davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
GRADUATION
AT CLAYTON
DIR. Paul Slaybaugh To Be
Speaker at Commencement
Exercises June 9th
BACCALAUREATE JUNE z

The annual closing program of
the Clayton School will open with
the baccalaureate services which
will be held in the school auditor
ium on Sunday evening, June at
7:30 o'clock. The service will be
in charge of the Rev. F. S. Ban
croft, rector of st. Peters Church,
Smyrna, assisted by the Rev. w B.
Kitchens, pastor of Ewell' s-St.
Paul Church. commencement ex-
ercises will be held in the auditor
ium on Tuesday evening, June 8 at
8:15 pm. The address will be CIV
en- by DR.. ]. Paul Slaybaugh, pres
ident of Wesley Junior College, Do
yer. Certificates will be presented
by Dudley Crossley, chairman of
the board of trustees. Special
awards will be presented by Will
liam L. Torbert, Jr., principal.
There will be musical selections by
the combined seventh and eighth
grade choruses under the direction
of Miss Elizabeth Kern, of the fac
ulty. Honor students in the class
of twenty-four members are: Rob-
ert Hurd, valedictorian; Patricia
Potts, salutatorian; David Com
eggs, Dois Cole, Elaine Carey, Mil
dred Fox, Hope Steele, Ruth Ann
Sylvester, and Louise Walker.
Other class members are Nancy
Argo, Frank Brown, Gladys Coun-
Gil, Barbara Hobson, Jane Johnson,
Janet Johnson, Richard Johnson,
Paul Loder, Afford Moor, Mariao
Pearce, Elizabeth Reed, Evelyn
Robinson, Myrtle Spencer, Mary
Ann Stats, and Ethel Traverse.
CONTINUED on Page rour)
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
NOTICE
TO RESIDENTS

During the week of June list,
1858, the public will be called upon
to render financial support for the
American Legion to carry on their
great work of helping save lives,
helping those in distress and in
urgent need of hospital care. To
date no price has ever been placed
as to the true value of human
life. On November 18th, 1924
that ever to be remembered day
in Smyrna's history, the David C.
Harrison Post No. IA, put into SER
vice the first owned and operated
American Legion Ambulance in
the world. Prior to that date per-
sons critically ill, living in this
area, were forced to use a baggage
car as means of transportation
from Clayton to the hospital in
Wilmington. The ride was made
resting on a folding cot and the
patient was met at the railroad
station in Wilmington and carried
to the hospital. However, with the
passing of time, the Ambulance
Service has continued to perform
it's chosen work, second to none.
In recent years an Iron Lung has
been acquired, oxygen equipment
added, and the service generally
Our drivers are select
ed from the Post membership and
carry ON in the vital work willing
ly and without thought of compen-
sation. AT the present time the
service is operating two (2) am
bulance units in an effort to give
and efficient aid to
those in need. Last year the SER
vice trips alone numbered one hun
dred ninety-seven; the year prior,
1876 trips. This year, due to the
CONTINUED on Page Four)
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04

sThe All Clubs of this locality
will hold vesper services on the
southern shore of Lake Como this
Sunday evening, June Z, at 7:3O
o'clock. Included in the list of
clubs which are to take part in
the services are County Line,
Smyrna Bucking Broncos, Willing
Workers, Kenton Klubbers, Wood
land Beach Sea Gulls, Clayton
Clodhoppers, Greenspring, Stump
Corner, Friendship, and Blackbird.
The program will be as follows:
Call to Worship, John Clark, Clay
ton Clodhoppers' Club; Singing,
'Holy, Holy, Holy, "stand Up for
Jesus, 1--WE Are Climbing Jacobs
Ladder; Prayer, Ronnie Stevens,
County Line Club; Lords Prayer;
All Greed and Pledge, Woodland
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
ROTARY HEARS
LOCAL HISTORY
Smyrna Was Once Grain Ship
ping Center of Central
Delaware Rotary Told
INTERESTING FACTS

Nelson Everhart, past president
of the Smyrna Rotary Club, spoke
at the meeting of the club on
Thursday night, presenting inter-
esting facts about the early history
of Smyrna and Duck Creek, at one
time the grain shipping point of
central Delaware. Smyrna was the
stopping place for many farmers
on three and four-day trips to de-
liver wheat, corn, and oats to
Smyrna Landing for shipment by
boat. He also related incidents of
the last twenty-five years, having
learned from talking to older peo-
pie that the forest, near Delaney's,
west of Clayton, produced wood,
used on steamers for fuel. Homes
in that area were built from wood
from the local forest, hand cut and
fitted from cellar to roof. He
also described the early style tap
room, or inn, as then called. The
Irish people predominated in early
days were thrifty people. The
uses to which the narrow gauge
railroad from Massey, Nd, to
Smyrna was explained. The COM
munity also produced a group that
were once presented in the Nation
al Square Dance Contest held in
Washington, D. c., according to
the speaker. Mr.. Everhart also
directed group singing, and Will
liam Kruchen presided. Walter
H. Warrington and Arthur A.
Hearn were visitors from the DO
yer Rotary Club, and M. S. Hodg-
son. from the Parkersburg, (West
Virginia Rotary Club.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
Demonstrations and Talks

Demonstration talks on GLOW
er Arrangement" will be given by
Joyce Locates and Carolyn Marsh
at the next meeting of the Wood
land Beach Sea Gulls All Club.
The meeting will be held at the
home of Joyce Locates on June 9
at 7:30 pm. The two girls are
going to show the members how to
arrange flowers in an easy and at
tractive way. Details about All
Short Course will also be announc-
ed by club leader, Mrs. Elmer Rob-
inson.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
SPONSOR
PARTY FORCUBS
Local Cub Pack Given Picnic
at Lake Como; Hold
Court of Awards
PARENTS ATTEND

The closing party of the season
for members of the Cub Pack was
sponsored by the Smyrna Lions
Club on Tuesday evening, when a
picnic was held on the beach at
Lake Como. 1t was attended by
forty cubs and twenty-five parents.
Vance Cole, assistant cub master,
assisted by Harry Shortt and John
H. Fearon presided at court of
awards. Den mothers and den
chiefs were given certificates of
appreciation. The den mothers
are Mrs. Ralph B. Jones, Mrs. Med
ford L. Potter, Mrs. James T. Pap
pas, Mrs. Alfred T. Child, and
Mrs. Harry Jackson. Den chiefs
include Bruce Wright, William A.
Stokesbury, Jr., Richard w. Com
eggs, Jr., Donald M. Potter, and
William Bullock. During the cele-
bration the cubs were surprised by
a brief visit from their cub mas
ter, Brinton Reynolds, Jr., who had
been injured in a motor collision in
Tennessee on trip to Las Vegas,
wife and young daughter, was be-
ing flown home and arrived at the
Dover Airport Tuesday evening,
and asked to stop at Lake Como
long enough to greet the cubs and
their guests. He made the trip by
air on stretcher and it was
from the stretcher that he spoke
to those attending the party.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
SMYRNA GRANGE ACTIVITIES
Make Donations to IFYE and the
Youth Training School

Make Donations to IFYE and the
Youth Training School
At a recent business session of
the Smyrna Grange, with Carlton
Blendt, Jr., master, presiding, do
nations were made to the Inter
national Friendship Youth Ex-
change program as we'll as to the
National Grange Youth Training
School. The grangers are plan
ming to hold rummage sale on
Friday and Saturday, June IL and
13 in the former fish market on
Main Street, starting at 10 am. on
June IL. Proceeds from the sale
will be used to help pay for the
farm identification program which
the grange sponsors jointly with
the Citizens Hose Company. The
program consists of an efficient
set-up for the rural areas whereby
all residents have a number which
is used to expedite telephone calls
in case of fire, and it includes maps
of the roads so that the volunteers
will be able to locate the scene of
a fire. The whole community
profits from this system, and any
one wishing to contribute to it
may send their contribution to the
grange. The next meeting of the
grange will be held on June IL.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
WOMEN's CLUB CONVENTION
Will Be Held at University of Del
aware Thurs.-Fri., June 1919

Will Be Held at University of Del
aware Thurs.-Fri., June 1919
Mrs. Joseph w. Ennis, of Smyr-
ma, president, will preside at the
convention of the Delaware State
Federation of Women's Clubs to
be held at the University of Della
ware, Newark on Thursday and
Friday, June 1919. A change of
time in the hour for the opening
of the convention on June 18 is
noted. The program will open at
1:30 p. m. on that day. Reserva-
tions for all meals and rooms must
definitely be in the hands of Mrs.
Robert o. Bausman, Newark by
June 10. They must be accompan-
led by check. Among the speak
ers at the convention will be Miss
Ethel Foster, of Sterling City,
Texas, treasurer of the General
Federation of Women's Clubs;
Mrs. Paul H. Douglas, of Illinois,
and Roger Das, of Baltimore. The
Hon. ]. Caleb Boggs, Governor of
the State of Delaware; u. S. Sen
ator j. Allen Frear; u. S. Repre-
sentative Herbert Warburton, and
DIR. John A. Perkins, president of
the University of Delaware, will be
special guests at the banquet.
There will be vocal solos, music by
an instrumental trio of violin,
cello, and piano, choruses, in addi-
tion to assembly singing.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
Fellowship for Kenneth Ruby

Announcement has been made of
the award of a $1,000 fellowship to
Andrew K. Ruby, Jr., for graduate
study at Stanford University,
Stanford, California. The son of
Mr.. and Mrs. Andrew K. Ruby, Sr.,
Smyrna, he will be graduated with
bachelors degree in mechanical
engineering at the University of
Delaware in June. The award is
one of 164 scholarships and fellow
ships for graduate study announc-
ed by the California university.
They are made on the basis of
scholastic excellence, and promise
of success. With his wife and two
children he expects to leave for
California later this summer. He
had previously attended the Mas
sachusetts Institute of Technology.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
49 TO RECEIVE
DIPLOMAS HERE
Commencement Exercises To
Be Held at Smyrna School
Wednesday, June 10th
BACCALAUREATE JUNE 7

On Wednesday evening, June 10,
800 pm, in the Smyrna School
Auditorium, members of the 1858
graduating class of the Smyrna
High School will receive their di-
plomas. The class, composed of 40
students and with Richard Com
eggs as Valedictorian and Joyce
Danes as Salutatorian, will receive
their diplomas from DR.. C. +.
Prickett, President of the Board of
Education. The Senior Class will
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
Scout Mother-Daughter Banquet

Plans are being made for the
second annual mother-daughter
banquet for Girl Scout Troop 212,
which will be held on Friday, June
10 at 6 pm, at Dinner Bell Inn,
Dover. Badges will be awarded by
the leader, Mrs. Martin Golden,
and assistant leader, Mrs. Richard
C. Price. The scouts in charge of
the program include Kay O'Con-
nor, Sandra Warren, and Norma
Brittingham.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
Graduate of Mercersburg Academy

Graduate of Mercersburg Academy
MIR. and Mrs. w. S. Snow, ac-
companied by Mrs. Shows sister,
Mrs. G.. w. Busker, and Miss Caro-
line Leister motored to MERGERS
burg, Pa, last Friday to attend
the weekend festivities for the
graduating class at Mercersburg
of which James E.
Snow was a member. The exer-
cises were concluded on Monday
with commencement. The young
graduate has joined his parents
here after accompanying Miss
Leister to Maryland State Teach
ers College, Salisbury, where she
is a sophomore. He expects to
spend summer with his parents.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
INJURED RETURN TO SMYRNA
Miss Henrietta Denney, Mr.. and
Mrs. b. REYNOLDS Return Home

Mrs. B. Reynolds Return Home
The Smyrna residents who were
injured in two separate motor col
lisions on trips to the west have
returned to their homes here. Miss
Henrietta Denney, who suffered
shock and minor injuries in a col
lision at Amarillo, Texas returned
by plane to Wilmington with her
cousin Miss Janet Clark, who was
a member of the family party on
the trip. Miss Denney is now at
her home here. Her sister, Mrs.
Vernon Clark, is still hospitalized
in Texas.
Reynolds Family Return
Mr.. and Mrs. Brinton Reynolds,
Jr., and their daughter, Becky, re-
turned home on Tuesday evening,
May 26 after their accident in
Harrison, Tennessee, as they were
en- route to Las Vegas, Nevada.
They were treated at the Harri-
man Hospital Mr.. Reynolds suf-
fered injuries to his kneecap and
is now about on crutches. The
family came by air from Tennes-
see to Dover Airport. Both fam
lilies have the good wishes of the
community for their complete re-
covery.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
Plan Fund Raising Campaign

Plans are being made now by
the Citizens Hose Company to con-
duct the annual fund raising cam
paign during Fire Prevention
Week, starting October 4, accord
ing to announcement by officials of
the company.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
Poppy Sales Renort S2S8.O5

Mrs. Vernon Ford, poppy chair
man for the Auxiliary to the David
g. Harrison Post No. ID, American
Legion, announces that the poppy
sales here over the Memorial Day
weekend amounted to q total of
$2SS.05 when the complete returns
were in.
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04

be presented to the President of
the Board of Education by Super
intendent George w. Wright. Mr..
Frank r. Stellatella, President of
the Faculty Club will present Fac
ulty Awards to the Valedictorian
and Salutatorian. The Glenn S.
King Memorial Award will be
made by Mrs. Alverna j. Price.
The Valedictory Address will be by
Richard Comegys. The Rev. o. C.
Jones will give the invocation and
Rev. F. S. Bancroft the benedic-
tion. The members of the class
are as follows:
Richard Williamson comegys, Jr.,
Valedctorian
Joyce Emily Danes. Salutatorian
Kenneth w. Attx
Marlyn Lucille Attix
Betty Jane Baggs
Philip Brooks Banta
Patricia Ann Beck
Charles Meyer Brown
Josephine Aline Brown
Joyce Lorraine Burris
Edna Thelma Conley
Shirley Ann Crossley
Donald Lee David
John William Doughten
Charles M. Duff
Walter Earl Eiermann
Virginia Mae Ennis
Margaret Eleanor Everett
Karl Earvil Francis
Theresa Bernadette Houtman
William Roger Hudson
%Charles Katzer
Katherine Anna Kish
Nancy Ann Knots
Lois Elaine Lasch
Barbara Ann Lowman
Helen Allene Nowland
Martha Jane Nuckols
Frank w. Otwell
Shirley Ann Phillips
Esther Ann Poore
Madeline Jane Pugh
Raymond S. Pusey
Walter ]. Ramsey
Janet Marie Rash
George Vinson Ross
Patricia Ann Ryan
Richard Scott
Nancy Ann Scott
Evelyn Louise Shane
Franklin d. Shane
Pauline Louise Shockley
Beverly Anne Short
Geraldine Diane Shortt
William Ewood Thorpe, III
Ruth May Tribbitt
William H. Vaughn
George Everett Voshell
Alec Charles Wood
%Qualifed for Diploma Through Veterans
Administration.
Continued on Page Flvel
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
MEMORIAL DAY
SERVICES HELD
Legion Post Conducts Servic-
es at Smyrna and Town
send Cemeteries
PLACE WREATHS

Memorial Day services were held
by the David C. Harrison Post No.
IA, American Legion, at the cem-
eteries in Smyrna and at Town.
send, Del. The Rev. o. c. Jones,
pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church, delivered a prayer at the
grave of Sergt. Wilson Lloyd, who
died in France in 1918. The
wreath was placed on the grave
by Joyce Ann Stevenson and Shir-
ley Ann Stats, members of the
Brownie Troop, assisted by Will
liam H. Kenworthey, veteran of
World War /, and John R. Stats,
veteran of World War II. The
salute was fred by the post firing
squad whose members are Nelson
Dill, Martin Bessinger, James
JONES, Ollie Loose, and Grant G.
Garis, who was in charge of the
squad. Colors were carried by
Charles A. Burrous, past COM
mander, and Junior O'Neal, World
War II veteran. William Denney
blew taps after the ceremony at
Odd Fellows Cemetery. At the
Honor Roll at the Townsend cem-
etery a like service was held. Flags
were placed on the graves at the
cemeteries. Commander Stats
calls attention to flag day on June
IA, and urges residents to place
flag in front of their romes on that
day. At recent committee'meet
of the post the ambulance COM
mittee voted to have the Stude-
baker ambulance overhauled and
painted, and the work was done
by Pleasanton Garage. William
Derbyshire, owner of the Western
Auto Associate Store, donated a
warning blinker light and mirror
which were installed in the ambul-
ance. With brakes overhauled,
the ambulance is now in first class
condition. Almost Immediately af-
ter it was restored to service the
ambulance was used for trip as
the Ford ambulance was out on a
call at the same time. Walter
Nichols was appointed as driver.
More drivers are needed, and those
interested are asked to contact the
committee. Mr.. Garis has been in
structed to purchase oxygen tanks,
guages, yoke, and humidifer for
emergency use in the service. A
first aid school is being arranged,
to be taught to all drivers by the
local doctors.
To Paint Ambulance Room
The class will be instructed in
all types of first aid, including ac-
cident cases, handling patients,
use of oxygen and equipment and
of the iron lung. Permission was
obtained from Town Council to
paint the ambulance room white,
with red floor. Attendance at the
post meetings is becoming increas-
ed and veterans are urged to join
the post. Miss Alberta Cornelius
was named to present the David c.
Harrison Post Mo. IA award to the
eighth grade boy student most pro-
ficient in American history. The
award will be made at the annual
commencement awards program
hold of tho cphOo1
Smyrna times., 1953-06-04
Dinner for National Commander

Mr.. and Mrs. Grant G. Garis and
William e. Matthews, Jr., attend
ed the banquet given in Laurel last
Thursday night in honor of Lewis
K. Cough, of Pasadena, CAL, ma
tional commander of the American
Legion. Attending the dinner were
Legionnaires and members of the
Legion Auxiliary from all parts OF
Delaware.
Evening star., 1953-11-08
By IsobeIIe Shelton

Foggy Bottom, the "old Wash
ington" area which already has
gained world attention as the
nerve center of the State De-
partment's far-f1ung activities,
appears on its way to a major
face-lifting, ala Georgetown.
A person walking through the
section any week day would find
bricklayers, carpenters, plaster
ers, painters and a host of other
workmen busy refurbishing an
cjent, decrepit dwellings, many
in such a sad state of disrepair
that the District government had
condemned them for occupancy.
Much of the area-one of the
city'S oldeSt-haS fallen away to
slums. There even is disagree
ment about it's exact boundaries.
Roughly speaking, it is bounded
OF. the west by Rock creek and
the Potomac River, on the south
by the Potomac, and on the
north by Pennsylvania avenue.
Some would place it's east
boundary at Twenty-third street.
Others would carry it almost to
the doorstep Of the White House,
along Seventeenth street.
The fading area was given a
tremendous boost when the State
Department moved into it's big,
new building there in 1947.
The former gas house area,
which, incidentally, got its name
Evening star., 1953-11-08
Foggy Bottom Area
Gets Foce-Lifting
Eleanor Dulles and Others Renovoting
Slunns in One Time Gas House Area

from the "miasmic vapors''
which arose from it's river-edge
sWampS in the early days of the
city, received still a bigger boost
a few months ago.
This was an announcement
that a huge luxury-type hotel
and Office building would be
erected on the site of what have
long been the areas landmarks:
the huge, unsightly gas tanks,
The tanks have not been used for
some years, but they have re-
manned as a blight on the land
scape.
The State Department also is
considering about building an
other new building. across the
street from it's present one.
But most of the areas face
lifting will consist of renovation
rather than new construction.
Of particular interest right
now, because of the recent hear
ing before the District Commis-
sioners on the legality of all
alley dwellings, is a group of
houses being renovated in three
courts-Snow's court, Hughes
court and Green's court. She will
keep one for herself and rent out
the other two.
The courts form the interior
core of three adjacent blocks
between I and K streets NV.
Shows court is between Twenty
fourth and Twenty-f1fth streets,
Evening star., 1953-11-08

rooms, each with a closet and
two windows. There also is a
tiled bath with skylight and
a small linen closet. The larger
of the two bedrooms, at the back
of the house, looks out at a huge,
beautiful, stained-glass window
at the back of St. PauIs Episco-
pal Church.
The outside brick walls have
been painted a spanking white,
and a new red brick stoop
and staircase with iron grill
railing are being built in front
of each. Shutters in authentic
Williamsburg colors-a different
color for each house-have been
added. There is an electrically
Evening star., 1953-11-08

Hughes court between Twenty
fifth and Twenty-sixth, and
Green's court between Twenty
sixth and Twenty-seventh.
Eleanor Lansing Dulles, the sis
ter of Secretary of State John
Foster Dulles and a State De-
partment official in her own right
(she is special assistant to the
officer in charge of German eco
nomic. affairs, is fixing over
three houses in Green's court.
Joseph Robitscher, a George
Washington University medical
student, and his wife Jean, a
former newspaper and magazine
writer, are redoing most of the
houses in the once-notorious
Shows court, which is well
known to police for its record of
petty crimes and misdemeanors.
Ben and Dorothy Burch, who
have done similar restorationS
n Georgetown, and the Robit-
schers will develop Hughes court
together, and the Burches also
have some houses in Green's
court. A few other people own
a house or two.
The most nearly completed of
the houses are a row of seven
owned by the RobitscherS in
Shows court. Only the finish
ing touches remain to be put
on the attractive white-painted
brick structures, which are pic
tured above.
The 93-year-old dwellings,
which had deteriorated into
scarcely more than novels, each
occupied by 10 or IL unfortunate
Negroes, were stripped back to
the bare brick walls. All in
terror partitions were removed.
and new flooring was laid over
the old.
Gas, electricity and inside
Evening star., 1953-11-08

plumbing, none of which the
houses had before, were in
stalled. "A brick fireplace was
added to each, flanked on each
side by shelves or cabinets or a
combination of the two. (There
are small variations such az these
between the houses. There also
is variety in the wall above
the fireplaces. In some houses
the bare bricks extend to the
ceiling. In others, the bricks are
covered with plaster. Complete
air conditioning is available for
an extra $7O0D
Each house has two stories
plus a basement, and is IL feet
wide by 2612 feet deep. Double
French doors have been installed
leading to the tiny Q2-by-14-
foot) newly bricked and fenced
patio at the rear of each house.
With the exception of one
especially built kitchen, which is
pictured above, the kitchens are
completely walled rooms, occu-
pying a corner at the front end
of the living room. The doors
of each are a pair of shutters,
hinged on each side of the door
frame and meeting in the CEN
ter. The lowered shutters per-
NIT light to enter the living room
through the kitchen window.
Each kitchen is equipped with
an 8-foot refrigerator with
across-the-top freezer space, a
red formica-topped sink with
garbage disposal unit and an ex-
haust fan.
The door to the basement also
appears to be a lowered shutter,
although 1t is solid wood on the
basement side to keep out drafts.
There are iron grillwork on
the steps to the second floor.
Upstairs there are two bed
Evening star., 1953-11-08

wired carriage lamp at the side
of each front door.
Four of the seven houses
already have been sold, and a
fifth has been rented. A woman
who works for the State Depart
ment and her widowed mother
have purchased one. A local
lawyer has purchased another,
as an investment, and the other
two were purchased by two
women news reporters. One
covers Capitol Hill for the United
Press, the other covers the Cap
itol for the International News
Service.