Evening star., 1948-04-09
Wheel Of Chance Picks 16-Yeor-OId Doughte
OF Delaware Seomstress as Blossom Queen
Growing Tomorrow
Will Be Feature Of
2-Doy Cherry Fete

--
The 1s-year-old daughter Of a
Claymont Del.) seamstress will be
crowned Washington's Cherry Bios
som Queen tomorrow before the
$780, 900 persons expected to attend
the first day Of the colorful fes-
tival on Hains Point.
The destiny of Miss Doris A. Shell
don, blond and blue-eyed, reached q
new high point last night when
the pointer on an ornate wheel-of-
chance stopped at Delaware during
the queen-choosing ceremonies In
the Raleigh Hotel.
One of the 48 Cherry Blossom
Festival princesses, who represent
IS States and territories, she
stood on the edge of the group of
pretty girls as the wheel turned. It
rolled on for a full two and one
half minutes after Miss Nancy An
derson, last years festival queen
and daughter Of Agricultural Sec
retary Anderson, gave 1t the spin.
When the pointer stopped at her
State. all Miss Sheldon said was,
"Oh!"
Becomes Jubilant.
But as the full realization Of the
honor dawned, she cried, I'm it,"
and waved her hand in the air. And
so she became the first Cherry Bios
som queen ever chosen outside
Washington and in Nation wide
competition through the turn Of a
wheel.
The next few minutes, by her own
admission, were the greatest in her
young life, as she faced the popping
bulbs Of newspaper cameramen.
She is the daughter OF Mrs.
Louisa Sheldon, who is a seam
stress in Claymont, near Whining
ton. She is in her sophomore year
in 4 Wilmington high school. She
came here especially for the cere-
monies and Is staying with her aunt,
Mrs. Martha Hayden, 2515 Cliff
bourne place NV. Also, she is S
feet 8 inches tall, weighs about 100
pounds and was visitor here last
summer. She never won anything
before.
She was kissed last night by Post
master General Donaldson and con-
graduated by c. j. Mack, general
chairman OF the festival.
Congratulated by Princesses.
The other girls then came over
and congratulated Miss Sheldon.
Among the princesses was Miss
Peggy Elder, Is, who as Miss Ala
bama" last year. won fourth place
in the Miss America contest and
$2,500 scholarship, which she will
use in studying dramatics.
An elaborate program has been
planned for the two-day festival,
sponsored by the Greater National
Capital Committee Of the Washing
ton Board of Trade. The festivities
will begin at 1:30 pm. each day with
q one-hour band concert.
Miss Sheldon, her court and the
festival entertainers are scheduled
for two rehearsals at Hains Point
today.
Tomorrow's round of events will
start. with q brunch at the Hotel
Statler for the queen and her at
tendant princesses.
To Arrive by Boat.
Travelling behind a police escort,
the queen and her court will go to
the Inlet Bridge at the Tidal Basin
where they will embark about l
pm. for the boat ride to the tip of
Hains Point with more than 100
vessels in the royal fotilla. Guard
ing the naval procession will be q
Sea Scout boat, former Coast
Guard cutter.
Escorts from the Army, Navy, Ma
rine Corps and Air Force will meet
the disembarking princesses when
they arrive at Hams Point shortly
before the festival.
Mr.. Mack will escort Miss Shell
don to the coronation ceremonies.
In addition to the court Of prin-
cesses, there will be a number of
young ladies from the various en-
bassies here, who will appear in
their colorful. native costumes.
The District forecaster promises
fairly warm temperatures tomor-
row, and even warmer weather on
Sunday, when another 100000 per-
sons will see the same program,
except for the coronation. There
may be clouds, but no rain, accord
ing to the weatherman.
After the festival tomorrow, the
queen, the princesses and their es-
certs will be guests at a recep-
ton and buffet supper in the May
flower Hotel. On Sunday, the pre-
festival brunch" will be held in
the Carlton Hotel. /
Tickets for several thousand re-
served seats at the festival, at so
cents and 81, are on sale at the
center in the lobby of
The Star Building, Eleventh street
and Pennsylvania avenue NV, and
at the ticket counter of Fairway
Sports Shop, 1928 G street NV.
Tickets also will be on sale at Hains
Point tomorrow and Sunday be-
fore the program.
Hotel reservations here are cur
rently at a peak with thousands
Of visitors here to attend the two
day fete.
pnlire Radin Al c,,Inener