_ 40 WINNETKA TALK November 24, 1928 Benefits and "Racketty-Packetty House" Is Charming Play for Children BY JEAN TEN BROECK Eager anticipation lit many little faces last Saturday morning in the Harris theatre as an audience of chil- dren, sprinkled withh adults, awaited the rising of the curtain upon the sea- son's premiere of the Chicago Junior League Theater for Children. Antici- pation transformed itself into chuckles of delight as the nursery of the scene of the prologue of "Racketty-Packetty House," came into view arousing an in- terest that never lagged until the final curtain descended upon the happiness of Peter Piper and his bride, Lady Patsy. The performance of this clever little troupe of actors, members of the Chicago Junior league, is entirely captivating and done with an en- thusiasm and naturalness that makes one feel it is hard to tell who de- rives the more pleasure from it, actor or spectator. The story of "Racketty-Packetty House" by Frances Hodgson Burnett, known and loved by children for many years, is made vital by the little girl Cynthia, who, child-like, is tired of the Racketty-Packetty House and its old-fashioned dolls and turns to the new plaything, Tidy Castle with its new duchess, lords, and ladies. The story is made a living thing by Old Nurse, who keeps her sentiment for the doll house of Cynthia's grandmother, and who with the aid of a band of impish fairies and the clever machina- tions of Queen Crosspatch and the help of the Princess keeps the Racketty- Packetties from the dire misfortune that threatened them and their dilapi- dated house, and by all of the dolls themselves. Three of our north shore members of the league are in the cast and do their work very well indeed. They are of Winnetka; Mrs. John Waller Marshall, the quaint Old Nurse, Mrs. Robert Gardner, Queen Crosspatch, the piquant, winsome, and impish queen of the fairies, and Miss Margot Atkin, the haughty, austere and snob- bish duchess of Tidy Castle. The Racketty-Packetty dolls are entrancing with their quaint costumes and their light, mechanical postures. Miss Dorothy Schmidt, as Peter Piper, the leader of the little band, with his many inventions and his cheerful philosophy, is entirely captivating. Miss Margaret Hambleton, as Cynthia, plays her role well, as does Mrs. Ro- bert Morrisson as Lady Patsy, Miss Barbare Neff, as the Princess, and Mrs. John R. Winterbotham, Jr. as Ridicklis, Other members of the cast are, Nip, Trip, Skip and Flip, the Misses Mar- ion Olcott, Ethel Harmon, Kathleen Whitcomb, and Anna Louise Curtis; Miss Laura Jacoby, the New Nurse, and the Policeman; Miss Jean Purcell, John; Miss Judith Walsh, James; Mrs. Boyd Hill, Gustibus; Mrs. Lyell Ritchie, Peg; Mrs. Robert Adams, Meg; Dorothy Wegener, Kilman- skegg; Mrs. Russell Stafford, Lady Muriel; Miss Margaret Hambleton, Lady Doris; Mary Gardner, Lord Rupert; Gertrude Lucey, Lord Hubert. The scenery, properties, and cos- tumes are delightful and the incidental music, played by piano, 'cello, and sec- ond violin lend a music-boxesque charm to the production, "Racketty-Packetty House" is con- tinuing its half-after-ten-o'clock per- formances for children on Saturday mornings, . November 24, December 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. charity. _ Its proceeds go to Football Festivity Now Holding Sway On Junior League Ball Committee Photo by Balfour Studio (Left) Mrs. Stanley K. Peirce of Glencoe, (right) Mrs. Donald B. Lourie of Winnetka, are members of the Evanston Junior league active in preparations for the annual ball at the Evanston Country club Wednes- day evening, November 28. Mrs. Lourie is a member of Mrs. Louis E. Tilden's entertainment committee and Mrs, Peirce is a member of the gen- eral committee on arrangements. Photo by Moffett Dinners to Precede Junior League Ball Numerous dinner parties will pre- cede the annual charity ball the Ev- anston Junior league is giving the evening of November 28, at the Ev- anston Country club. Among those entertaining before the ball are the following : Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Burns, Mr. and Mrs. Carol Rompel, Mr. and Mrs. Elbert G. Sutcliffe, and Mr, and Mrs. John G. Bearles, of Winnetka. Mr. and Mrs. Stanley K. Peirce of Glen- coe, Miss Betty Slaughter of Evans- ton, who will be hostess in honor of Miss Charlotte Picher of Glencoe, one of the season's debutantes, and Mr. and Mrs. Edward S. Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Louis E. Tilden, Mr. and Mrs. John M. Scott, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stahl, Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph S. Pfeif- fer, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Campbell, Mrs. Theresa Gross Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Rogers, Miss Florence Bennet, Luther Emert, Mr. and Mrs. J. Horton Ball, J., Mr. and Mrs. Ro- bert Hooper, Jr., Miss Alicia Barber, and Miss Anna Catherine Hurd, all of Evanston. Several hostesses are taking their guests to dinner at the Country club and Dutch treat groups are being or- ganized. Reservations may be made by phoning Steward Perry at Univer- sity 101. Mourie Sherman's orchestra will play for the dancing and Lee Sims, a well known WBBM radio artist, will en- tertain at the piano between 11 and 11:30. Louis E. Tilden, former Prince- ton Triangle star, will play the ac- cordion. Other entertainment will be provided during the evening. Miss Alice Judson of Evanston is general chairman. The weather has not been propitious this week for riding and the Long- meadow Hunts have not been held. Riders hope that Thanksgiving day will bring with it dry weather so that a gala hunt and breakfast can take place. Elizabeth Lamson's Engagement Announced Mr, and Mrs. Warren Lamson, 940 Sheridan road, have announced the en- gagement of their daughter, Elizabeth, to Warner M. Washburn, son of Judge and Mrs. Clarence G. Washburn of Elyria, Ohio. Miss Lamson graduated from Bradford Junior college last June and Mr. Washburn is a graduate of Dartmouth, a member of the class of 1925. Miss Lamson entertained a large number of her intimate friends at luncheon at Indian Hill club Tuesday at which time the engagement was an- nounced. On Wednesday, November 21, Mrs. Lamson and Mrs. L. Octigan White were joint hostesses at Indian Hill at a luncheon for seventy-five guests which also served as an an- nouncement party. Announce Patroness List for Will Durant Lecture Patronesses for the Will Durant lec- ture on Friday evening, December 7, at the Skokie school, given under the auspices of the Winnetka League of Women Voters, will be: Mesdames Alfred Alschuler, Ernest Ballard, Wal- ter Benson, Emmons Blaine, Jr., Ayres Boal, Robert B. Brown, Hermon But- ler, Heyliger deWindt, Frank Fuller, Robert Gay, Morris Greeley, William B. Hale, William G. Hibbard, Sylvan Hirschberg, Harold Ickes, O. M. Knode, John R. Montgomery, Wil- liam A. Otis, Oliver Picher, E. F. Snydacker, Pettit Watson, Carl Zeiss. Names added since last week to those selling tickets are: Mesdames Cecil F. Baker, Edgar Baumann, Thomas Brooks, E. V. L. Brown, Don- ald Dixon, Frank Fulton, E. P. Far- well, A. H. Goodhue, Ira C. Keller, Francis Hinckley, L. M. Proctor, Louis Sherman, William C. Van Horne, Tee Walker, Vernon Welsh, J. D. Wigglesworth, 'and Miss Ruth Matz. Mrs. Randolph Buck is general chairman of tickets. Dartmouth Alumni Planning Week-end Gay With Festivity The Dartmouth-Northwestern game is the reason for an unusual amount of social activity this week-end on the north shore. The many affairs being given by the alumni during these hec- tic three or four days seem almost to dwarf the importance of the game it- self. Many north shore people es- pecially the alumni are giving up the entire week-end, and staying at the Stevens, where most of the festivity will take place. Friday evening the alumni banquet held the center of interest. Saturday noon one of the largest luncheons will be given by Mr. and Mrs. George Leach of 515 Sheridan road, Winnetka. They will entertain about two hundred guests, bringing those who have come from the east without their cars, in large busses, and taking them to the game after luncheon. President Hop- kins of Dartmouth and members of the Alumni council will be among the guests. Mr, and Mrs, Harold Barnes, 716 Virginia avenue, Kenilworth, are also giving a buffet luncheon before the game. Following the game Mr. and Mrs. Warren Agry of Winnetka, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Forman of Glencoe, and Mr. and Mrs. Everett Marsh of Gen- eva will be co-hosts and hostesses at tea from 5 until 6 o'clock in the Crys- tal ballroom at the Blackstone. Mr. Marsh is president of the Dartmouth alumni of Chicago. Mr, and Mrs. R. Ward Starrett, 333 Richmond road, Kenilworth, are giv- ing a small buffet supper following the game and prior to the large Alumni ball which will be held at the Stevens Saturday evening. On Sunday afternoon Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Keeler, 631 Walden road, Win- netka, will have a small tea. The William T. Cresmers, 542 Long- wood avenue, Glencoe, are among the manv north shore people who will en- tertain for their week-end house- guests. The Kenilworth club is having a football dance and buffet supper Sat- urday evening, November 24, after the Northwestern-Dartmouth game. Sup- per will be served at 7 o'clock. Host- esses will be Mrs. Leon Ellis, Mrs. Samuel Clark, and Mrs. Ralph Huszagh. At College Club Tea At a tea given yesterday afternoon by the College club at 196 East Dela- ware place the presidents of the vari- ous important woman's clubs of the city were the guests of honor. Among them were Mrs. Hermon Butler of Winnetka, president of the Fortnight- ly, and Mrs. Andrew MacLeish of Glencoe, president of the Chicago Woman's club. Lectures at Fortnightly The Fortnightly meeting this past week was held on Thursday evening with many dinners given preceding the lecture. George Frederick Morse, di- rector of the Shedd aquarium, gave a lecture on his experiences with wild animals. Mr. Morse was guest of honor at the dinner party given by Mrs. Hermon Butler at the club. Mrs. Butler is president of the Fortnightly. Mr. and Mrs. Warren C. Agry, 711 Locust road, are entertaining Mr. and Mrs. Chester Butz of Boston. Their guests arrived on Friday in time for the Dartmouth festivities and will be, here until after Thanksgiving. Mr. and Mrs, Agry will entertain at dinners in their honor on Menday evening: