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VOL. XXIX-No. No. 40
PITTSBURGH, PA., SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1938
PRICE - TEN CENTS

25,000 Jam Harlem Airport To See Show

FIRST AMATEUR AIR SHOW THRILLS CROWD; DR. CABLE SPECTATOR

CHICAGO, Sept. 29--More than 25,000 people, many of them Southside Chicagoans, turned out last Sunday at the Harlem Airport, 87th and Harlem avenue, to attend the first Amateur Air Show. Seven of the contestants were Negro flyers and they acquitted themselves notably. One of the [[cutoff text]] atures of the day was the warm [[cutoff text]] lcome Dr. Theodore Cable of Indianapolis received when he landed [[cutoff text]] fely from his home town to witness the meet. He was accompanied by Dr. Lloyd Taylor. They were given the glad hand of fellowship by Lieut.-Col. Cornelius Coffey, operator at Harlem airport, and his reception crew.

FLYERS THRILL CROWD

Dewey Biggs and Dave Bishop, two white flyers, thrilled the vast crowd by their stunt flying, doing spirals, barrel rolls, verticals and half loops. The solo pilots number was interesting with Lola Jones, Charles Johnson, Albert Cosby and Herman Ray participating for the most perfect take-off, spiral and landing. Miss Willa Brown, Dale White and Fred Hutcherson demonstrated along with about 15 others the precise landing in a 40-foot circle.

Sidney Reuben, white, and Chauncey Spencer, colored, made their first parachute leaps. Reuben landed in Marquette Park and Spencer at 54th and Belt Line railroad, to end the meet.

ONE GIRL AND THREE MEN GRADUATED FROM CHICAGO AERONAUTICAL COLLEGE

Miss Doris Murphy, Dale L. White, Edward C. Anderson and Clyde B. Hampton Qualify to Become Flyers—Ceremonies are Impressive.

1935

By NETTIE GEORGE SPEEDY

CHICAGO, Feb. 28—Four names were added to the list of United States aviators Thursday evening, when Miss Doris Murphy, Dale L. White, Edward C. Anderson and Clyde B. Hampton graduated from the Aeronautical University, 1338 Michigan avenue. Every seat in the large assembly hall was taken and many persons, whose names have become famous in the civic affairs of the nation, were there to pay tribute to this slim young girl and her three male classmates who have qualified to become flyers.

The hall was beautifully decorated in crimson and gold, the class colors. When the graduates, in uniform, appeared, following the president of the University, L. M. Churbuck, their instructor, Col. J. C. Robinson, and this writer, who acted as mistress of ceremonies, the applause was deafening. The carefully prepared program was hastily discarded and in its place many distinguished persons in the audience were called upon to felicitate the graduates.

Dr. Earl Renfro, who recently bought his own plane, since he and his wife, Mrs. "Billie" Lawson Renfroe, have become converts of the air, Mrs. Maude Roberts George, president of the National Associations of Negro Musicians; Percy C. Hines, historian of the Chicago-Tuskegee Club; Col. Frank Stewart of the Military Order of National Guards; Dr. Joseph H. Webb, who is getting up an expedition to take to Africa; Mrs. William J. Warfield, wife of the recently appointed colonel of the famous 8th Regiment, U. S. A.; Mrs. Henry Tolbert, president of the Pandoras, one of the city's oldest clubs, and Mrs. Tommie Porter, famed elocutionist, were among those called upon to gladden the hearts of the aviators.

Presented Diplomas

Mr. Churbuck spared no words of praise when he spoke of the graduates, and was particularly complimentary to Miss Murphy, the flower of the flock, when he told of her bard work and determination to conquer all obstacles to obtain her goal. He spoke of the fitness of each graduate and his ability to build an airship from the first nut and screw to a finished article. He told of the fair policy the school will always practice towards all nations while he remains head of the university. Their adeptness at the controls and the openings for them in the world of aviation were revealed by the president.

In soldier-like fashion, the four stepped up to him when he presented their diplomas, daintily tied in the chosen colors by Mrs. Churbuck, wife of the president. David E. Taylor, editor of the California News, Los Angeles, recited the famous poem of Paul Laurence Dunbar, "The Colored Soldier," and told the graduates they must carry on the work. Ex-Congressman Oscar DePriest added his words of praise to the four and the school, and Dr. A. Wilberforce Williams, famous physician and surgeon, linguist and traveler, held the audience spell-bound as he delivered the principal address.

Mr. Fred Ingram, president of the Chicago Tuskegee Club, accompanied by Mrs. Isadore Bufird Greer, rendered two vocal selections. Col. Robinson and Miss Murphy are both graduates of Tuskegee Institute, and the Chicago club was out in large numbers to pay tribute to them. A huge basket of flowers and a dozen American Beauty roses were presented to Miss Murphy.

History of School

The Aeronautical University is the Chicago branch of the Curtis Wright Flying Service, known as one of the best equipped in the country. The service is the oldest flying organization in the world, and has nothing but government approved instructors. This school qualifies a student for a government license in any branch of aviation which he desires to enter. A student receives practical work on all kinds of aeroplanes and aeroplane motors.

Col. Robinson, an instructor at the University, is the only Negro on the faculty of this government approved school. But Negro students are enrolled here on a large scale. The duties of Col. Robinson, who has been with the school since 1930, are not confined to Negro students, as he is treated with he same courtesy as the other members of the faculty. One of his daily duties is to instruct students of all nationalities in the art of flying at the Municipal airport. The president, Mr. Churbuck, is unstinted in his praise of the ability, efficiency, and capabilities of the Negro instructor.

A visit to the university convinces one that here, creed, color and religion are forgotten. The only thing worth while to the students is to master the secrets of the airship from the beginning of its skeleton to the finishing touches of the winged craft. After the exercises, Thursday evening, the audience was carried on a tour of inspection through the building. On the first floor, there was an airship, which had just been finished by the students, and which was ready to take off as far as the workmanship was concerned.

PLANE DOWN IN CROWDED PARK

Six baseball games and 2,500 spectators in Douglas Park hurried to the edges of the field yesterday to get out of the way of an airplane making a forced landing.

The aviator was J. C. Robinson, 5747 Calumet av., who had taken off from the Sky Harbor airport soon after noon in a single seater.

Engine trouble developed and he was unable to fix it in the air, so he circled down over the big ballfield and waved his arm as a signal. Policemen W. J. O'N ill and James Krejci, seeing what his purpose was, started herding the people back in both directions. Volunteers helped and the field was clear in a minute or two.

The landing was made without damage to ship or pilot. Park offirials told Robinson, however, [[cutoff text]] at he would not be permitted [[cutoff text]] off from the park, but woul [[cutoff text]] to have the ship disman [[cutoff text]] towed.

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