Philadelphia
Item
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Title
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Philadelphia
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Date
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December 1939
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volume
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4
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issue
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7
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page start
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15
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page end
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15
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content
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en
PHILADELPHIA
Although the fencing schedule for this Division had not yet been published at this writing, it had been planned to include two "Pre-Prep" competitions, one for boys on December 8th and one for girls on December 15th, both at the Salle Herrmann.
These competitions are a new idea to interest the younger fencers who are not yet members of the A.F.L.A. They are intended to demonstrate how organized fencing competitions are conducted with trained officials. The full schedule will carry 22 Individual and 4 Team competitions, plus the Division-sponsored Interscholastic Three Weapon Competition of Pennsylvania for the Yale Trophy and the Warren Swords.
Mr. Richard F. Warren will again serve as Chairman of the Bouts Committee with Philip C. Shakespeare, Jr. as Chairman for Foil, Robert H. Agnew, Chairman for Epee and Charles F. Kolb, Chairman for Sabre.
Both the Sword Club and the Philadelphia Fencers Club are reported as being very active; the latter club being one of the oldest sport clubs in the United States, having been founded in 1895. This club has always been domiciled at the Salle Herrmann where it has the indefatigable Colonel A. J. Drexel Biddle as its President. He is the recognized authority on bayonet fighting in the United States (see New Hampshire news).
Philadelphia regrets the loss of Anthony Hyde who has recently moved to New York City. As National Junior Sabre Champion during the past season, Philadelphia took pride in his success and dislikes losing him so soon after his victory.
The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin of October 30th devoted a full page spread with pictures to the work of William J. Herrmann, Richard P. West, and William J. Herrmann, all teaching fencing at the Philadelphia Fencers Club, reported a record total of new persons seeking fencing instruction. Leonardo Terrone, private instructor and fencing master at the University of Pennsylvania, states that he is swamped with requests for instruction. Manuello Younger, Temple University instructor and fencing master at the Central Y.M.C.A., agrees that never in recent years has he seen so much interest in fencing. At Temple alone he has 16 classes a week ranging from 25 to 35 pupils apiece. Demand for other classes will be met as soon as the equipment problem is solved. George Hopkins, coaching both men and women classes at the Germantown Y.W.C.A., is preparing to add more classes. There are many other professionals in and around Philadelphia who did not happen to be mentioned in this article. It is highly probable that they too have experienced the same increase in fencing interest.
