HYDE PARK, Thursday—Elliott, Miss Thompson and I went to New York City early yesterday morning. After seeing someone at the New York apartment, I went to the Norwegian Line pier to represent the Board of Trustees of Howard University in seeing off a group of Howard University Players who, on the exchange student program between Norway and the United States, were on their way to produce an Ibsen play, a Strindberg play and Mamba's Daughters, one of our American Broadway successes, in Norway, Sweden and Denmark at the invitation of the Norwegian government. There is a chance, too, that they may play for a week in Germany before they return. They are given academic credits for their work during the period they are gone. Arrangements are made by certain student organizations so that every visiting student stays in the home of a Norwegian student, which certainly is a wondeful way of seeing the country and getting to know the people.

They were an excited group of young people, embarking on an European trip, and I feel sure they will do us credit in their presentations of the plays. The Ibsen play chosen is "The Wild Duck," and it will be interesting to know whether their interpretation is well received in Norway. It seems to me a cultural experiment of this kind cannot fail to be valuable on both/sides of the water.

The newspaper people at the ship kept asking me if I was down for my son, Frank, Junior's, wedding, and I kept wondering how they knew he was being married because we were sworn to secrecy and so few people were asked that I did not expect the date and hour to become known to the press. However, they are ever an alert group. Some photographers were on hand when I went into Mrs. Perrin's apartment in the afternoon, and many more greeted us as we came out. I suppose they waited until Franklin, Junior and Sue emerged, but I could not wait, as we had to return to Hyde Park. It was a lovely wedding, beautifully arranged by Mrs. Perrin and the bride looked lovely. I was glad a few members of the family could be present.

We are getting the rain at last that we have wanted for so long, and I, for one, am glad to have it come before the hunting season begins. That time of year, if it is at all dry, always fills me with terror, and the thought of so many forest fires makes one particularly anxious.

I was grieved yesterday to read of the death of Dr. Hans Kindler. I saw him help to build up and support the Washington Symphony Orchestra and I know how much loving work went into all he did. I know also that he enjoyed his work and that those who worked with him were his warm friends. All of them will be grieved at his death, and will want to pay a tribute to the fine work accomplished during his lifetime.