Group Gets Look at Heiroglyphics

[Page 1] US ON A BUS Group Gets Look At Hieroglyphics (Charles G. Griffo, news editor of The Indianapolis Star, is on a 6,000-mile trip through the South and Southwest on a Greyhound bus. Here Griffo relates more adventures with four of his children who are accompanying him, while the two other Griffo youngsters remain at home with Mrs. G. This is the ninth story of the series.) By CHARLES G. GRIFFO Griffo Atop Dobbins LookoutHere we are 2,300 feet above sea level, looking out over 14,817 acres of park and what seems like half of Arizona, the gol- darnedest c o nglomeration of rock, sand, cacti and other offsprings of nature I've ever Griffo seen. I've had my arm twisted again! We went on a picad- And this was an because, as Mrs. G. well knows, I rank such outdoor festivities in the same category as having my uppers extracted without novocain. But that's what will happen when you have four kids along to overrule you. "Why not go to a nice cool movie," I suggested. "Naw, we wanta see the heerglophics," says Martha. "The what?" I asked. "The heerglophics "You mean the hieroglyphics?" I ask. "That's it," says she. She had been reading a guide book. SO WE WENT to South Mountain Park which is the largest city park in the world. It was during a layover in Phoenix during the 6,000-mile Greyhound bus trip I am taking with four of the children while Mrs. G. stays home in Indianapolis with the other two. We took along a picnic FT. 2300 95 lunch consisting of a couple of stock ham and cheese sandwiches purchased at the hotel and a thermos of soft drinks. But picnicking wasn't what was prime in the minds of Chuck, 9 years old, and Gregory, 4½. *There's a gold mine up Turn to Page 14, Column 5

[Page 2] Group Sees Hieroglyphics Concluded From Page 1 there," says Chuck. "I want to find gold." "I need the dough," he says. We borrowed an automobile and were off. THERE IS A GOLD mine in the park, a small mine used for exhibition purposes. We visited it but discovered no gold. Greg and Chuck collected about 100 pounds of rocks, however, that have been discarded. In the Hieroglyphic Canyon, it was different. Gregory soon discovered just what the pictures, symbols and inscriptions etched on the huge rocks by the ancient Hohokam Indians looked like. "That's what Vincey did to our wall in the bedroom with those crayons," said Greg, pontifically. "I I wouldn't write on walls with crayons," says Mary, 6. is the 2-year-old and at the wall writing stage. He's at home and couldn't defend himself. THAT THE WALL doodlings of the Hohokam tribe that founded a flourishing civilization about the 11th century in the desert country was their way of expressing themselves, I explained to the kids. "Vince was too," says Greg. The Indians were farmers and settled in the valleys of Gila and Salt rivers near here. The name Hohokam comes from a Pima word meaning "the vanished ones," which is actually what happened to the tribe. All that is left to remember them by is the hieroglyphics etched into the canyon walls through these centuries and found on pottery dug up from ruins. Archaelogical in vestigation has shown that the primitive Cochise Man occupied southeastern Arizona about 20,000 years ago which was before the drought came and made most of the area a desert. WHEN I EXPLAINED this to the boys, the natural answer came from Chuck. "You mean the Sheriff of Cochise," he says. I tried to explain about the coming of the Navajos, the Hopis and the Apaches and the building up of the 15 Indian tribes that at one time ruled land. And of coming of the the Spaniards and the missionaries. I tried to explain history. But it didn't work. "School's out," said Martha, bored. "When are we going where Wyatt Earp used to live?" asked Chuck. Tombstone is next on the schedule, then north to Grand Canyon country. Traveling is such an adventure. (ADVERTISEMENT) Now Many Wear FALSE TEETH With More Comfort FASTEETH, pleasant, alkaline -acid) powder, false teeth more Armly. To eat and talk in more comfort. just sprinkle little FASTEETH on your plates. No gummy, gooey, pasty taste or feeling, Checks 101.