Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 45

feature Mr. Fixit 2 Amusements .3, 4 Radio, TV Programs. .5 Book News .6 Music and Art .7 Virginia Safford 8 She's a DING DONG Schoolniarin itlinneapolis imuDap tribune SUNDAy, FEBRUARy 28, 1954 Miss Frances Begins Her Busy Day at 4:50 A. M. Adams.

Si i W. HAT FOOLS WE MORTALS BE! A roommate of PK. DR. FRANCES HORW1CH gets up at 4:50 every week-day morning. She has a cup of coffee and then, in a house coat, practices the things she'll say and do lour hours later as Miss Frances on the NBC television network.

After talking through "Ding Dong School" nloud, to herself, and timing it, she showers and dresses. Her husband, Harvey I lor- -16 1 i wich, who also is 3 1: AFTER LAST NIGHT a Ph.D., gets up around 6. They have an unhurried breakfast together in their hotel apartment on Chicago's near -I i. il 3t KJ "I have a standing order for a cab with the same company, but I always get different drivers," Miss Frances said. "Some of them recognize me, some don't.

When they do, they tell me about their children. Police Escort "One dark morning a couple of policemen in a cruiser recognized me as I was getting into the cab. They followed me all the way to the Studebaker theater, to see that I got there okay, I guess. The poor cab driver didn't know what it was all about. "When Harvey was in Korea, I tried to prepare him for what was happening back here.

He got some of it over there. Soldiers who had been home or who had children found out who he was, and they started calling him 'Ding Dong But think it was still a shock to him when he came back. "We changed our way of living. We get to bed at 9 every night, and we've sort of educated our friends to our schedule. We don't go out during the week.

We do all our socializing on Friday and Saturday nights. We get to the theater or to a concert every week." Chicago's skyline was a charcoal gray when the cab pulled up in front of the Studebaker theater on Michigan boulevard. The theater has been converted to a TV studio by NBC. Half the stage was set for "Welcome Travelers" with prop restaurant booths. Miss Frances and I put our coats into one of the booth and walked to the other side of the stage, where a big, curved canvas backdrop had been put up.

Bright lights were on Ding Dong school's simple physical plant: a hassock, a low table, some shelves, and children's drawings taped to the backdrop. "Good morning, Walt!" chirruped Miss Frances. "Good morning, How's the coffee this morning?" Two elderly stagehands said good morning. Bottles, in a green shirt, was puttering with a coffee-maker at a table to one side of the Ding Dong setting. There were also bowls, spoons, a handful of fresh bananas, and a couple of boxes of frozen peaches.

Everything except the coffee, he said, was for the commercials. Her TV Dolls Walt, in a. blue sweater and baggy khaki pants, stood by trie hassock waiting for instructions. "Will you get me the dolls?" Miss Frances said as she looked over the set "Little Tears and Jimmy and Billy?" "Is Jimmy a rag doll?" asked Walt. "No, Jimmy is a little celluloid doll," said Miss Frances.

"I thought you knew these little fellows intimately." "I do, but I lose track," said Walt. Walt went over to one of three big gray cupboards-on-wheels. He opened it, pulled out a few dolls, and brought them back to mine at the University of Minnesota, a Mabel, boy, is now a partner in the firm of Harris, Upham, on Wall Street in New York. He sent a brochure to Bunny Rathbun, manager of the firm here. In the pamphlet were these statistics: $1,000 invested in General Motors in 1908 is now worth $1,000 invested in Sears Roebuck in 1906 is now worth a similar amount invested in International Business Machines in 1917, today is worth $182,500, and $1,000 invested in Dow Chemical that year is today worth $69,500.

If you had held $1,000 or 10 shares of the Company common stock in 1902, and subsequently exercised all rights to purchase additional shares, you'd have today, 5,282 shares and a net gain of $438,050, including cash dividends. The year 1975 doesn't seem too long away, a great many of us should be alive when that year rolls around. Here's what the brochure has to say about that year: Both population and employment will be up 27 per cent, there'll be 75 per cent more automobiles and 50 per cent more homes in use. The work week will be shortened 15 per cent. Use of electricity will more than treble.

The number of trucks in use will be 150 per cent larger. Such industries as aircraft, plastics, synthetic fibres and insecticides should grow more than 400 per cent. IF TAX REDUCTIONS scheduled to so Into effect in April are permitted lo do so, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is predicting a 3 per cent drop -in automobile prices, a half-cent drop in gasoline and a one-cent drop per package In cigarets You'll soon have chocolate-flavored chewir gum after 16 years of research Flies and mosquitoes, as you know, have become immune to DDT. The B.

F. Goodrich Chemical company of New Y'ork has a new insecticide for spring Introduction, which will be effective against these insects as well as moths, chinch hugs, the army worm and other insects It was the cynical Clarence Darrow who once observed: "Depressions may bringr people closer to church, but so do funerals." KIDS ARE AMAZING. Gary Crew, of Eighteenth avenue when he was 6, started out on his sidewalk bicycle with his chum Herbie Brathovde, who was 5, riding a tricycle, to visit Gary's grandmother. The two went from Thirty-third street and Cedar avenue to Franklin and Aldrich avenues for a round trip of eight miles. Neither had made the trip before other than in a car.

They arrived at Grandma's house, had some cookies, started their trip back. Made it all right, too. In the meantime, though, the squad car had started a search. At 8:30 that night the youngsters came trudging home, pushing their vehicles Herbie had a broken front wheel. Gary had a broken chain.

The lads had walked most of the distance Gary had two books in the basket of his bicycle. One was a cook book the other was "Back to God's Country." EVER WONDERED WHY you're tired? You're a busy little machine, even though you may not know it That body of yours is really a startling: mechanism when you consider its accomplishments over a 24 hour period. Have a gander: Somebody has figured out that your heart beats 103,689 times a day, your blood travels 168,000 miles, you breathe 23,240 times, even when you're sleeping, you turn 35 times a night. You stuff into that mouth of yours some 3' pounds of food, you speak 4,800 words and you exercise seven million brain cells. Even at that, when it comes to using your noggin, you aren't overdoing.

Y'our brain has something like nine billion brain cells, so you're using only about one-tenth of your Intellect. Quite a day's work, though, isn't it? DEPARTMENT STORE BRANCHES are increasing every day and the next two years vill reveal some revolutionary marketing concepts. Donaldson's are already in Rochester. OW- lAn- norm side, iney By Will Jones have no children. "I'm not the kind of person to grab a quick bite of breakfast," Miss Frances told me when I arrived at the Horwich apartment at 6:30 on a recent Friday morning.

"If you start the day on the run, you just run all day." Miss Frances had on a light blue dress of extremely plain design. The only decoration consisted of red piping on the pockets. While she got together some things to take to the studio, I sat down at the breakfast table for coffee and a quick talk with Mr. Frances. Horwich, a short, gentle-looking man with dark hair that's turning gray, smiled brightly through his heavy glasses and said: Things Changed "I was in Korea when all this happened to Frances I was there as historian for the air force.a civilian job and I must say that I found life changed when I got back.

People mobbed us when we went to Nassau for our vacation. We had to move in from Evanston because Frances can't spare the extra 45 minutes that it takes to commute. And reporters come in to see us at 6:30 in the morning." In a dark sport shirt unbuttoned at the neck, Horwich looked like a man set for a day of loafing. "I'll watch 'Ding Dong he said. "I always do.

I think it's a good program. And I'll do some writing. I have some things to catch up on. I'm note quite sure what I'm going to do from now on. I've been a teacher, and I'm a lawyer, and I may help Frances with some of her work." At 6:45, Miss Frances said it was time to leave.

She put on a dark blue coat and heret. "Do a good show, little girl," said Horwich as we went out the door. I carried the shopping bag which she had ready by the door. "Those are my props for the commercial," she said. "I made them last night.

I make them myself and take them down myself, and then I know that they get there in good They're fragile, so keep the bag up straight." A cab was waiting at the hotel entrance. Chicago was dark, wet and foggy. Dr. Frances lloru leh lhat," Miss Frances said. She went to the cupboard and picked out one herself.

"Bottles takes care of the drawings," Miss Frances said. "Most of them come in wrinkled. He presses them out flat and puts up new ones every day. Heavy Fan Mail "I just read my letter the other day. My secretary keeps count.

I'm supposed to be able to answer all kinds of questions. I try, but of course, if the question is controversial, if I'm supposed to settle an argument, I can't do anything like that. "Most of the letters are complimentary. Jliss Frances Continued on Page Two Miss Frances. She arranged them on a shelf, propping them with wooden blocks.

"And we'll need four boxes of Kix," Miss Frances said. "That's one thing we got a lot of," said Bottles. "Kix." He opened a cupboard that was full of Kix. "Now we need a little doll right here," said Miss Frances, pointing to an end spot. Walt grabbed a limp yarn doll and held it up.

"Is that the best yarn doll we've got?" Miss Frances said. "Let's have a WOOLLY yarn doll." Walt picked out another one and brought it to her. "Oh, we've got a better yarn doll than Oregon Northern Pike Story Really Was Fishy By DAK LE I-'LLDM EI Minneapolis Tribune SUfl Wiltrf It's all cleared vip now the mystery of tha discovery of a northern pike (dead) on the shore of one of Oregon's trout and salmon rivers. When the northern first was found, Oregon fishermen touched off a big fuss, called the northern bad names and said they wanted none of his kind in their waters. Minnesota anglers, remembering days they would have mortgaged the boat to hang a northern on the stringer, were amused.

A displaced Minnesotan writes the Alexandria Park Region Echo that it turns out the northern was caught in Minnesota by an Oregon fisherman. He was carrying it home on a block of ice to show the home folks what a real fish looks like but almost home he decided it had spoiled and he threw it away on the river bank. HANDYMAN'S CALENDAR: Monday Time to start thinking about painting screens. Remember a piece of carpet nailed to a wooden block (nap side up) makes a good "brush." Tuesday When you store storm windows and doors, coat glass heavily with paste or cleaner. Wipe it off next fall.

Wednesday Still no snow? Pick up the yard of winter's trash accumulation. Thursday An old rubber shoe heel nailed to your ladder feet promotes safety. Friday-Take off for the week-end. "Take it Easy," says a sign outside Seymour, Mo "This is a One-Hearse Town." Something you may not know blind residents or residents receiving Minnesota state old age assistance can get a free Minnesota fishing license. The state gave 7,222 such free licenses in 1952.

OLD HUNTERS NEVER DIE: One thing you can say about hunters. They live about two months a year and spend 10 months dreaming about it. A Minneapolis hunter was crossing the intersection at Sixth and Marquette the other day when a gust of wind lifted his hat off his head and sent it swirling in the air. It flew aloft across the street up to about the third story of a building. "My first thought was embarrassment at all those people watching my predicament," he said, "but then it began to circle and described a beautiful arc and landed way down the street and skidded under a car, and I got to thinking if I only had my gun that would have been the best shot I had all year." WHAT'S IT: "Spring on the Prairie" three color sound films on prairie game birds shows at 3 p.m.

today in the museum of natural history on campus Cloquet Council of Catholic Women sponsor a Mardi Gras carnival at 1 p.m. Feldmeir On behalf of the northern pike of this state, I would like to have a formal apology from Oregon. Dayton's building is nearing completion there. Plans for Dayton's Southdale and Powers suburban development are beyond the drawing board stage. So prepare yourself for "retail cities" with new counter and shelf designs, expanded self-service, even new packaging which will fit in with the new suburban developments The Irish have their big day on March 17, but watch out for their cousins tomorrow.

Monday, March 1, is the day when the Evanses, the Joneses, the Morgans, the Thomases, and the Williamses get together to hail St. David, patron Saint of Wales. One group will celebrate tomorrow night in the Lyndale Congregational church with songs from their Welsh homeland, speeches by Welsh natives and maybe a bit of Welsh food. The Welsh never hope to make March 1 as well known as St. Patrick's day, but they don't want the day to go unnoticed Watch for the nation's canners to strike back against the frozen food business.

Recent inroads have been too serious to let the swing go much farther. EVER SIT AROUND and spend an evening: with what we used to call a "stereopticon," a gadget you put a double picture in and then got a sort of 3D effect? There's an elderly couple in Grand Rapids, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Day, who would be made extremely happy if they could obtain one of these old viewers. They have several hundred postcards, suitable for a stereo viewer, of places they visited in their younger days and the two of them would get a lot of pleasure if they had a couple of these viewers through which they might look at the cards.

Write them up there if you can help them The American Magazine for December 1952 carried the following item in Its, "Why Don't They?" column, "devise a rubberized feeding spoon whose pliable edge would protect a baby's mouth and tender skin?" The Eue Froducts, manufacturers of infant items in Shakopee, saw the request, sent American a sample. The magazine's N'ow They've Done It" column in the current Issue says, "produced as suggested In 'Why Don't a rubber feeding spoon for baby. The sanitary boil-proof spoon is said to protect tender gums and has a rubber teether at the other end lo make it doubly useful." Nice endorsement for a local outfit and all because a father had trouble getting his baby to eat with a regular spoon THOUGHTS WHILE SHAVING: 'I wish the makers of greeting cards could be a touch more liberal in the size of their envelopes. Seems to me you have to be a magician to get a greeting card into its envelope Wonder if any victim a dead battery ever gets out a crank these days to try starting his car A crank may have been part of the equipment of my car. but I certainly wouldn't know where to locate it right now.

Nor do I think I could get it in through the bumper, the grill and all of the other extraneous equipment in the front. Maybe that's why we all call tow trucks when we're stuck Maybe I'm an old fussbudget, but I can't stand bathroom tissue hung with the paper coming out the bottom Always envy any man his first puff on a freshly filled pipe or a brand new cigar. Somehow, he seems to get more complete satisfaction than a man or a woman with the first puff on a cigaret If there's one word in the language that scarces me in broadcasting it's anonymity. I can even handle it in conversation, let alone meeting it in a script Wonder when hair parting starts. Is it a natural thing? Does the part fall naturally on the left or right side? If it does, who starts the middle-parting technique? And, how many times is a part changed from childhood to middle age? The guy who thought of the name motel had a spark of genius.

I hope he capitalized on it Ccdric Adams' column appcari dai.y in the Minneapolis Star and in the Minneapolis Sunday Tribune 5- DIVISION OF LABOR: If your wJieels are properly aligned, tests show the right rear tire absorbs the most wear (3S per cent), the left rear takes about 29 per cent, the right front gets 19 per cent and the left front, 14 per cent. Here is a suggested tire rota Trenton beach for 15 years now, never has done a day's boat rental business between Dec. 1 and May 1 in all that time until this year. Their party fished that day with good walleye luck. The Everts went into Red ing the next day and mentioned the phenomenon to a few fishing friends.

It was like shaking an apple tree in September. A few Red Wing anglers came out to marvel and fish on Feb. 10. Everts took a couple of boats and motors out of storage. Fellow caught a 10-pound walleye, and that brought more fishermen.

The word filtered out and fishermen began drifting down from Minneapolis, St. Paul, over from Rochester, all marveling at the weatherman's "extra" season of boat fishing in February. One party heard the good news in Milwaukee and drove out. Everts kept taking boats out of storage until he had 10 in operation. This "extra" season ends Monday so there are two more days of walleye fishing in the Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters.

It has been a "wonderful" interlude, Mrs. Everts said, to hear the purr of motors on the Mississippi again and to hear the fishermen come back with regular summer fishing stories. "One fellow," said Everts, "caught a walleye without even using a hook. The fish followed the bait right up to the boat and his partner dipped him up with the net." TOUR TIP: Put your neckties between pages of a magazine when you're traveling. Helps keeps them unwrinkled.

The AAA warns motorists that the prints of two out of every five thumbs that belong to hitchhikers on American roads are identified in FBI files. 4 Michionn traveller reports that Houghton, Muh. built on a hill has tuo kinds of slop sipns. On the level, the. sipns say "Stop." On the hill streets, the sign snus -Full Stop." LAST CHANCE: By midnight today all ice houses must be off Minnesota lakes (don't burn them off, cither, because chunks of nail-studded wood can cause trouble to swimmers next summer).

State game wardens will be out checking Monday. Fines range from $10 to $100 for convictions on non-compliance. It is not deductible for income tax purposes. today in the parish hall Minnesota versus Wisconsin in basketball at 8 p.m. Saturday in Williams arena Shrine Circus in Minneapolis auditorium twice dally (1:30 and 8 p.m.) except today (no shows) through Saturday Eugene O'Neill's "Marco Millions" at University theater in Scott hall at 7:30 p.m.

Monday, 8:30 p.m. Tues tion pattern: put your spare on the right rear, the right rear cn left front, left front on left rear, left rear on right front and right front in your trunk as spare. COME i rPASCE: Traffic was badly snarled. One driver (aith horn) began blasting. Driver of the ear alongside him rolled down his windoic, leaned over and asked politely, "And what else did you get for Christmas?" Sign in a Cannon Falls service station: THE BOSS ISNT ALWAYS RIGHT.

BUT HE'S ALWAYS THE BOSS! THE 10 MINUTES THAT SHOOK IJE1) WING: It happened Feb. 9. Rolland Everts and his wife were getting ready to slide three boats across the frozen Mississippi near Hager City, to get some friends to open water for walleye fishing. Mrs. Everts happened to glance up, and she saw the Ice parting.

In 10 minutes a 25 to 30-foot gap opened in the Ice from shore to shore and as the ice parted one of the weirdest "extra" fishing seasons Everts can remember was "on." Everts, who has been in the boat rental business at day through Saturday and 4 p.m. next Sunday Minneapolis Symphony dates 8:30 p.m. Friday in Northrop with Myra Hess, pianist, and 4:30 p.m. next Sunday with University chorus Lakers in St. Paul auditorium 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday against Syracuse and back across the river at 8:30 p.m. next Sunday against Milwaukee Fernando Valenti, young harpsichordist, in 8:30 p.m. Tuesday concert in the Woman's Club assembly, sponsored by the Center Arts council. The harpsichord, eclipsed 150 years by the piano, is staging a 20th century comebacK, and Valenti has a hand in it. 'What Is a First of a New Religious Series, Begins Next Sunday on This Page.