davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-01
Secretary Bird,

Visit your ZOO for a closeup of the
amazing secretary bird, Africa's &c
centric hawk. No fear shadows his
clear gaze into yours. 1t is sad, per-
haps, because ! am told he recently
lost his mate. A new one would cost
around $3.50. The long, arduous
journey from Africa to America is
sometimes too much for the trav-
eler. However, several ZOOS have
successfully kept the birds for years.
They soon become surrounded by
interested beholders.
Secretary birds do not scribble
with their stunted claws, nor do they
display superior intelligence. As it
so often occurs, the name is inap-
propriate. His only claim for the
title appears to stem from the DELHI
crate manner of walking and the
forward fitting of the body. making
the bird appear to be thinking about
a weighty problem. He Is famous as
a snake and mouse killer in his own
country.
Most of his waking hours are
spent IN Strolllng through grass. Inc
higher the better. At home, this is
his marketing gait. AS he slowly
places each blush-pink shank along
the path, he watches with intense
gaze any movement indicating a
fleeing mouse or swiftly gliding liz
ard; either of which is an antici-
|pated n1orsel.
When a fleeing creature comes
within reach, the long legs come
down with precise aim, pinning the
runner under the four widespread
toes.
The hunter appears rather pleased
with himself and while shifting his
searching stare he methodically taps
his victim against the ground, ten
deriving it.
II, as 1t sometimes happens, an.
other creature races by, the bird
quickly raises his wings to bring it
down with a terrific wham, knocking
the animal out of breath or dead.
It rarely RECEIVERS from the blow.
The hunter now has . surplus.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-01

I'm most nearly ready to co. No
decidedly. Better say: I'm nearly
Cor almost) ready to 60.
Everybody are invited to attend >
No; everybody, every one, any one
ETC., are singulars, and should take
singular verbs. Correct: Everybody
is invited to attend.
II hardly can't wait for Thanks
giving" Better say: 7 can hardly
wait for Thanksgiving.
"The devotional will begin at II
o'clock" No; devotional is an adjec-
tive, not a noun. Improved. The de-
votional service will begin at II
O'Clock.
you hadn't ought to have done
that" Commonly heard, but inn
proper and dialectical. Improved:
You should not have done that. Or:
You ought not to have done that.
There isn't but one in stock" A
double negative. Better say: There
lis but one In stock. Or: There is
only one in stock.
"She is feeling poorly today" This
lis as incorrect as feeling badly
Improved: She Is not well today. Or:
She Is feeling Ill today.
HE lives . long ways from here
No; ways Is plural. Correct: He Lives
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-01
Natures Children
By LiIIion Cox Athey

Longlegs, though appearing sedate
and slow, is never caught mapping.
Most of the time the long black
wings with their sooty hue are
arched in readiness for flight. The
bird is almost three and a half feet
high, it's trim body always tilted at
a diagonal angle, with the head held
aloft on the long supple neck. The
large brown eyes are trimmed with
black eyelashes making the eyes ap-
pear like telescopes.
His horny and hooked beak is
another hawk feature. The tight
skin on each side of the face is
brightly rouged in deep orange.
From the rear the crest hanging
from the back of his head looks like
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-01
I axe My Word for 1t

I'm most nearly ready to go.' No,
decidedly. Better say: I'm nearly
Cor almost) ready to 60.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-01

a war-bonnet. The upper part Of
his slender legs is tightly clothed IN
black feathers. His pink shanks ap-
pear to jut out from smart knicker-
bockerS.
At home on the plains Of Sene-
gambia and central Angola to the
central plains of Africa, the bsrds
are always ready to take flight. Sew
eral sprightly skips send them into
the air. With long supple necks
stretched their limit, legs traiE-
full length behind, the flyers skim
close over the herds of phlegmatic
zebra and CRATES.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-01
Word Game
Find % or more words In
FA N A TIC AL,

II n N a l. 1 z a u,
meaning, Excessively enthusiast
tic" Average is 26; limit, 20
minutes.
Rules-Words must be of four or more
letters, Words which acquire four letters
by the addition of "s,' such as bats"
cats, are not used. Only one form of q
word Is used. Proper names are not used.
A List will be published tomorrow.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-01
Test Your Horse Sense-sy Dr. G ": c'o'.

the Characteristic sounds they made
while on the hoof. One point for
each correct judgment.
(a Cottage cheese W Ba-a
(b) Head cheese (w) Coo
Co Omelet (x) Oink
Cd Mutton chops ty) Moo
(e) SQUAD e. Cackle
Score yourself as follows: o.,
poor; 3-6, average; 7-8, superior;
$40, very superior.
Answers to Horse Sense Quiz.
/. uncas (The last OF the Mohicans). Q.
Goldenrod. 3. Coke ct is man-made). l.
Kiner. s., Grape. 6.10, (a) Cottage cheese
Omelet-Cackle tz). I'D Muttsn chops
chops-Ba-a w. (e) Squab-Coo (w).
Evening star., 1949-08-28
Public and PurochiuI Schools
OfD.C. Area to OpenSept. 6-12

Public schools open September
s and pupils not already registered
may do so on the first day.
Prince Georges County.
Public schools open September
IL with registration the first day
for those not already signed up.
Arlington County.
Public schools open September
6. All children except the 10th,
18th and 18th graders at Wash
ington-Lee High School will reg
lister Tuesday. The pupils in the
three upper grades of the Wash
[ington-Lee High School will reg
lister as follows-I0th grade on
Wednesday, 18th on Thursday and
18th on Friday. all at 8 am.
h, The Tuesday registration sehed-
Eule is as follows: Elementary pu-
pills who will attend the same
school they did last year. 9 am. ID
10 am; children entering Ar
lington schools for first time or a
different school. 10 am. to noon;
Junior high pupils, including those
at Washington-Lee High School,
$50 am: all junior and senior
high pupils entering Hoffman
Boston School for Negroes, 8 am.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
D. {. Officials Pleased
By ParkingMeters

Parking meters in downtown
sNashiflgtdu are working out bet
ter Tran was expected when they
were installed, a survey by the
Department of Vehicles and Traf-
flc revealed today.
Traffic - Director George E.
Keneipp said the rate of turnover
in cars parking in meter areas is
higher than earlier calculations
showed and that cases where
parking time was illegally ex-
tended by inserting additional
nickels were only 8 per cent Of
the total.
The previous turnover rate had
been checked at 7.2 cars per day.
The new survey. however, shows a
rate of 93 per day. The average
parking time was 4212 minutes.
The survey was made at four
locations: Fourteenth street NV.
between Harvard street and Co
lumbia road; Seventh street NV.
between G and H streets; F street
NV. from Twelfth and Thir-
teenth streets. and the north side
of H street NE, from Eighth to
Ninth streets.
Traffic department employees
were stationed at strategic points
while the meters were in effect
and took down license numbers Of
parked cars to double check their
calculations.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
-Four Radio Newsmen
To Broadcast on Forum

Representatives of the Wash
ington press-radio corps will give
their appraisals of Congress in q
half-hour discussion today in the
Georgetown University Radio
Forum to be broadcast at l pm.
over Station WARL.
Three of the four guest speakers
are on the staff of the American
Broadcasting Co.'S WMAL, The
Evening Star station. They are
Bryson E. Rash, White House re-
porter; John Edwards, Capitol re-
porter and iris Coffin, a syndi-
Gated columnist. ~
Julian Goodman. senior news
editor of the Washington bureau
of the National Broadcasting Co..
completes the foursome. The
weekly broadcasts are sponsored
by the Georgetown student body
in cooperation with the univer-
lSity.
Evening star., 1949-08-28

employees and Is inmates to the
present total of Ala paid employees
and more than $500 inmates.
A native of Spotslyvania County
Va, he went to the county schools
before coming to Washington in
1908. After working a short time
at the Center Market here, he &C
cepted the job with the Depart
ment Of Corrections and went to
Occoquan.
He is married and has one son
Wallace, 26, who is a student.
veteran at the University o1
Maryland. Mr.. Jett lives in Lor.
ton, Va.
He is active in civic and church
affairs. He is a member OF the
Fairfax County School Board ano
the Kiwanis Club and is on the
board of the Occoquan Methodist
Church.
Mr.. Jett said the workhouse
idea-a prison without walls
was so startling that experts from
over the world came to see how II
was done. The District Workhouse
was one Of the first "open-air'
prisons, he said. Only prisoner!
committed for minor crimes art
sent to the workhouse.
II guess I've seen more thar
! 25S 900 inmates come and go dur
| ing my time" he said. Il nevel
had a bit of trouble with then
and never had any narrow es'
capes."
He explained it this way:
"The only way to handle pris'
oners Is treat them like human
beings--like other people"
Evening star., 1949-08-28
National Seafood Festival
Slated al Hampton, Va.

The second annual National
Seafood Festival will be held in
Hampton, Va, September 16 and
IN, the Virginia Department of
Conservation and Development
announced yesterday.
The festival will open at pm.
with the arrival of King Neptune
on his royal" barge. At 8 PM,
he is scheduled to join Queen
Lorelei at her coronation cere-
mony. which will be followed by
street dancing.
The following day public sea-
food feast will be held from II
a m. until l pm, at the recrea-
ton area of Langley Field, Va.
Ia parade will follow the feast
and q dance in the evening will
|climax the festival week end.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
{. Of {. Halls Defense Cuts
Asks More Economies -.
by The Assoeiatsd Press

The United States Chamber pi
Commerce urged its $500 membel
organizations across the .country
to demand further economies in
government" in line with recon-
mendations of the Hoover Com
mission on Reorganization.
The stand was set forth in a
letter from Herman w. Stein
kraus, president of the national
chamber, to Defense Secretary
johnson applauding cutbacks in
defense spending.
Many communities and various
Congress members expressed dis
pleasure with the action. In this
connection, the chamber president
asserted:
Every reduction in payrolls or
other expenditure items affects
adversely individuals and COM
munities. Such results must be
balanced in the national interest
against a Tightening of the burden
of the taxpayer and a strengthen
ing of the financial position OF
the Government"
Meanwhile, Senator O'Conner,
Democrat, of Maryland. said he
believes taxation now has reached
the point where the law Of dimish-
ing returns begins to operate and
high rates defeat their own pur-
poses"
He called in a statement for
reductions in wartime excise taxes
and possibly in income tax re-
venues.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
Laurel Bypass, Bethesda
Tunnel Contracts Are LET
By the Assoeioted Press

BALTIMORE, Aug. o.. - The
State Roads Commission an
nounced today it had let another
$2.441 ,098 in contracts as a part
of its $40, 900, 900 highway i'm.
provement program for 1949. The
list included: ...
A 3.7-mile bypass of LaureI
on the Washington Baltimore
boulevard to relieve congestion or
the heavily travelled road; vii.
liams Construction Co., $604, sos
Building of a pedestrian tunne.
under the Baltimore G Ohio Rail.
road tracks on Bradley boulevard
Bethesda: Leo Butler Co.. Silver
Spring. $31. .103.
Reconstruction of a 5.8-mile
section of the La Plata-Indian
Head road in Charles County; F. P
Asher. jr., 81 Sons, Annapolis
1893 .254.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
Wife Stabbed by Husband
Still in Critical Condition

Mrs. Alice Howard, 40. whose
husband fell dead on the side
walk yesterday after repeatedly
stabbing her with a 12-inch butch
er knife, remained in critical con-
dition at Casualty Hospital last
night.
; Mrs. Howard, who has a stab
wound in her right side, told
police she was awakened by the
knife thrust and saw her husband
George, SO, leap out of window at
their home, 725 Seventh stree,
Sc. He was seen running into
Sixth street. Then he collapsed
and died, apparently from q heart
attack.
f.; Police said the stabbing was the
result of an argument in which
Howard accused his wife of "dop.
ing" his drinks.
Evening star., 1949-08-28

Vacation days soon will be a
thing of the past. District public
schools will open September II,
registration will be held September
l, 2. 6 and g..
The Catholic schools Of the
Washington archdiocese open Sep
tember 8 for half day sessions with
the first full-day session scheduled
for September II. The private
Catholic elementary and second
airy schools open on dates starting
September 6 and running through
September 81. 10 u
the opening of the public
schools varies in the nearby count
les. Here is the schedule: %
e. Montgomery County. sx..sgy
Public schools open September
Ia. Principals will return next
THURSDAY for conferences and
teachers wiilS return September
8. Registration will be held Sep
tember 8 and 9.
Alexandria.
Public schools open September
8 with the first. full-day session
September 9. Registration will be
held September 6 and Z.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
Home Accidents
| Take 8 Lives
| During Week

Falls, burns and child suffoca'
tions claimed eight lives in the
District last week, the District Rec
Cross Accident Prevention Service
reported yesterday.
Four died of falls in homes, two
were burned fatally and two in
fants smothered in their beds, the
report showed.
A breakdown of injuries listed
% falls, three burns, six accidental
poisonings, 16 cuts and four mis-.
cellaneous hurts.
Children ate tar. roach powder
and one 3-year -old girl drank a
full bottle of a laxative. Another
5-year-old girl was struck in the
eye with a stick and admitted to
Episcopal Hospital for surgery.
Injuries to date total 4,160 COM
pared with 1912 at this time last
year. Deaths numbered $50 thus
far. compared with 162 for the
same period last year.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
League Of Women Voters
Plans Montgomery Party

The Montgomery County League
of Women Voters will sponsor q
fund-raising theater party Sep
tember IA at the Olney Theater
Helen Hayes will star in the pre-
New York run Of her new play
Good Housekeeping"
Wednesday is the deadline fol
obtaining tickets for the perform
ance from Mrs. Harold Kramer
lit Granville drive, Silver Spring
Thereafter they will be available
at the Olney Theater. Funds
raised will be used to help meei
the leagues operating budget.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
New Quarantine
Rules Listed ,
Isolation Eased
Exclusion From School
OF Measles Victim
Contacts Eliminated

New quarantine regulations, in
Guiding reductions in isolation
periods of several communicable
diseases, were announced last
night by the District Health De-
partment.
DR.. Carl c. Dauer, District epi-
demiologist, said the reductions
are due partly to new methods
of treatment and partly to in
creased knowledge about conta-
gion. In some cases, children
have been kept out of school for
too long under previous regula-
tions, he said.
Most of the changes already
have been put into effect in
nearby Maryland and Virginia.
Meningitis Quarantine Cut.
These are the main changes:
/. Restriction of chicken pox
patients to their homes is reduced
from 10 days and until all scabs
are removed" to seven days fol-
lowing the appearance of the
eruption"
2. Exclusion from school Of
contacts of measles victims Is
eliminated.
8. The quarantine period of the
epidemic form of meningitis Is
reduced from IA days to three
days, if the patient receives ade-
quate sulfonamide treatment.
4. The isolation period Of
mumps is reduced from 10 days
until the swelling has subsided" to
five days after the appearance Of
the swelling"
S. The isolation period of scar
let fever patients is reduced from
IA to seven days. There will be no
quarantine of household contacts
over the age of Is years, provided
they do not give nursing care to
the patient.
! 6. Ringworm is to be included as
a reportable disease to the Health
Department.
| 7. Changes regarding the dis
posal of bodies of persons dying Of
some communicable diseases are
authorized.
The principal change in the lat
ter point, DR.. Dauer said. will per.
NIT bodies to be handled by un-
dertakers in their establishments.
Previously, this was forbidden.
/ The changes, DR.. Dauer said,
were requested a few weeks ago
and included in a Commissioners
order. on August Is. ii.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
lett Who BuitD.C C.Workhouse
In 'Desoiote Forest to Retire
Launched Construction
Of Open.Air Prison
80 Years Ago =

When c. b. Jett went down to
Occoquan. Va. 80 years ago to
start construction of the Districts
workhouse and reformatory there,
the land was total forest.
He's had something to do with
every bit of building done there
since as supervisor of construc-
ton for the Districts Department
of Construction. But on Wednes7
day he will retire.
Mr.. Jett, who is s., took rs
convicts with him on that trip
that turned into his career. They
brought along tents to live in as
they started work on what was
then revolutionary idea--an
open-air prison with no walls.
I'VE set up the tents and
started clearing timber" he re-
called. For a year we lived in
those tents. and at the end Of
that time we had put up about
Is temporary frame buildings
which was the start of the work.
house"
Lumber Cut on Spot.
The lumber was cut right on
the spot from the trees leveled.
To do this, a small lumber mill
was put into operation, he said.
A spring was damned to furnish
the water supply.
These frame buildings originally
were to be used from S to 10 years
until permanent brick and cement
installations were built, he ex-
planned. But, as with most tenn
porary buildings in the Washing
ton area, they remained in use for
the next 80 years.
In fact, two are stih in use" !"
Mr.. 'Jett said.
The frame house that now is the
administration building for the
female department at the work
house was one of those temporary
buildings erected by Mr.. Jett and
his crew of Is men. The work.
house infirmary also is housed in
one of the temporary structures.
Since then the institution has
grown to $500 acres. On the
grounds now are ~ brick and con-
crete structures and dozen frame
buildings, along with ,450 acres
of farming and orchard land.
Mr.. Jett said the original tract
of land purchased by the District
was a "desolate tract OF wilder
ness"
During his time with the work.
house, Mr.. Jett recalled, he has
seen it swell from the original 10
Evening star., 1949-08-28
Cigarette Tax
Seen Yielding
Million a Year .
$500, 900 Estimate
Held Too Low After
First Returns

Collector of Taxes Guy w. Pear
son expects that the cent-a-pack
cigarette tax which went in ef-
feet here August / will bring the
District we'll over s1,Oo0,0 900 a year,
rather than the expected $500, 900.
Mr.. Pearson yesterday based his
prediction on the fact that rev.
enue from the sale of stamps, i'm
pressions and licenses under the
tax act has totaled nearly $l08. 900
so far this month.
The tax collector said he views
this month as a usual one for
the returns. In July. when whole
salers and retailers were prepar-
ing for the levy. the District col
lected more than $4,000, but Mr..
Pearson pointed out that this fig
ure included a large proportion
of the license fees.
Busy Month Ahead.
Indications are, he said, that
dealers are not buying more than
a months supply of stamps ahead.
The Cigarette Tax Unit. he
pointed out. has agreed to set i'm
preston meters on the dealers
stamping machines weekly rather
than monthly, as originally plan
ned.
During the last two weeks and
the next two, Mr.. Pearson said,
Is examiners and inspectors are
spending their time visiting every
place of business where cigarettes
are sold to see that the packs are
stamped and the dealers have
licenses.
He said cases have been dis
covered where cigarettes are sold
unstamped and dealers do not
have licenses. In these instances,
the tax men are explaining the
requirements of the tax act.
Sales Tax Return Awaited.
First returns on the 2 per cent
sales tax which also went into ef-
feet August l will not come in
until September 20 for the month
of August.
The tax collector said also that
his Office would be ready by Sep
tember / to begin seizures OF
property to satisfy delinquent
personal property tax claims on
persons who have not paid their
back taxes after receiving Today
seizure notices.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
.Wage-Rour Violations
Decreased by 700 in
District During 1948

A marked decrease in violations
of the wage and hours laws was
disclosed by inspections during
1948. according to the annual re-
port of the Minimum Wage and
Industrial Safety Board to the
Commissioners.
The report said although more
cases were closed last year than
the year before. there were ap-
proximately 700 fewer violations
found in 1948 than in 1947. About
six of every 10 violations were in
public housekeeping establish
ments, it was pointed out.
Violations of the hours law con-
tinued to constitute more than
half of all violations disclosed.
but in establishments covered by
both laws, failure to keep re-
quire drecords is counted. for ad-
ministrative purposes, as vio-
lation of the hours law rather
than of. the Minimum Wage Law.
The violations totaled 1896.
There was a decided drop in
both frequency and amount of
underpayment, the report re-
vealed, and this was attributed in
part to the increase in publicity
on the work of the board.
"The board was more success
full in 1948 in it's efforts to have
back wages restored to employees
than it had ever been previously" +"
the report said, with approx
mately, 80 per cent of the back
wages due employees returned. to
them"
OF SIS cases referred to the Cor
poration Counsel for prosecution,
SO resulted in conviction and fines
amounting to $2,010 were imposed.
The average fine was $50.
For violation Of safety regula-
tions, four convictions were OBJ
tanned, with fines amounting to
$500.
The report said that private
employers during 1948 reported q
total Of 30,227 occupational in
juries to the Bureau Of Employees
Compensation. The figure, 1t was
noted, showed an Increase Of
1920 injuries or AZ per cent over
the previous year. d
Included in these figures, the
board said. was a substantial
number of injuries to employees
of District concerns which, while
necessarily included for compen-
sation purposes, occurred beyond
the boundaries of the District and
the boards jurisdiction.
Evening star., 1949-08-28
Savings Of S382,n5
To Tenants Claimed
By Rent Board Here

Decisions of the District Rent
Administration during the first
six months of this year brought
annual savings Of $3S2,275 to
tenants, Congress was informed
yesterday.
The semiannual report OF Rent
Administrator Robert F. Cogswell,
filed with the House and Senate,
said 11,111 formal cases were
handled during the six months
ended June 30.
The rent increases requested
had they been granted in full, Mr.
Cogswell reported, would have re-
suited in an annual rent income
of $7,158.976.90. The total in
crease resulting from examiners
recommended orders amounted to
$6.776,601.
In a summary of their work
rent officials said the average in
crease requested In the f1rSt natl
of this year amounted to 17.6 pei
cent while rent rises granted aver
aged 11.4 per cent.
Less than 5000 rent rate cases
were filed in the first six months
of this year as compared with
more than 10000 in the IL months
of 1948, the report showed.
Rent officials told Congress they
believed the decline in the num-
ber of appeals was due to uncer-
tainty as to whether Congress
would extend rent controls beyond
last March 81, the one-time
terminal date for controls.