Headlined Youngsters

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1058, 23 August 1930, Page 18

Headlined Youngsters

Charmed Circle of Children Who Dwell in Spotlight

*NEW name has been added to the list of the world’s famous children —that of the son of Colonel and Mrs. Charles A. Lindbergh. Each generation produces its crop of youngsters who, because of their own achievements or on account of -the circumstances of their birth and surroundings, occupy places of distincttion in the public eye.

ren of King George and Queen Mary. Now she is taking care of Viscount Lascelles and young brother, Gerald David. The nurseries in which the boys passed their infant days were of the utmost simplicity. The furniture was white and washable. There were no heavy carpets on the floor or dustgathering curtains at the windows The boys had a day and a night nursery, the latter devoid of everything but necessities. These two brothers dress alike. When they go horseback riding they wear shirts, jodhpurs and peaked caps, and carry whips given to them by Uncle David, the Prince of Wales. The plans that have been made for their future indicate that they will follow in the footsteps of their father —Eton, % sports and- the Guards. Tljey already have been entered for Eton, the older boy for 1936, the younger for the following year. Their favourite visitor to the nursery is their Uncle George, who enters into their chief pastime, playing soldiers. Among their possessions is a pair of boxing gloves, sent them by Eugene Corri. the English boxing referee. In the handsome palaces at Cairo, where Prince Faruk lives, European practices have long prevailed. King Fuad received most of his early schooling in Continental Europe and has consequently introduced many Occidental ideas iu Egypt. His Consort. Nazli, who has travelled extensively has patterned her Court on that of Great Britain. Prince Faruk is pursuing the,studies to which European lads devote themselves. In spite of strenuous study hours he finds time to ride and practise other out-of-door sports. His chief companions are his three young sisters, Fewzie, Faiza and Faikah. With them the 10-year-old boys plays in the. palace gardens at Caori and Alexandria, where they live a retired life. Even litore secluded are the Japanese Princesses, who pass their days behind the walls of the palace in the heart of Tokyo. They never see the city, and the, city never sees them. In the sprawling palace, surrounded by lawns, the Imperial Family lives a domestic life.

These present-day famous children are far removed from each other, not only geographically speaking, but from the point of view of environment, ambition and career. Young Lindbergh is aviation’s first famous baby. Not only has liis father a secure rank among outstanding aviators; his mother, Mrs. Anne Morrow Lindbergh, has ” flown nearly 50,000 miles since her marriage. The “eaglet,” too, lias a distinguished grandfather, Dwight W. Morrow, Amjassador to Mexico.

The group in which Master Lindberg takes a place includes both royalty and commoners. In it are Crown Prince Michael of Rumania; Princess Elizabeth, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York; Viscount Lascelles and the Hon. Gerald David Lascelles. sons of Princess Mary and the Earl of Haro wood; Prince Faruk, heir to the Egyptian throne; the two little daughters of the Emperor of Japan, Teru no Miya and Takano Miya. In one respect the lives of all these children are similar; they are being made ready for the positions which it is expected that they will one day occupy. Much to his dislike, young Michael of Rumania was, until recently. made to live up to the role of king, which title he held until, on June 7, bis father upset the existing regime by his spectacular return to Rumania. The young ex-King was made Grand Voivode of Alba Julia—a rank approximating that of duke. At least for the time being Michael is released from the boredom of kingly responsibilities, and can play with more freedom in the beautiful gardens of Sinaia, where he rides his pony or operates his small electric motor. England’s famous children are being brought up according to up-to-date teachings of child psychology. Princess Mary, now Countess Harewood, who, before her marriage had received training as a- hospital nurse, consults with specialists and has worked out a clear-cut course of train ing for her two sons. The Duchess of York lias studied the science of child welfare and makes special points of diet and fresh air. In her nursery suites at Naseby Hall, Northampton shire, and at 145 Piccadilly, London Princess Elizabeth is surrounded only by carefully selected objects—the fur niture is rare and old and beautiful and the pictures are chosen for their aesthetic value, which the Duchess believes will aid in cultivating the child’s taste.

The Emperor and his older daughter are frequent visitors to the garden. Generally their objective is the duck pond, there to feed the hungry throng. Every morning Teru no Miya is brought to the apartments of her parents after breakfast: again at 6.30 in the evening she returns for a good-night visit. She plays for a while, or listens to the radio, then goes off to bed.

The cloaks of fame that rest on the shoulders of two famous American children, Ruggiere Ricci and Yehudi Menuhin, came from their own achievements as violin virtuosos. Both are San Francisco boys. The quality of their playing is so mature that they are popular with immense audiences, yet, when they drop the role of performer they are natural boys, witb a fondness lor ice cream.

Princess Elizabeth’s curtsey is famous —she began to bob as soon as her legs were strong enough to hold her. On the evenings when she is visiting the King and Queen she goes to his Majesty as her six o’clock bed hour approaches, receives a good night kiss, gravely says: “I trust your Majesty will sleep well,” makes a deep bow and backs out of the room. In the nursery of Goldsborough Hall, home of the Earl and Countess of Hare wood, the guiding hand of Lallie is felt. Lallie is a considerable character in the house of Windsor, since it was she who nursed all the child-

Yehudi Menuhin has been going to concerts since he was a year old. He began to play as soon as lie was strong enough. His parents are making him follow a rigid course of discipline. It is their belief that a child of super ability should not follow the set path of a school system. Yehudi has been educated by tutors under the guidance of his parents. The youthful violinist reads French and studies sociology and economics. Behind the stage when he is waiting his turn to play he is usually found .poring over a book.