Evening star., 1946-07-01
College Sbotp
Starts StHdent
wiring Songs
Bv Ruth Dean

Wrltlng popular songs is the last
thing in the world Miss Barbara
Chapline expected to do, but it took
a college show and a fair for setting
verses to music to convince her of
the possibilities of making it al
career.
Home now from Wellesley College
where she VOL high scholastic
honors and the acclaim of her
fellow students, Miss Chapline, the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ridgely
Chapline, of 1902 Albemarle street
NV, speaks hopefully of her am
bitlon to have her songs published.
The pretty blond graduate first
came to the notice of Washington
four years ago, when as top student
at Woodrow Wilson High School,
she was awarded Wellesley
scholarship. Since then, she has
piled up scholastic honors. In her
senior year, she won Wellesley's own
Durant scholarship, and last March
was elected to two national honorary
societies, Sigma XII and Phi Beta
Kappa.
Miss Chapline. who is also vice
president of the Junior group of the
National Society of Arts and Letters,
is very unassuming about her ac-
complishments and gives as the
explanation of her success, lit just
happened to me"
A piano student for many years.
Barbara never realized her latent
talent for song writing until two
years ago when her classmates
called upon her to help them with
the traditional Junior Show.
AS she recalled last week, Il didn't
know I could do it. as T played
classical music most of my life. but
when I sat down at the piano, 1
found I could play by ear. I had
always written verses for my own
amusement, but was surprised toI
find l could set them to music"
Still more amazed was she to
see her songs become campus
favorites. which gave her quite a |
thrill" she said. The hit song of
the show. The Way a Wellesley
Girl Should is now tradition and
will soon be incorporated into this
coming years song book. along with
the class marching song of 46
which Barbara also wrote
More compositions followed, many
OF them love lyrics for her engaged
friends. Now she is at work on a
series of descriptive pieces picturing
favorite canyon in Arizona. where
she has spent many summers and
plans to spend this summer. My
friends often wondered" she laugh
ingly commented, why 1 wanted
TO write about an old canyon"
But interest in canyons goes be-
yond song writing to Barbara
Electing geography as her major
subject of study, Barbara won de-
partmental honors and last March
was elected to Sigma XI, national
honorary scientific society. as an
associate member.
Geography came naturally to herr
as she has travelled all her life and
AS the daughter of w. Ridgely
Chapline. chief of the Division of
Range Research for the United
States, has covered the continent
numerous times with her family on
her fathers official trips.
AS she commented. I've grown
up on travel books-practically cut
my teeth on them, and someday
hope to write them" Barbara's
mother is also an inspiration to her
as Mrs. Chapline, who is a member
of the Society of Women Geograph-
ers, is well known here for her
movie travelogue work.
When asked which of these two
interests she planned to pursue as
a career, Barbara, who is as intelli-
gent as she is vivacious, replied, L
would like to write travel books as
a serious pursuit but if I can get
my songs published. I would like
to write music for Broadway shows"