Novelist John Barth will be the guest speaker at Washington College for the shelving of a first edition copy of H. L. Mencken's "Treatise on the Gods" as the 200,000th volume in the Clifton M. Miller Library Oct. 31.
Also expected at this event is Baltimore businessman and bibliophile John Danz of Oxford Capital Management, who donated a collection of books about Maryland from which the 200,000th volume was selected. Washington College president Charles Trout has invited Eastern Shore playwright Lucille Wallop and Jonathan Segal, a 1966 graduate, who is now senior editor at Alfred A. Knopf, to attend. The festivities begin at 11:15 a.m.
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Mick's restaurant at Towson Commons had a quiet opening last Sunday, and business seems to be booming. The menu is extensive, featuring favorites like meatloaf, chicken pot pie, fried green tomatoes, burgers, sandwiches, pastas and luscious desserts.
According to Mick's founder (this is the 11th Mick's in the country) Steve Nygren, "We don't believe in splashy openings. We'd rather put that money into a community project."
That's just what the restaurant is doing with the Friends of the Towson Library. Mick is inviting children, 3 to 12 years old, to pick up an official entry form at the library and draw their favorite storybook character. The completed drawing must be returned to Mick's between 4 p.m and 8 p.m. between now and Nov. 30, and the budding artist, and his or her family up to four people, will be treated to dinner the evening they drop off the artwork.
Several of the best drawings will be made into greeting cards and sold at the library throughout the year as an ongoing fund-raiser. Library group representatives, Anne Orrell, Betty Kansler and Raymond Markley, are thrilled with the project.
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Members of the Baltimore Music Club, which is celebrating its 70th season, had a grand time at a luncheon at the handsome USF&G; Conference Center in Mount Washington, which one woman described as looking very much like a lovely tree-house from within.
Many of the nearly 100 people went to meet Leon Fleisher, world-renowned pianist, conductor and teacher, who received an honorary membership award from the club's president Helen Schmidt and chairman of the awards committee Doris Patz. Others went to hear Brian Preston, the National Federation of Music Clubs award-winning pianist.
Preston's first teacher, Dorothea Ortmann Silesky; Eileen Cline, dean of the Peabody Conservatory; Paul Higginbotham, an accompanist from New York; and Alan Emerich, in-coming president of the State Federation of Music Clubs, were among the guests.
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Celebrity Watch: Ric Ryder is terrific in "Captains Courageous" at Ford's Theatre in Washington. The second act begins with his singing a solo from the mast. Ryder's from Howard County, a UMBC grad, who formerly sang with the BSO chorus. The show runs through Nov. 8 . . .
Marcell Rosenblatt, who has a significant supporting role as a maid in the Center Stage production of "Servant of Two Masters" is also home grown. She went to Milford Mill High School, where she performed in school productions as well as working with the Spotlighters and Center Stage and later studying theater at Towson State under Paul Berman. Her stage, film and televi
sion credits are impressive . . .
Sue Serio, who got her start in radio here after graduating from Towson State, was nominated in the Outstanding Weathercaster Category of the Philadelphia Broadcasting Emmys. Serio's on the staff of WHYY-TV in Wilmington, Del., and co-hosts a morning radio show in Philadelphia . . .
The Doubletree Inn at the Colonnade has become a populaplace for international visitors. South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu stayed in one of the luxurious rooms during his recent trip to Baltimore as did Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek, the international chairman of the Jerusalem Foundation . . .
Check out Now and Then with Norm Vogel tonight at Wurlitzer's Hunt Valley Inn from 7 to midnight. The theme is the '50s, and the evening is being sponsored by Marriott and WJZ-TV as a benefit for the American Heart Association. Tickets are $5 at the door.
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October definitely saw a lot of people tee off. What a beautiful month for golf.
However, it was a little chilly for the recent Diabetes Center Golf Open, which attracted 112 golfers to Chestnut Ridge Club. Mary Meyer and Joanne Schill co-chaired the event, which began with a picnic, followed by a shotgun start. Vince Bagli was the honorary chair and gave out the awards.
Dr. Chris Saudek, director of the Johns Hopkins Diabetes Center, joined Chuck Meyer, Lyle Schill, Ed and Sue Cashman, Clark and Andy MacKenzie, Dr. Bill and Vera Spencer-Strong, Dick and Lynn Lortz, Liz and Harris Jones, Harry and Val Ratrie, Peter Martin, Fred and Mary Brandt, and Jim, Chris, Bob and Dave Watson for a great day on the links raising funds for the center.
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October birthdays in the world of Orioles baseball: Gregg Olson, the 11th; Kiko Garcia, 14th; Jim Palmer, 15th; Ken Dixon, 17th; Arthur Rhodes, 24th; Dave Johnson, 24th; Eric Bell, 27th; Bob Melvin, 28th; Dave McNally, 31st.