Evening star., 1943-01-31


present-day entertaining AS chal-
lenge to their resourcefulness in pro-
viding recreation and diversion even
under difficult conditions.
In Bethesda the newest idea is the !
square dances that started last week
and will continue through the winter
and early spring.
The idea grew out OF party that |
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Meier and Mr..
and Mrs. Charles Howard gave last |
fall. Mr. Meier had been a county |
agricultural agent back in Missouri
before coming to Washington and
Mrs. Meier had travelled with him
and had observed the good times
that country people have at their
square dances; and so, to entertain |
her guests at her first party she
staged an old-fashioned country
dance. The guests liked the idea
and few weeks later Mrs. Meier
and Mrs. Howard helped to organ
ize series of dances that were
given before Christmas in the Brad
ley School. The new series Of dances |
will be given in the Bethesda Ele-
mentary School, easily reached by
bus
Part of the success of the dances
Is due to the orchestra. Mr.. De
Lacy Layton. who calls of the
dances, comes to Washington from
New York State by way OF Fred
ericksburg, Va, and his calling is
done with a joyous combination of
an upstate New York accent mixed |
with soft Virginia drawl. The |
fiddler holds his violin fiat across
his knees in true country style and
the other members of the orchestra
consist of banjoist and a guitarist.
The ladies who attend these
dances wear long cotton dresses and |
the men wear slacks or overalls and |
sweaters
Since starting the square dances
Mrs. Meier has studied the folk |
dances of all sections of the country
and she and her helpers are plan
ming to introduce several new dances
at the parties.
In planning these parties Mrs.
Meier has had the help of Mrs.
Lawrence M. Vaughan, Mrs. ]. w.
Huyssoon, Mrs. William H. Myers
and Mrs. Joseph G. Garner, all of |
Bethesda.
The parties are run. on a non-
profit basis. Funds left over after |
the expenses are paid will be divided |
between the Parent Teacher Asso-
citation of the Bethesda Elementary I
School and the Bradley School.
Kenwood women are solving their |
problem of wartime entertaining in
little different way. When the
gas rationing almost shut them of |
from social life outside their own
community they organized social |
club that meets each Thursday for |
luncheon at the home of one Of its
members. Mrs. Julian D. Sears,
Mrs. A. Montague Ferry, Mrs. Wesley
I. Sauter and Mrs. Herman Thiel-
scher helped to plan the first few
meetings.
Although the luncheons were
planned first of all to promote
neighborliness and sociability, the
guests stay through the afternoon
to sew for the Red Cross, while one
Of the guests reads aloud-with
many Interruptions for comment and
discussion-from one Of the current
books.
Last Thursdays luncheon was
held at the home of Mrs. s. E.
Golden.
Capt o. D. Foutch and Mrs.
Foutch Of Yorktowne Village have
Is their guests 1t. Floyd r. James
and Mrs. James and their small |
daughter, Leslie Pride James, who |
came here last week. 1t. James, |
who has been here on leave, will |
return to New York tomorrow and |
Mrs. James and her daughter will |
remain until the end Of the week
Mrs. James. who is Mrs. Foutch's
sister, was with Capt. and Mrs. |
Foutch during the years that Capt. |
Foutch was on duty in Shanghai.
Her marriage to 1t. James took
place in Shanghai. Since their re-
turn to this country 1t. and Mrs.
James have been living in Hemp
stead, Long Island.
0Al hAlu MI o. L. n. ouCl 1llNltCU
q small group OF guests to their |
home in Brookdale yesterday to
meet Mrs. Robert Kessler of Mil
ford. Del. who is visiting Mr.. and |
Mrs. Edward Lloyd in Washington. |
Mrs. Howard P. Foley, who has
returned to her home in Kenwood
after short visit with friends in |
New York. will have her aunt, Mrs. |
william R. Smith Of Kenn Valley, |
Pa, as her guest for part Of the
week.
Roddy McDowall, known to movie
fans all over the country for his
part in the film play, How Green
Is My Valley" will be in Bethesda |