Evening star., 1955-06-05
By JAMES WALDO FAWCETT

viii become nationally famous
tomorrow when the 15-cent
red certified mail postage
stamp goes on first-day sale
at the Ben Franklin Station.
Pennsylvania avenue and
Thirteenth street NV.
His name is Robert s. Ban
croft. and he resides with his
wife at 3425 A street Sc.
Apartment B-l. A native Of
Watertown. s. OAK, 46 years of
age, he has lived in the Dis
trict of Columbia or nearby
since early childhood and was
educated at Central High
School.
Mr.. Bancroft entered the
employ of the Post ONCE De-
partment in 1910, having pre-
viously served in the Navy
and been a Capital Transit
bus operator. He was assigned
to the Connecticut Avenue
Branch in$19A1 and to the
Ben Franklin Station origin
ally in 1947.
Photo Made in January
The photograph Of Mr.. Ban
croft used in designing the
15-cent certified mail adhesive
was taken by a Department
photographer in January. It
Is a good enough portrait to be
recognized on sight as repro
duced in The Star Of February
Is, where "the smiling letter
carrier" was found and identi-
fed by his little granddaugh-
ter. Patsy Reap, aged 10. a
pupil at Holy Name School.
Mr.. Bancroftsis not a philat-
elist. but makes a hobby of
house painting in his spare
time. He will be ION the job"
as usual tomorrow morning at
5 o'clock and shortly after 10
will be in the main lobby of
the Ben Franklin Station to
autograph f1rst-day covers "in
reasonable quantities"
The law which forbids the
use of portraits of living per-
sons on postage stamps may
have been violated technically
in the 15-cent certified mail
sticker, but William F. Law
renee, attorney in the Solici-
tors Office of the department
says the spirit of the regula-
ton has noe been broken. It's
language reads: mo portrait
shall be placed upon any Of
the bonds, securities. notes.
fractional or postal currency
of the United States while the
original of such portrait is liv-
ing" but since Mr.. Bancroft's
name will not appear on the
stamp and since he served
only as an anonymous model
for it no actual legal breach
has occurred.
Chosen for His Neatness
1t was not for his smile that
"the smiling letter carrier"
was selected to pose, but for
his neatness-the good condi-
ton of his uniform.
Mr.. Bancroft, however, is
regarded as "a representative
postal worker" Speaking of
his choice. jerome ]. Heating,
vice president of the National
Association of Letter Carriers,
told The Star, 'Mr. Bancroft
splendidly typifies the spirit of
service to the public which
was set forth as a basic
principle of our organization
when it was founded in 1885,"
Tomorrcw's first-day sale
will be opened bv Pcstmo ster
General Summerfleld in Room
5000, Main Post Office Depart
ment Building, and attended
by other officers of the depart
ment, representatives of the
Bureau OF Engraving and
Printing and various philatelic
organizations.
The Legend Of Bezaleel
When the International
Union Of Plate Printers, Die
Etampers and Engravers Of
North America held its annual
convention in Washington
May s to IA, one of the his
torical subjects mentioned for
discussion was the legend of
Bezaleel or Bezalel. referred to
In Exodus XXI. 1-6 and Exodus
xxxv. 30-35. His name meant
"In the very shadow of God"
and he was described as being
"fllled with the spirit of God. in
wisdom and in understanding,
and in knowledge and in all
manner of workmanship: To
devise cunning works. to work
In gold and in silver and in
brass, and in cutting stones, to
set them, and in carving tim
ber, to work all manner of
workmanship Even more ex-
plicitly. Bezaleel is credited
with wisdom of heart, to work
all manner Of work, of the en-
graver and of the weaver. ="
Hebrew tradition affirms that
with the help of Aholiab or
Oholiab. he was commissioned
to construct the Tabernacle,
the holy Ark and the sacred
--
STAMPS AND COINS
Coins Bought ar I Sold
com SHOP
ann 18TH n NV me- fQn1