Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-30
By Jessie Font Evons


Nations Capital today.
Prime favorites of the then Anne
Elizabeth Wright, her sisters and
brothers, were the "a elephants that
constituted a parade as they swung
along on their daily outings. with a
man riding on the shoulders of the
lead elephant and small boy
perched nonchalantly aloft on the
final one.
Is it any wonder that, as an out
standing Twentieth Century Club
member, who has distinguished her.
self as a leader in art, civics and lit
erature sections, the Mrs. Watson Of
today should include among her
hobbies, writing poems about circus
parades, or making fascinating, life
like, stuffed animals for her friends
children? Ted Malone has read one
Of her poems on the radio, and
number have appeared in print.
Baraboo was the home town of
the Ringing family, of circus fame,
which made it the winter head
quarters for their circus during
Anne Wright Watsons childhood.
Five out of the seven sons of the
towns highly esteemed harness
maker and his fine wife entered the
circus business. The friendship be-
tween Mrs. Henry Ringing, when
Mrs. Watson has visited her in
Sarasota, Fla, goes back to these
picturesque days in this little town
on the Wisconsin River about Is
miles from Prairie du Sac.
Had Free Ringside Seats.
80 highly were the Ringing boys
regarded by their friends and neigh
bors, no one was astonished among
us when their bigger and better cir
cuses and the rival companies. they
absorbed eventually brought them
international renown as big-top
tycoons," Mrs. Watson told me. In
turn, the Ringlings showed their
love and loyalty to their home town
by the gifts they made it as they
accumulated fortunes. al Ringing,
eldest of the circus brothers. built
q theater for the town modelled
after the Opera Comique in Paris,
Mrs. Watson recalls.
"Our Grandmother Wright's larg-
est and most level farm meadows
on the outskirts of Baraboo were
utilized by the Ringing brothers for
their first circus ring" she contin-
ued. 1--WE Wright grandchildren and
all of the other youngsters in the
neighborhood, of course, had free
ringside seats during all Of the re-
hearsal performances; some Of us
from special points Of vantage in
the trees we most liked to climb"
Her grandfather was John Wright,
a young lawyer Of vision who had
left his New England background
for what he rightly considered the
larger opportunities of Wisconsin,
and had purchased his holdings
from Count Agostin Haraszty, a
Hungarian emigre, who came to
Wisconsin with the idea Of develop
ing vineyards similar to those in
his native land. When his expert
ment failed because of soil and
climatic conditions. he sold out and
moved on to the West Coast, where
he became the father of CALIFORNIA;
grapevine industry. .''
Moved to Washington.
About the time Mrs. Watson and
her sisters were ready for high
school, their father, John Wright,
also a lawyer, moved to Washing
ton to accept an appointment as
chief Of the Mineral Division of the
Land Office in the Interior De-
partment.
Anne was graduated from the
Eastern High School, and the Wilson
Teachers College, when it was the
Wilson Normal School. She then
served as an assistant to the prin-
cipal Of the Emery School until her
marriage to the young engineer
husband with whom she travelled
over much Of the United States
while he was at work on different
projects. They continued, however,
to make Washington their home
base.
A member Of the Daughters of
the American Revolution, one OF
her Revolutionary forbears is JOSH
ian Steele, first cousin of Noah Web
ster of dictionary fame Copies of
correspondence between the two
young men, both of whom were
Yale graduates, are among her
family's treasured memorabilia.
Mrs. Watson, too, likes to delve
into the meaning and derivation Of
words and has specialized in various
courses in English literature at
George Washington University. Her
art courses in color and design at
the Corcoran Art School she puts
to practical use in painting heraldic
coats of arms.
Puts Poetry in Reports.
A unique use TO which she puts
her skill in versihcation Is to give
her Twentieth Century Club reports
in humorous rhyme to the great de-
light, of her fellow club members.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Watson are
regular Sunday morning attendants
at the New York Avenue Presby-
terrain Church. She has two sisters
living in this city. One is Miss
Rosemary B. Wright, a civilian en-
ploye In the office of the Chief OF
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