Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-11
NEWS OF MUSIC
BY DAY THORPE

ticed here in Washington.
However, the two subjects i'm
pinged on one another as long
ago as the epoch 1919-l930.
and of this picture l myself
have some recollection.
The events / relate are COM
monplace enough. and I do not
pretend that they are typical,
but they may be of interest to
a few Of the thousands Of per-
sons still living here who can
see the image of music In and
around three Washington
schools in a mirror less dis
torted or more highly pol
ished than mine.
My nrst musical experience
is In connection with the Il. v.
Brown School. at Connecticut
and Mckinley. to which I
used to walk, circa 1919, from
my family's home on Ingomar
street. perhaps Connecticut
avenue was unpaved in those
days. but In the face Of cold
print have the uncomfort-
able feeling that I have said
so 30 often that / have myself
come. to believe what Is not
true.)
AZ far as I can remem-
Der music had no place
whatever in the 4. v. Brown
curriculum, but there was an
Italian scissors grinder, q
friend Of mine, who not in
frequently neglected his morn
ing trade to walk to school
with US children, dancing with
his monkey and operating his
hand organ, the strains Of
which advised housewives Of
his whereabouts. The music
made q deep impression on
me. Many years later, over
whelmed by the pathos of
Schubert's song. Der Leier-
man." I used to think back
about my organ grinder and
endow him with a tragic life
quite foreign to his nature.
He probably was happy as a
clam.
Spirituals and INT
Another musical mentor was
Alfred Swiggett,' the colored
man who moved my family's
lawn. Returned from the AEF,
he was a person / was sure
knew everything worth know
ing and could do anything not
downright impossible. He de-
lighted me with spirituals in
termixed with more sophisti-
Gated fare; he also told me that
all the soldiers in France used
to chew TINT like Black Jack
gum-that 1t was harmless
when mixed with saliva. He
offered me some once, but I
was afraid to try it, and am
thus to this day ignorant Of
the facts of what must be a
fairly basic property of INT.
My first real musical educa-
ton, as I look back on it, came
at the hands of our next door
neighbor, Old Lady Randall
This dominant personality
must have had a more formal
f1rst name, but l have never
heard 1t. Everybody in my
world-that is to say, my
block-called her "Old Lady
Randall" even. as I remember,
our parents. She lived with
her brother, Bernie. a retired
semi-pro baseball player, and
several Pekingese. She was a
volunteer fireman. and used TO
serve doughnuts and hot coffee
to everybody present at any
confiagration she could reach
in time.
A Packard Twin Six
Usually. Old Lady Randall
was at worthwhile fires ahead
of the FIRE department, for she
drove a mammoth Packard
Twin Six, roughly the size of a
Pullman sleeper. 1t was a
touring car. black with bright
red disc wheels, and its top
was kept down both winter
and summer. Either respond
ing to fire calls or on any other
occasion when the two drove
together, Old Lady Randall
would be at the wheel, a long
purple scarf flying from her
black velour hat. while Bernie
and the Pekingese would ride
in the back seat, a distance Of
maybe Is feet away. Why
brother and sister always tray
eled thus tandem l never
learned. although the question
was subject Of some curiosity
around Chevy Chase.
Bernie was a good friend Of
us boys, and out to walk the
Pekingese. used to tell innu-
merable baseball stories and
teach us to throw curves. His
sister was considerably more
reserved (understandably, as I
can now perceive), and usually
limited her conversation with
us to sdmonitions to keep OF
her grass and stop teasing her
PekeS.
Concerts and Lorna DOOnes
Now and again. though, It
was different. Old Lady RAN
dali was a pianist, and from
time to time she would invite
the neighborhood boys and
girls into her house for a re-
cital and a big bowl OF Lorna
Doones, There may have been
some who ended their visit
with the depletion Of the bis
cults, but ! was always there
20 the very last note. No one
played in my home. and Old
$50 a G