MONDAY.
Early-day Woman Flyer
Country In
Viola Gentry i a woman
with a cause. So dedicated is
the to this cause that of
bringing honor and continu
ing recognition to men and
women who made their mark
in early-day aviation that
she is touring the United
States on her vacation from
her job and using her own
money, to further the project.
Viola Gentry is herself one
who made aviation news back
in the mid-twenties. She was
the first woman in this coun
try to set an endurance flying
record, she flew with famous
aviators, was a friend of Ame
lia Earhart, Clyde Pangborn,
Jimmy Doolittle, and other
well known aviation person
alities, is a charter member
pf the Ninety-Nines, Inc., in
ternational organization of
women pilots, has flown
and plans to fly again next
year In the annual Powder
Puff derby. I
Because Viola Gentry has!
long-time friends living in
Medford, she put this part of
Oregon on her round-the-coun-
try itinerary and recently
spent four days here as a
guest of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry
R. Smith, 1033 Rcddy avenue.
She was also a guest In the
home of the T. E. Knackstedts,
Renault avenue. When I h e
Smiths were living near Roo
sevelt field on Long Island,
New York, as a newly-married
couple, Viola Gentry was one
of their close friends. In those
days, Roosevelt field was the
most important airport in the
area and the flyers, barnstorm
ers and stunt men all gathered
there; many history-making
flights originated at Roosevelt
field.
Jerry Smith and T. E.
Knackstedt, both touched with
the flying fever as were so
many others, were a part of
the aviation crowd. The two
men "barnstormed" around
the country doing parachute
jumps, wing-walking and oth
er stunt flying at fairs and
other events where crowds
would assemble to be thrilled.
Came West
As time went by and many
of the young people left avia
tion to earn a living in more
established and possibly suicr
pursuits, the Smiths and
Knackstedts became separated
from their Hying friends and
both couples settled In Med
ford. Mrs. Smith and Viola
continued to correspond, but
it took "the cause to bring
the two women together a
few days ago.
Miss Gentry's tour around
the nation this winter is to
spread the news of The Medal
of the Month club, founded by
v her friend, Felicity Buranclli,
of New York City. Described
as an "educational hobby," the
Medal of the Month club oper
ates In this fashion: Plaques,
designed by well known sculp
tors, arc made to honor an
outstanding man or woman.
The originals go to public in
stitutions, such as the Smith
sonian and other museums,
and a duplicate to families,
cities or firms. From the
plaques small medals are
made and these arc used as
gifts or awards nnd mukc up
collections. With each medal
goes a booklet with material
about the honored Individual.
Since Miss Buranelli's
brother, Vincent, is credited
with designing the first air
plane that carried a payload
in its airfoil section, and since
she was interested in aviation.
Miss Buranclli devoted the
first series of plaques and
medals to aviation. The six
plaques honored the Wright
Brothers, Captain Edwin C.
Musick, Amelia Earhart. Capt.
Frank Hawks, Glenn Curtiss
and Gen. William Mitchell
On her month-long trip
around the nation Miss Gen
try is making arrangements
for the placement of addition
al plaques to honor others
notable in aviation. She began
W
VISIT...
La Pointers
Maternity
STORK
NOOK
DECEMBER 3. 1962
Interest of Project
is Roxbury, Mass., the home
of Prof. Thomas H. Langley,
who made a plane in 1908.
In Boston she contacted per
sons regarding Errol Boyd,
known for his early-day non
stop flight from New York
to Bermuda in his Bellanca,
"Miss Columbia."
Honor Sikorsky
Going to Stratford, Conn.,
Miss Gentry visited the firm
of Igor Sikorsky, manufac
turer of helicopters and maker
of the first flying boat, con
cerning the plaque in his hon
or. At Mansfield, Ohio, Miss
Gentry made contacts con
cerning Gen. Frank P. Lahm,
now 92 years old, who holds
Balloon License No. 2 in the
United States. When in Med
ford the traveler said she had
an appointment with the gen
eral in Tucson, Ariz., where
he is spending the winter.
Her stop In Dayton, Ohio,
concerned the Wright Broth
ers, and in Chicago it was in
the interest of Cmdr. Reed of
Naval aviation fame, Walter
Hinton, his co-pilot, and Lin
coln Ellsworth, who was pilot
for Roald Amundsen, the polar
explorer. Dhe stopped in Mar
shall town, Iowa, concerning
Frank Hawks, who establish
ed many trans-continental rec
ords in his Becchcraft, "Mys
tery Ship."
Her slop in Wichita, Kan.,
concerned Walter Beech, mak
er of the plane which bears
his name, and there she had
an Interview with Mrs, Beech.
In Wenatchee, Wash., Miss
Gentry arranged for the city
to receive a plaque honoring
Clyde Pangbord, Wenatchee
man who put the small city
in the limelight when he end
ed his round-the-world flight
there one night in the early
30's. Mr. Knackstedt and
Pangborn were close friends,
and the Medford man present
ed some of the aviator's per
sonal possessions which he
has kept through the years, to
Miss Gentry. These will be
placed in a museum at Suf
folk Air Force base, West
hampton, L.I., which is being
established by the Long Island
Early Fliers club.
One of Viola Gentry's most
exciting visits, during the ear
ly part of her trip, was In Se
attle where she visited the
famous Boeing plant. She fell
privileged to have a first-hand
look at Boeing's new plane,
the 727, which was officially
off the assembly line on Tues
day, November 27.
One of the Medal of the
Month plaques will honor
William Boeing, founder of
the firm.
Visits Yuba City
After leaving Medford ear
ly last week, Miss Gentry
planned to stop next in Yuba
City, Calif., home town of J.
Montgomery, who made a
successful glider flight way
back in 1008. In Santa Clara,
the traveler planned to visit
Santa Clara university where
an Interview had been ar
ranged with the Rev. Father
Patrick A. Donahue. Miss Gen
try will present him a medal
from a plaque honoring Fa
ther Bernard J. Hubbard,
known as The Glacier Priest,
because lie had arranged for
a bronze statue of Christ to
be placed at an Eskimo com
munity where he had lived
and carried on both religious
and scientific work.
In San Francisco Miss Gentry
Interviewed persons interested
Lincoln Beachy, early-day (ly-
Guests
Prospect - Recent guests at
the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Ray Mauler were Mr. and
Mrs. Budd Twombly and fam
ily of Klamath Falls. Mr.
Twombly was the Union
Creek ranger (or a number
of years and is now with the
Klamath Falls district.
PONCHO
BLOUSE
m
Jit
Tours
cr and stunt man. Her Los
Angeles stop will be of par
ticular interest since it con
cerns the famous Gen. Claire
Chennault of the Flying Ti
gers. Other aviation person
alities associated with that
city are Donald Douglas, Rob
ert Fleet and Alan Lockheed,
manufacturers and pilots.
Claude Ryan, designer,
builder and pilot, called San
Diego his home town and her
interview there will concern
him.. Ryan built the famous
"Spirit of St. Louis" which
was the plane flown by Lind
bergh. Miss Gentry plans two stops
in Arizon. In Phoenix her
conferences will concern
Frank Luke, experimental fly
er who set altitude and dis-
tance records, and in Tucson,
the personage concerned is
Calberth Rogers. When told
today, Viola Gentry's 'acts
about Rogers seem incrediole.
This aviator set out in Sep
tember, 1911, to fly across
the United States, and it took
him a mere 49 days. Every
time the luckless Rogers at
tempted to land, he would
crack up or in some fashion
damage his plane. Spare parts
and equipment were shipped
to him by train, and after
repairs, he d take off again.
Miss Gentry recalls that he
was fjying a Wright X13.
To Visit Ttxai
Miss Gentry's "cause" also
lakes her to Texas, where she
will visit the city of Com
merce, home town of Astro
naut John H. Glenn, in whose
honor a plaque will be made.
From Texas she will pro
ceed to Grand Saline, Okla.,
home town of Wiley Post, who
flew around the world with
Harold Gatty, and later made
a round-the-world trip solo.
Post's name is also remember
ed because when he made his
last flight, he and the beloved
Will Rogers crashed and died
together.
In Alabama Miss Gentry's
schedule calls for a stop at
Ft. Payne in the interest of
Eddie Stinson, manufacturer
of planes and pilot, and in
Rome, Ga., her visit will con
cern Admiral Towers, Navy
flyer. In Charleston, S.C., she
will interview persons con
cerning Frank Coffin, who
died recently in Los Angeles.
Coffin was an exhibition pi
lot and a member of the Ear
ly Bird club. To belong to
this exclusive organization, a
flyer must have been pilot
ing planes as early as 1916.
A trip to Baltimore, Md.,
will concern Glenn Martin,
designer and manufacturer of
the plane which bears his
name, and her last stop will
be in Gladwync, Pa., for in
terviews concerning "Hap"
Arnold, general in the United
Stales Air Force.
Travail By Bui
II took the indefatigable
Miss Gentry almost a year to
lay plans for this excursion
and to save money for it.
And how is Miss Gentry trav
eling? By bus. She confided
that she could not often af
ford to travel by plane, and
in planning her cross-country
schedule, hud decided that
such a complicated itinerary
would be best served by bus
and highway. She bought one
o the "99 days for S'J9 tick
ets" and reports that the
ticket is honored by cither
Trailways or Greyhound, al
though sometimes it takes a
bit of adjusting at the depots.
This reporter had been
promised "an interesting eve
ning'' with Viola Gentry, and
it turned out to be all of that.
Modest and friendly, she en
joys talking about flying and
the pilots and aviation per
sonalities she has known. Miss
Gentry list (lew in Santa
Monica, Calif., in 1924 with
Bub Fowler. "After the first
$595
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Aviatrix Viola Gentry, who spent a four
day vacation in Medford recently with long
time friends, has been a flying enthusiast
inct she was 12 years old and in 1928 estab
lished the tirst endurance flight record for
women, having taken off from old Roosevelt .
field near New York City. Miss Gentry, now
louring the United Slatei in the interest of
the aviation leriei of the Medal of the
Month club, ii pictured here during dedica
tion ceremonies at Holmes airport many
years ago. At her left is the late E. J.
L 4 4 s, ."'.jit4,
i-.in iliiliulPiir.i'in ' .
T. E. Knackstedt, Renault
late Clyde Pangborn, Wenatchee, Wash., who made aviation
history by flying around the world in the early '30's, hai
kept a number of the pilot's possession! throughout the
yean ai mememtoei of their flying days together as'young
men. .During the recent visit here of Miss Viola Gentry,
woman pilot and another friend of Aviator Pangborn, Mr.
Knackitedt presented a cap and other articles to Miss
Gentry and they will be placed in a musoum ut Suffolk Air
Force base established by the Long Island Early Flyers' club.
(Knackitedt photo)
time up. I knew I had to go
on flying," she said, with
great earnestness. She went
cast and took more instruction
at Roosevelt and
Curtiss i
fields. She holds Pilot's Li
cense 1822.
Before long even the nicn
acknowledged that Viola whs
a good pilot, even though she
was a wuuiHii in ij.-o sin
broke the world's endurance
fliKbt record lor women out
at Roosevelt, remaining up for
8 hours. 6 minutes and HU
seconds. She teamed up with
Jack Ashcraft in an attempt
to set another endurance rec
ord, and it ended in disaster.
Ashcraft was killed and Vi
ola spent nine months in a
hospital with both arms and
the upper part of her body
in a cast Alter she had re
covered, her license whs re
newed and she was allowed
to fly again.
Viola Gentry recalled that
when she first learned to fly,
there were no paved runways,
no lighted runway and no air
maps "We flew by road
maps," she said, with a sniilr.
For several years she earned
a living by flying, working
for the Breeze corporation
and in public relations. Since
flvmg wouldn't always sup
port Viola. s.he supported her
flying as a hobby, and regrets
never having had money
enough to own a plane.
Now Miss Gentry divides
her lime between Brlleview
Hotel. Clearwater, Kla . wbeic
he is an assistant housekeep
er during the winter resort
season, and the Sea Spray inn,
Kasthampton. l.nng Island
The hotel sponsors her as an
entrant in the annual Powder
Puff derby tor women aia
tors, and last two years she
flew with Shirley M.trli,ill of
Arizona es copilot. The two
women are entering Ihe HM
derby, and her Medford
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON
famous Jimmy
avenue, close friend of the
friends are fervently hoping
that they win.
In her spare time Miss Gen
try does aviation research for
II, It. I.. I nt ,1.. XI ,1.
iMiu.il ui nil: muiiwi (jiu-
Kirfin, iino niiiy reuirn 10 me
coast in the vpring to "pick
up some loose ends." She
hopes lo be able to spend a
few more days in the Rogue
vallev Vinla P.enlrv like the
t West and Oregon
"there's
still room out in Oregon."
says. O S.
she
Misi Viol. Gentry (a! left)
City November 1 1 on a 'round
1 ,
i r p'.'im- wnt-y- .nen" s r "wv'! tmit mm imu w
Htti m( " '. , I M) , , s
terest ol the early aviation tenet of the Medal of the Month
club. The medali which make up the necklace the wears
are in honor of such persons as the Wright Brothers. Capt.
Edwin C. Munck. Amelia Earhart, Capt. Frank Hawks and
Gen. William Mitchell. Mm Gentry is pictured with Mrs.
Jerry R. Smith. 1033 Reddy avenue: she wet a gueit in the
Smith home lor a time betore continuing into California for
appointments in several cities. A Iriend and admirer of
Amelia Earhart. Miss Gentry
ing memberi ol Zonti clufA
club, to have the prut ollice department mue a commemore-
live (tamp in Mm Earhart i
Holmes, for whom the airport was named,
and George Haldeman, flying partner of
Ruth Elder, another woman who made avia
tion history. The heavy leather flying suit
had been loaned to Miss Gentry by the
Doolittle. The picture came t
from a photo album kept by Mr. and Mn.
Jerry Smith, who in their early married
dayi lived near Rooievelt field and were a
part of the "flying crowd" that made the
field its headquarleri.
Party Is Given
For Miss Ames;
Gifts Presented
Mrs. Burdette Dodge and
Mrs. Richard W. Gray were
hostesses for a party Friday,
November 30. which celebrat
ed the birthday anniversary
of Miss Lucile Ames. The
event was a dinner given at
the Gray home on Cherry
lane.
The guests were asked to
wear humorous costume ac
cessories and these included
such articles as toupees, polka
dol hose and earrings hung
from eyeglasses. One man ap
peared at the event wearing
long underwear with his busi
ness suit coat.
Humorous gifts to the hon
ored guest included an old
bird cage, a piece of her own
jewelry surreptitiously taken
from her home earlier and a
two - fool high replica of a
Confederate army cannon
which shoots rubber cannon
balls.
Dessert included individual
birthday cakes with candles,
Ihe cakes having been pr
pared by Mrs. Dodge.
ProspecTHEU
Prospect - A displa, of
Christmas candles and otner
decorations for the season
will be shown at a meeting
of the Prospect Home exten
sion unit Tuesday, December
4 at 8 p.m., in the home of
Mrs. Golden Anderson. Mrs.
Harry Sanford and Mrs. Rich
ard Masl are in charge of the
program which will be on
Christmas cookies and a
cookie recipe exchange will
1 be held.
started out from New York
- the - country tour in the in
points out that ihe is encouraa-!
including those oi the Medtovd j
honor, (Knackitedt photo)
'Christmas Carousel
Fashion Show Theme
Holiday gowns, winter va
cation clothes and children's
styles will be spotlighted at
the "Christmas Carousel" fash
ion show luncheon Saturday
December 8, at 12:30 p.m. at
the Rogue Valley Country
club. It is sponsored by Med
ford branch, American Asso
ciation of University Women,
to finance their fellowship
fund and operating expenses.
Added attractions will be
a musical intermission provid
ed by a singing group under
the direction of Lynn Sjolund
from Medford High school, a
card party in the Top Flight
room following the luncheon,
and a surprise gift for one
guest.
Modeling women's fashions
from Jean Hart will be Mrs
Kenneth L. Brown. Mrs. Wil
liam S. Cobb, Mrs; Herbert
Security Benefit
Club To Prepare
Christmas Gifts
Security Benefit club mem
bers planned at their last
week's meeting to prepare
several baskets for delivery
at Christmas and several of
the women club members are
refurbishing and dressing
dolls for children's Christ
mas gifts.
Mrs. Maude Arnold is in
charge of the doll project and
other women of the group
are asked to assist her.
Six club members whose
birthdays were in November
were honored at the last meet
ing. Honored were Mrs. Ada
Coffman, Mrs. Essie Sikcs
and her sister, Mrs. Winifred
Fair, Mrs. Ann Lowry, Mrs.
Rose Crawford and Mrs. Lau
ra Weber.
Mrs. Arnold, Mrs Sadie
Pence, Mrs. Mary Smith, Mrs.
Nellie George, Mrs. Ann
Lowry and Mrs. Mamie Bry
ant make up the December
kitchen committee.
The group meets each Wed
nesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
in the Pythian hall. A lunch-
con is served and the after;
noon is spent in dancing.
Phoenix-Talent
PTA Meeting
Is Announced
Talent - The program for
Ihe Phoenix Talent Parent
Teacher association Thursday,
December 6 at 8 p.m., will
cover a talk on home work
policy of the schools, ' a re
port on the first meeting of
the rural school board re
garding consolidation and a
panel discussion by the sci
ence teachers.
The session will be held in
the Talent Grade school gym
nasium and the panel discus
sion is a continuation of in
formative programs to be giv
en this year to acquaint the
parents with latest develop
ments in teaching skills. A
question and answer period
will be conducted.
Child care for younger chil
dren will be provided in the
lunch room. Refreshments
will be served by mothers of
pupils in the fourth grade.
Calendar
Calendar notlres anil newa for
r tociaty section of The Mall
Tribune must be iiibmitted in
wrmne and deadline for the bun-
dav edition 11 1 p m. Friday Dead
line for the week y calendar Is 9
a m rtl Ihe day of publication and
for weet day news 1. 3 p m. in.
day betore publication.
Monday
7 p.m. Rogue Valley Land
lords association. Room 33.
Medford High school.
7; 1 S p.m. Warren assem
bly, International Order ot
Rainbow for Girls, Jackson
ville Masonic temple.
7:30 p.m. Reames Past
Matrons club, Mrs. John W.
Esp, 889 Olympic ave.
8 to 10 p.m. Beginner
square dance class. Country
Square hall, one mile west of
Talent.
8 p.m. - Olive Rebckah
lodge. lOOF hall.
Tuesday
10 a m.--Eastwood Baptist
Women's Mission society, at
church.
10 a.m. Women's Fellow
ship of First Christian church.
12 noon Medford Gold
Star Mothers. Mrs. Barbara
Stone, 323 Havana st.
12 noon Women's guild,
Zion Lutheran church. Social
hall.
12:30 p m. Women's asso
ciation of Central Point Pres
byterian church.
1 p m. Ladies of Elks, Elks
cll,b downstairs lounge.
1 p m. Central Point RNA.
Mrs. Emma Collins, 266S Con
nell ave., Medford.
Stop Bad Breath
S.tt'Hi leirt-stmca 1 TMn Faster
re ll-.i takltti wMntw w tft"t
' " " St"i vtni.t.
SJJ.'- iT'CJT'i t,rV."
wie-aii'iii !i-'iiiiIi i-i,
s-Tiv a.
tV htartf tin
Colley, Mrs. Donald Dcnman,
Mrs. Everett Lasher, M r s.
Kenneth Smith, and Mrs. R.
Ren Taylor. Modeling little
girls' fashions, also from Jean
Hart's, will be Melinda Rich
ardson Mimi Stong, Karen
Dill, Susan and Charlotte Elm
gren and Marion Cobb. Drews
Manstore will provide little
boys' styles to be modeled by
Jeffrey Boshears, Rickie Doty,
Jimmy Watson and Ralph
Wiese. Ski outfits from the
Rogue Ski shop will also be
shown.
Creating the hair styles are
members of the Rogue Valley
Beauticians association from
Leon's Hair Fashions, Winnie's
Beauty salon, Medford Beauty
school, Hair Fashions, Mann's
Beauty salon, Crater Beauty
salon, House of Beauty and
Stockton's Beauty salon.
Makeup will be done by rep
resentatives of Beauty Coun
selor Cosmetics who will also
provide gifts for three guests.
Members of AAUW heading
committees include Mrs. Hans
Hess and Mrs. Donald Smith,
general chairmen; Mrs. W. F.
Roemer and Mrs. Kenneth
Smith, models: Mrs. Peter
Schmitz, decorations; Mrs.
Glenn Schireman, entertain
ment and hair styles; Mrs.
Ralph Wiese, publicity.
AAUW particularly invites
teen-age girls to attend the
luncheon as well as any other
interested women. Reserva
tions must be made by Wed
nesday night with Mrs. Ar
thur S. Anderson, 773-6813,
or Mrs. Erling H. Loveness,
772-5090.
Kerby Parents
Invited to Hear
Hospital Head
Illinois Valley - Kerby Pa-:
rent Teacher association mem-:
bers have received an invita
tion to attend a lecture on J
the reorganization of the state !
mental hospital to be given
Tuesday, December 4 at 8
p.m., in Room 100 in the Jo
sephine county courthouse, I
Grants Pas.. j
Dr. Dean K. Brooks, su-1
perintendent of the state men
tal hospital at Salem, will be
the speaker. He is to report
on the progress being made
in the care and treatment of j
patients.
J. A. Rennebohn psychia-'
trist in charge of treating pa
tients from Josephine coun
ty will discuss the role of the
community in the treatment
of mental illness.
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after cleaning dirt is "floated" away
even the new "feel" of the fabric is returned!
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0
fc TT in an
H. D,
Indians Topic
ror nuyiaui
At DAR Meeting
A program on American In
dians was given by Miss Hel
en Crumpton at a recent meet
ing of Crater Lake chapter,
Daughters of the American
Revolution at Rogue Valley
Manor.
Miss Crumpton pointed out
that she felt our first duty in
helping the underprivileged
was to our own Indian citi
zens, who had shown their pa
triotism in war and many oth
er ways. She spoke of two In
dian schools, St. Mary's high
school, Springfield, S.D.,
which is an accredited high
school and the only four-year
high school for Indian girls;
and Bacone college, Musko
gee, Okla.. whose graduates
hold excellent positions, shn
explained. Interested DAR
chapters contribute to tha
two schools.
An annual collection for
Oregon Indians at Chemawa
and Celilo was taken. The
president general's message of
patriotism and Thanksgiving
was given by Mrs. Paul G.
Weidner.
Mrs. Cora Maxfield was an
nounced as a new chapter
member. Guests were Mrs.
Mary D. McCullough of East
brook chapter, Rockville, Ind.,
and Mrs. John B. Lynch. Mrs.
Don S. Stevens, magazine
chairman, described the DAR
magazine.
Mrs. Judd Greenman, re
gent, presided. Dessert lunch
eon preceded the meeting.
Mrs. Ray K. Bailey, national
defense chairman, spoke on
that subject.
Next chapter meeting will
be a Christmas party at the
Girls Community club on De
cember 15. Members are re
quested to take a Christmas
gift for an Indian child at
Chemawa instead of the usual
gift exchange.
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