Frank Fielding, Perennial Pedestrian, Scarcely Sits During Deadly Triennial Trek--Eats Eggs Endlessly

A group of CRIMSON editors were entertained for an hour yesterday afternoon by the unique story of Frank Fielding, Radio Keith Orpheum's traveling usher, who is on his feet all but two hours each day and is one of six survivors in the International Collegiate Endurance Contest. Clothed in a light silk shirt, and white duck trousers, with a blue sash about his waist, the 19-year old Californian student appeared at 14 Plympton Street and told of the gruelling grind which hope of sharing in a $70,000 award is inducing him to continue until April, 1931.

The endurance contest, which Fielding terms "damn foolishness", was started two years ago by G. F. Thomson, a Los Angeles doctor, in the hope of determining the body's ability to stand up under, continued exertion, exposure, and insufficient sleep.

Fielding told his story simply to his gaping audience. "The six of us, three ushers in Public theatres, two in R-K-O theatres, and one of the Fox company, wake at, six each morning after six hours sleep and eat. Our daily bill of fare never changes: two dozen eggs, three quarts of milk, two cans of soup, and a loaf of bread. We run fifty miles each day, sleeping never on a bed and generally in an R-K-O theatre. At noon and at ten in the evening we have an hour for recreation when we are allowed to sit. The theatre men keep watch on us all the time. In the evenings we broadcast our orchestra over the radio or do a vaudeville stunt. Always in the same costume, we have been run through Mexico, Panama, British Columbia, Brazil and Argentina, and have crossed the continent. We leave Boston for Halifax now, and hope to reach Hollywood in a year.

"We do a bit of studying on route, and hope to graduate at the end of our contest. Once a week we are required to write summaries of R-K-O pictures, which, however, we seldom get a chance to see. My stunt in the theatres is roller skating and skip roping, which earned me the title of 'skipping fool'.

"All in all I'm rather tired of running, standing, eating 24 eggs a day, sleeping in theatres during midnight matinees, and awaking next morning for another 50 mile run. The first day after the contest is ended I'll put a sign on my door 'Don't Disturb. Sleeping by day for first time in three years'"