Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-01-20
Snow Cripples Concert,
But Kennedys Attend

ute. but 1t could hardly be
called an ovation.
The concert was scheduled
to begin at 8:15. At sos only
a third Of the musicians in the
National Symphony Orchestra
had been able to reach the hall.
Some Of them-about 20
never did.
Neither did Mischa Elman,
the guest soloist.
Neither did the Howard Uni
versity Male Chorus.
John La Montaine, whose
From Sea to Shining Sea" was
written especially for the con-
cert event. Pianist Earl Wild
and the Georgetown University
Glee Club did, but barely.
For a time. there was grave
doubt that the conductor him.
self, Dr. Howard Mitchell.
would make 1t. He arrived
about $40. He told inquirers
he had had to abandon his
wife in the family car near the
Roosevelt Hotel and walk the
remaining Q miles.
Choice Of Seats
Customers were 30 few and
management was so elated at
the appearance Of q new face
that ticket holders were as
good as told they could SIT
where they pleased. Many Of
them did, hopping from seat to-
seat.
A tragic aspect OF the storm
cursed concert occurred when
an elderly woman collapsed ana
died near one Of the hall en-
frances. She was later iden-
tilted as Mrs. Charlotte Mar
eileth. rs. Of 1911 Park Terrace
drive, Alexandria.
AS time for the concert APP
preached. reporters were told
there weren't any programs.
The storm had delayed their
delivery.
|. who wants to hear inusic?"
asked a woman wearing gal
oshes. She nudged her way
into a small knot of humanity
near the President Generals
Reception Room and waited
for the Kennedys to emerge
from their anteroom off the
auditorium and go to their box.
At 1923 they did.
BY this time, DR.. Mitchell
had arrived, but the applause
was feeble.
J0hnsOns Arrive
Hard-pressed for manpower,
the orchestra did well with the
first three selections - "The
Star Spangled Banner" Mr.. La
Montaine's overture and the
Concerto in g Minor by vivaldi.
During the latter the Johnsons
arrived and took their seats
unbeknownst to almost every
one. There was no opportunity
to applaud them.
At this point DR.. Mitchell
had to call on his reserves. It
was Mr.. Elman's turn, but
Mr.. Elman wasn't there. So
the conductor summoned the
Georgetown Glee Club which
sang five numbers straight, the
fifth apparently being a repeat
OF the first. Still. Mr.. Elman
did not appear.
Mr.. Kennedy looked at the |
ceiling and drumrned his fingers |
on the box railing. Mrs. Ken |
nedy hardly moved.
1t was then that the pro-
grams arrived and the ushers
passed them out gleefully, as II |
the day were saved.
The Glee Club struck up
again, but the ushers paid little |
heed, seating new arrivals as
they came, not at all waiting |
for a break in the program.
The Kennedys departed at
9:1s. leaving the rest Of the
program to Mr.! Wild.
II nothing else, the storm
was democratic. 1t wasn't just
the little people who missed the
big event. vIPs by the legion
failed to appear from u. N.
Observation-Disclosures Adlail
e. Stevenson and Mrs. Eleanor
Roosevelt to Mr.. and Mrs.
Herbert May.
Notable because of her fame,
but also because she did make
1t, was Mrs. Woodrow Wilson.
But to prove the weather was
bad, among the missing was the