historical novels, recent nom
fiction volumes, with an occasional
volume Of good poetry.
/ stress the word recent" because
these boys are just as up-to-dat
In their reading tastes as you are,
and unless book is one of the kind
that never grows old, such as
Shakespeare or Dickens or Poe,
don't burden the Victory Drive
booths with them. Sell them in
stead for salvage if you wish to
dispose of them, and use the money
you secure in that manner to buy a
new volume or two for the Victory
Book drive.
Many Leisure Hours.
We must not lose sight of the fact
that in spite of onerous duties, and
many of them, these lads of ours
In service have many leisure hours
when good books are the logical
answer. Read your Christmas gift
books yourself, urge your friends
who might want to borrow them to
read them and then pass them on to
the Victory Book Committee. Don't
put them on your bookshelves to be
forgotten; put them to good and
instant use.
Remember the pictures we have
all seen of servicemen in all parts
Of the world, many of them miles
away from towns? Think of the
lonely hours spent in the wilds of
Africa or the jungle of New Guinea,
or the frozen coldness of Alaska,
when a book or two would spell the
difference between downright home
sickness and couple of hours of
relaxation and forgetfulness. i
Put these boys in your own homes
and visualize their clean-cut youth
fulness, their eagerness for whole
some entertainment and knowledge,
their willingness to give up home,
friends and everything they hold
dear in order that you and l still
can feel the security of our coun-
try's Stars and Stripes. Then dig
deeply into your store of treasured
volumes-poetry, prose, fiction, his
tory, and If you find nothing there
you think suitable for these young
sters go downtown and buy VOL
ume or two. It need not be the most
expensive edition, but let it be live
fiction, stirring adventure, throb-
bling history, mystery or biography.
Make this in reality a Victory Book
drive!
State News.
Mrs. Richard B. Alexander of the
Janney PIT. A. was elected second
vice president of the D. C. Congress
of Parents and Teachers on Tuesday
in the NEA Building She will fill
the vacancy left by the resignation
of Mrs. H. N. Stull.
The annual convention will be held
May 10 and 10, provided suitable &C
commodations can be secured.
Mrs. c. d. Lowe, past president,
announced the opening of a War
stamp book for the congress, each
member of the board being invited
to contribute as many stamps as
often as she likes, and when SITS has
been accumulated a War bond will
be purchased in the name of the or
ganiZation. The D. c. Congress al
ready owns several bonds, and 1t is
hoped that others will be purchased
in this manner.
Mrs. Harold Salmon, chairman OF
the Student-Aid Committee, an
nounced 423 pairs of shoes were
furnished needy children during
the Christmas season, funds fol-
their purchase having been furnish
ed by the Community War Chest
from its contingent fund.
Mrs. Frank Borden has been
named to serve as representative
Of the congress on Col. Lemuel
Bolles' Defense Committee, and
Mrs. Y. D. Mathes on the Overall
Garden Committee.
Founders day will be observed
February 16 Mrs. Miner S. Buell.
viii have charge of the program
Mrs. Buell. announces that books TO,
the Victory book drive will be col
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