Coral Gables Riviera

Friday, January 31, 1941, page 4 (of 12)

← Earlier issue Later issue → Download this page

The page

You can also pinch or scroll to zoom, and drag to move around.

The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.

CORAL GABLES RIVIERA

AN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER Published every Friday by the Miami Riviera Publishing Company, 306 Coral Way, Coral Gables, Florida Established January, 1926. Combined with the Dade County and Coconut Grove Times, 1929. JOHN D. MONTGOMERY, President JAMES B. MOORE, Editor and General Manager Mailing Address, P. O. Box 704 Telephone 4-1614 SUBSCRIPTION RATES One Year by Carrier, Coral Gables and immediate vicinity | $2.00 Six months | $1.25 One Year by Mail | $3.00 Entered as second class matter May 21, 1926, at the Postoffice at Miami, Florida, under Act of March 3, 1879.

Let's Stop Grousing

● Every winter we have a plague in Coral Gables— a plague whose symptoms are a long face, a bitter spirit and an irresponsible tongue. Everybody infected with it greets his friends with a variation of: "Isn't the season terrible?" Every sufferer has a collection of dismal stories which illustrate that nobody comes to Coral Gables any more, and that Alaska will probably be the big resort by this time next year. Flatly and plainly, we say that this pessimism is ridiculous, that Coral Gables is not going to the dogs, and that these viewers-with-alarm are hurting themselves and all the home and business owners in the Gables with their fables of despair and gloom. Those of us who deal in bad news make a startling contrast with the citizens who go about their business in a spirit of faith in the community. One realtor will report that the season is dead, that nobody is buying property or houses—while another tells us of four houses he has sold within three weeks. One favorite tale claims that taxes are so heavy that nobody can afford to come here any more, and that we'll never have any increase in population or business while present conditions exist. That kind of talk goes well with a dark and stormy night, but let's look a fact in the face. The fact is that bank officials see on their records an increase in banking volume of 20 per cent in this area—six dollars banked each week where only five were at the same time last year. That certainly doesn't jibe with the tales of woe. If banking is up so much, somebody must be spending money in Coral Gables. To sum up, even the hardiest grouser will have to admit that we have been blessed with a grand climate and good location; and that our town has grown from a tropical prairie not so many years ago to what is now a substantial, thriving community. We have a finer-looking city each year, and new stores, filling stations, homes and apartments have been built to make Coral Gables capable of handling the ever-increasing seasonal crowds who top the smaller, but regularly swelling, number of persons who choose the Gables as the site of their homes, year after year. Gableites who have worked progressively to improve their businesses and taken an interest in the affairs of the city are reaping their reward daily; but calamity howlers can, in time, destroy the morale of the entire city. Let's get down to business, and concentrate on growing up with Coral Gables, this season and every season. Let's realize that chronic pessimism is bad for us—bad for the pessimist as well as his unwilling audience. But let's do more than realize that alarm-mongering is a bad influence—let's stop grousing ourselves!

Keep the Swimming Team

● Recent action taken by the Athletic Committee of the University of Miami promises to doom swimming as a University sport. In a recent resolution made by the Committee, it was decided that swimming would not be included in the intercollegiate sports picture this year. One team member was told that this action was taken because the team was no good, that "it wouldn't look good for the University" if it went down to defeat at the hands of its collegiate rivals. True, the swimmers have lost four good men; but every team in every college sport has to face losses. Students graduate—students are sometimes ineligible. They are not professionals, and every college sport group is liable to sudden losses of manpower. It seems a faulty line of reasoning that would prompt a school to give up a sport to "look better" to its rival colleges. It would look far worse to quit an activity intermittently when it looks like a bad season is in store for a team. More respect is due to honest defeat than to complete refusal to put up a struggle. There are three good men ready and anxious to replace the four who are lost to the swimming squad this year, and many more working hard to fit themselves to plug other vacancies. The swimmers of the University resent the action of the Athletic Committee. They want nothing more than a chance to prove that they won't make the school look bad; and, after all, isn't that the spirit that is the mainspring of all amateur sports? No swimmers will come from prep schools to a University without a swimming team. If the team lies dormant for a year, is will mean the end of swimming at the University of Miami. This is one of the most ideal training grounds for swimmers in all of America. In the past we've seen some fine athletes carry our state and city's name to national prominence. Katherine Rawls and the Flanagan brothers have done a lot to build the impression of Florida and Coral Gables as homes of healthy champions. But the University has the only real swimming team in the entire Miami area. Those boys who are so anxious to get to work and put a swimming team together for the University are not going to make the school "look bad." They want to try to make the University of Miami a fine name in swimming. They want to keep swimming in the foreground in intercollegiate sports. That spirit deserves recognition. They deserve their chance.

BILTMORE B R I E F S

By MILTON M. CHAPMAN Managing Director The season is now certainly on in full force, as the happy crowds we have been having at the Miami Biltmore lately will testify. Gay places, indeed, are the Giralda Room, Cascades and Patio these days, as they are scenes of many friendly parties and gatherings. Creating considerable favorable comment is our splendid new floor show that opened last Saturday. All topflight units, and all being of a different type, we cannot honestly select any particular one as the feature. Since such is the case and since we must begin somewhere, we will review them for you alphabetically. Charles Columbus and Kathryn Carroll, a splendid dance team, are a pleasure to watch. More than that, they add to the gaiety of the occasion by making their patrons become a part of the show, their celebrated "Tinkle Dance" being extremely popular. In this routine the patrons keep time with the music by tapping on their glasses, making the act highly effective. Altogether, Columbus and Carroll are a welcome addition to the Biltmore family of entertainers. We are happy to welcome back the lovely Marissa, better known as "The Sweetheart of Mexico," whose brilliant dances are always a source of enjoyment. An expert on Mexican dances, Marissa adds to the brilliance of her performance by her attractive costumes. It's an especial pleasure to have her with us. Our new singing star, Rodney McLennan, has scored a tremendous hit at the Biltmore with his rendition of "There'll Always be an England," which has become a favorite. This is, of course, only one of several numbers which he does, and he also acts as our very able master of ceremonies. Happily married to a young lady who was with him in the Ziegfield Follies, Mr. and Mrs. McLennan have a two-year-old daughter. We're sure you'll find Mr. McLennan's singing as pleasing as we have. Although that takes care of all our new-comers, we can't leave without saying a word about our good friend, Maximilian Bergere, who, we think, has the finest orchestra in this area. "Maxie," as he is familiarly known, is as fine a person as he is an orchestra leader and he will be with us all season. A note of disappointment comes to us this week with the news that Mrs. Mildred Applegate Archer, our social director, leaves today. Mrs. Archer will be married tomorrow and we at the Biltmore wish her every happiness. In her place we are glad to welcome Mrs. Kathryn Stafford, who has been with us before and whom you will find especially pleasant. We hope you have made plans to attend the President's Birthday Ball Friday night at the Miami Biltmore Country Club. Gov. and Mrs. Spessard L. Holland will be among the prominent guests as will the famous Miss Elsa Maxwell. Feature acts from all the hotels and night clubs in the Miami area will be on hand during the evening and you are assured of the highest class entertainment. By the time you read this the winner of the tenth annual Miami Biltmore Women's Golf Championship will be known. Second only to the National Championship, our event annually attracts the best women golfers in the country,—best in character and best in ability. We are sure, therefore, that the winner will be most deserving of her honor and whoever she is we extend our heartiest congratulations. To her will go the coveted Grace Doherty trophy. Our Palm Patio continues to be a gay place Sunday afternoon following Alexander Ott's Water Follies at the Biltmore pools. More friends meet under the shading palms and multicolored umbrellas and enjoy our fine music. It makes a grand meeting spot as many are finding out and we hope you, too, will come over and enjoy it.

Clipper Crowd—

(Continued from Grove Page) inside of aviation as any man in America. Wayne Parrish, editor of "American Aviation," which is looked upon by everybody in P.A.A. as a Bible. Accompanying Mr. Parrish on his rounds of the Aviation Building and Dinner Key was his attractive wife, Frances, who is a brilliant newspaper woman in her own right. Mrs. Parrish is now holding a post as confidential assistant to one of the big names in the defense industry. Just back from a flight to Jamaica is A. E. Curtis, Public Relations Director for the Eastern Division, who was in that beautiful island gathering material in connection with the opening of the new service from Miami, the "Jamaica Arrow". While there Mr. Curtis conferred with Acting Governor Granthan. Pan American is trying to get tourist identification cards in the place of passports to simplify the problems of tourists visiting Jamaica from the United States. Mrs. Curtis accompanied her husband, gathering information for a series of articles she is writing about Jamaica. Some of the articles will deal with the 1500 refugees from Gibralter who are in Jamaica for the duration of the war. New arrivals in P.A.A.'s rapidly increasing family include: Alan Alex Smith, born December 10th to the Arthur Smiths of the Instrument Shop, Dinner Key. Marshall Pope Waters, Jr., son of the M. P. Waters, Jr., of the Propeller Shop, had his first tooth on Sunday, January 26th. He is four months old. A little Christmas gift which arrived on December 22nd was David Ernest Gossett. Pape Gossett is a traffic representative at Dinner Key. At the moment we could name five other couples who are expecting "pretty soon about June—but, ah, we still value our skin! So you'll just have to guess. Mrs. Mary Ruth Garrison has been making all sorts of unexpected plane hops lately. First she flew to be with her mother, whose quality seriously ill. And then last Saturday p. m. she skipped off via Eastern Air to Georgia, where she went dancing with a handsome, charming guy who flew her home in his little Monocoupe the next day. ● Mr. and Mrs. George J. DeGarmo, 5539 Poinciana Avenue, have as their house guests, Mrs. DeGarmo's sisters, and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. J. Clarence Smith and Mrs. Byron G. Cowan, from Manhasset, L. I.

ANNOUNCING NEW CIVILIAN PILOT TRAINING CLASS

Government Provides Primary and Advanced Aviation Training ENROLLMENTS are now being accepted for the U. S. Civilian Pilot Training Program classes starting FEBRUARY 1st. If you are between 19 and 26, have completed two years of college (or, if now in college, have completed one year), you will receive without cost a Private Pilot's flying course—land or seaplane—and intensive ground school training. FOR details and enrollment apply to Prof. J. H. Clouse, University of Miami, Coral Gables — Tel. 4-0801. *If you have completed a C. P. T. P. primary course anywhere in the country and have had two years of college, you are eligible for secondary (advanced) training. EMBRY-RIDDLE SCHOOL OF AVIATION Contractors to U. S. Government—Flight Instructors to U. of Miami

Our Inquiring Reporter

Do you approve of the plan to move the city election from June to April? W. Ray Teachout, 1249 Milan Ave.: "So many people go north in May or about June first that the city should do something to let them take part in the elections. An April election would be a great help to them." Mrs. R. E. Temple, 1129 Seville Ave.: "I go north every year in June, and a lot of my friends do the same. So many people in Coral Gables would like to vote, but can't do it while elections are held in June." Dr. E. E. Terry, 334 Alesio Ave.: "If you want to hold an election, it seems to me it should be held when people are here. April is much better than June, as far as I can see." Chester M. Vance, 1705 Cortez St.: "That would be an advantage for all those who take their vacations early. Although I don't go north until August myself, I believe the change would be helpful to many Coral Gables people." F. G. Van Osdell, 1011 Genoa St.: "It doesn't affect me or any of my family. Whatever the majority of the voters decide is best will be all right with me." John H. Wahl, 234 Alesio Ave.: "I think it should be changed. We ought to hold our elections when our citizens are here." George R. Walker, 631 San Esteban Ave.: "I would be in favor of it because it would allow those who go north in the summer to exercise their votes." L. Gordon Walters, 501 Hardee Road: "That's a good idea. I went north myself last June, and know a lot of others who do the same thing. The April date would be much more convenient." Mrs. Clark Young, 1301 Seravilla Ave.: "Certainly. That would be better for the average voter." H. R. Anderson, 1001 Coral Way: "I'm in favor of the change if it won't conflict with any functions of the city government." G. C. Angerman, 1020 Alhambra Circle: "That's a reasonable plan. I go away about June first myself, and an April election would be much better for me." Michael Arnold, 222 Calabria Ave.: "It's all right with me. I only go away for a week or so every year, so it doesn't affect me much one way or another." Mrs. Ambrose Becker, 2123 Granada Blvd.: "I know lots of people who would like to vote, but won't send in absentee ballots. An April election would be much better." Wallace A. Bell, 1115 Obispo Ave.: "It's a splendid thing. We want to give everyone a chance to vote." L. R. Binging, 801 Medina Ave.: "It might be a good idea to set the election even earlier than April, as the winter months find the greatest number of citizens in town." Kenneth Uptegraff, 623 Minorca Ave.: "I don't like one thing about the change. If we had an April election, that would enable a lot or race track people who live in the Gables in the winter to swing the election." Joseph Renick, 1406 Milan Ave.: "That's a good idea. I go north during the summer myself, and an April election would be more covenient for me." William Rethorst, 344 Mendoza Ave.: "It's immaterial to me." James Santacroce, 218 Coral Way: "It's the logical thing to do. If you want people to vote, hold your elections when more of them are in town." Mrs. W. W. Sayles, 1100 Tangier St.: "That would be all right. It sounds like a good thing for the city." G. M. Posner, 1149 Milan Ave.: "That sounds like a very resonable idea. Many property owners and voters have to go north in the summer for reasons of health or business. An April election would allow them to exercise their votes." Mrs. Lillian Patton DeLong, 3510 Granada Blvd.: "I think it's fine. Lots of people who want to take part in city politics are unable to participate in a June election." Mrs. Stuart Mackenzie, 414 Majorca Ave.: "They have a good thought there. An April election would do away with the absentee ballot that caused so much trouble this last election." Thomas F. Quimby, 705 Majorca Ave.: "I live here all year, so it doesn't affect me; but I don't approve of absentee ballots, and I'm for anything that will eliminate them." Frank B. Race, 4409 Santa Maria St.: "The change would not affect me, but it would increase the number of voters taking part in each election; and would be a good thing for Coral Gables." W. L. Randol, 1808 Ferdinand St.: "The more people you can get to participate in the election, the better it is for the city. That would be a good thing." Lillian Rano, 1600 Coral Way: "I think that would be a good idea."

LETAW'S PHARMACY THE REXALL STORE

Cosmetics Drugs PRESCRIPTIONS LETAW'S PHARMACY THE REXALL STORE Ponce de Leon Boulevard Phone 4-0848

MacDonald Health Studio

WE SPECIALIZE In Keeping You Fit This consists of mineral vapor baths, general and specific massage, infra-red baking and manipulative treatments for muscular, joint and nerve conditions. Director, C. H. MacDonald, formerly of the Roney Plaza and the Miami Biltmore Hotels. The women's department in charge of Mrs. Bess Robins, masseuse. MacDonald Health Studio Arcade Building Ponce de Leon Blvd. Phone 4-1253

CASH FOR New Construction — Modernizing

CONSULT WITH LOAN DEPARTMENT REGARDING CASH FOR New Construction — Modernizing RE-NU-ART LUMBER YARDS, INC. Everything to Build Anything

Telegrams Galore Told Us The Story ...

... when we asked 5,000 Dodge Buyers what they like most about their 1941 Dodge... WESTERN UNION J2 19 RELAY VIA DB=NY HOLLYWOOD CALIF DEC 16 415P DODGE DIVN OF CHRYSLER CORP=DET HIGHLY PLEASED WITH MY FOURTH DODGE FLUID DRIVE IS GREAT SO ARE THE BEST HYDRAULIC BRAKES STILL THE BEST CONGRATULATIONS ON SMART BODY STYLING TOO= JIM JOYCE. These original wires and hundreds of others are in our files—Dodge Brothers Corp., Detroit, Mich. TEXAS MAN SAYS... "Our new Dodge rides like a dream. Wife delighted with roominess and interior beauty. We both think Dodge Fluid Drive is greatest driving aid in ages. Nothing like it in traffic. This is my eighth Dodge." NEWARK MAN WIRES... "Biggest, finest automobile for money. Easiest handling car ever drove. Dodge hydraulic brakes still tops for safety." WASHINGTON, D. C. MAN TELEGRAPHS... "1941 Dodge is sure a sweetheart for looks and performance. Never saw anything like Dodge Fluid Drive in city traffic—it's amazing." ★ ★ ★ BEFORE you decide on any car, consider this testimony from Dodge owners themselves... people who have been driving the new Dodge under all kinds of driving conditions. And be sure to try Fluid Drive*, the sensational new development that lets you shift gears or not, just as you wish. Nothing new to learn... just less to do. See your Dodge dealer for a demonstration. Just a few dollars more than smaller, low-priced cars. Prices subject to change without notice. 1941 DODGE LUXURY LINER WITH OR WITHOUT FLUID DRIVE* *FLUID DRIVE OPTIONAL AT SLIGHT EXTRA COST Tune in on Major Bowes Original Amateur Hour, Columbia Network, Thursdays, 9 to 10 P. M., Eastern Standard Time. TUTAN MOTORS 210 AVENUE MINORCA PHONE 4-7641