Evening star., 1943-04-04
Stage Door Canteen
Hosfesses Dance
100000 Miles
927 Young Girls Help
In Entertainment of
$4,000 Servicemen

The attractive young hostesses al
the Stage Door Canteen in the
old Belasco Theater have danced q
distance nearly six times the earth's
circumference since the canteen
opened its doors to American and
Allied servicemen six months ago to-
day, according to officials at the
canteen. Two hundred and f1fty-two
thousand servicemen have visited
the State Door Canteen in that
period.
To be more exact, 927 junior host
esses have danced 100000 miles COL
lectively, or 100 miles singly and
individually. Each has worn out at
least one pair of shoes.
But shoe rationing does not de-
ter hostess applicants. These junior
hostesses constitute one civilian VOL
unteer service where requests for a
chance to serve exceed the demand.
The Stage Door Canteen has two
thick volumes filled with names of
applicants. The canteen telephone
rings constantly with the same
query: when am I going to be
called? put my name in two months
ago! I am an awfully good dancer,
and I have just the right person.
ality"
Qualifications Listed.
A Junior hostess must be between
ID and Is years of age. Other quail
f1cations are pleasing and friendly
personality, neat appearance, good
dancer, some degree of sex appeal, a
smattering of braings, high sense of
character and great deal of tact"
To simplify things all around the
girls are not allowed to make dates
with the men, and can give their
own first names only - never last
name, address and telephone num-
ber; may not dance with one man
all the time, may smoke but not
eat with the men at. the tables.
and may not leave the canteen in
the company of serviceman.
They are on three-hour shifts.
Says Miss Edna-Mae Miller, chair
man of Junior hostesses: THE
girls usually start by coming in with
high-heeled shoes. We do not per-
init moccasins or sloppy footwear,
and the girls soon arrive at happy
medium in comfortable, fairly low
heeled shoes. This dancing is very
hard on the feet. 1t doesn't take
the men long to spot good looking
girl and they make a play for her,
cutting in all the time. A girl who
is popular is completely tired out
after three hours of dancing. There
are IS dancing hostesses on each
shift.
Costs $500 a Day.
Behind the project stands a great
administrative machine engaged in
serious and diligent work. Milton
Shubert and Brock Pemberton, New
York theatrical producers, are CO.
chairmen of the Washington Cam
teen. Mrs. Armina Langner, play
wright and wife of Lawrence Lang
ner, a director of the Theater Guild,
is director of the canteen. It costs
$500 a day to operate the unit. The
never-ending work of obtaining
funds, soliciting entertainers and
operating the canteen is done by a
great many committees of Wash
ington people.
A total of. 1888 men and women
hereabouts have registered for vol
unteer work at the Canteen. and
1882 are presently working there.
The subscribers who contract to
underwrite $500 for one night
monthly for one year or for the
duration, are interested citizens,
national corporation and local con-
Germs. Many civic and professional
clubs in Washington guarantee one
night from time to time. On the
theater balcony is the ANGELS
Table" seating four and costing
S100 night There have been 40
angels to date. Equipment and food
are also donated.
The Canteen is open from s pm.
to IL midnight. There are on duty