Goldman Honored

Central Park, Manhattan, appears by day to be an ill-kept wasteland of stunted trees, ragged meadows, walks so tracked with gum-wrappers that they resemble the wake of a paper chase. At night not so; then the trees are like huge bundles of dark feathers, the lawns like scraps of green silk patterned with pathways. Here gum-chewers, muttering "loves me ... . loves me not . . ." as they tear the wrappers from their chiclets, take delight in strolling, in listening to the music coming from the Mall, where Edwin Franko Goldman conducts his band.

Last week Edwin Franko Gold man stood on his bandstand listening, not to the warm notes of his trombone but to words which one William B. Roulstone, President of the Central Park Association, was saying. Finally he reached, not for his score, but for a bronze desk-set offered by audiences, for a golden plaque, which members of his band had caused to be decorated with an engraving of their leader's face. "Only Coolidge, Harding, Lindbergh have had such portraits," said Mr. Roulstone. "The trio should be a quartet . . . gold to a Goldman. . . ."

"This concert marks the end of the tenth season of Mr. Goldman's concerts," further stated Mr. Roulstone. Audience and bandmen cheered when reminded that Sir Thomas Lipton had called Mr. Goldman's band "the greatest in the world." Graciously Mr. Gold man uttered thanks, stated that in ten years of concerts he had never failed to be present, mentioned the names of Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Gug genheim, Mr. & Mrs. Murry Guggenheim, whose gifts support Goldman concerts, presented to Bandsman Del Staigers ("the world's greatest cornetist") a golden cornet.

Then Mr. Goldman raised a little stick, and as he waved it, caused music to gather in the still air, drift and dissolve in the lacey tangles of the trees.