Coral Gables Riviera

Friday, October 3, 1941, page 1 (of 8)

← 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 16TH YEAR NO. 38 CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA, OCTOBER 3, 1941 PRICE FIVE CENTS

Mandamus Granted By Court

A mandamus directing the Dade County School Board to reapportion the school board districts so that Coral Gables would be placed in District 3 instead of 4, was issued by the Circuit Court yesterday afternoon at request of Gene Hunter. In filing the petition, Hunter stated that he was "asking the court to force the board to comply with the public school code, passed by the State Legislature in 1939, which provides that; 'five school districts, with equal apportionment of electors, be set up in counties with a population exceeding 80,000.'" Hunter pointed out that while five districts exist in Dade County, that the apportionment of electors in the districts is unequal. Created in 1937 According to Hunter, the five districts were created in 1937, after the Legislature passed an act directing that five districts be set up in counties with over 160,000 population. "At that time," he said, "the population was apportioned in this way: District 1, 9,000; 2, 25,000; 3, 2,000; 4, 10,000 and 5, 4,000. Now, with the intermittent growth in population, the number of electors in each district has increased to: 1, 19,000; 2, 42,000; 3, 3,000; 4, 30,000, and 5, 11,000." Hunter contends that if Coral Gables is removed from District 4 and placed in District 3, that the people here will have a greater voice in the activities of the school board. He said that the Gables represents about one-tenth of the voters in District 4, while it could represent approximately 50 per cent of those in District 3. Not Same as Tax Districts He pointed out that the school board districts should not be confused with the special school tax districts, which do not coincide in boundaries. Coral Gables is located in two tax districts, 2 and 5, and efforts have been made recently to have a special district set up with boundaries co-incident with those of the city. Hunter announced that a meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, at which time the Coral Gables School Committee will discuss the tax district problem at greater length. In the meantime, an announcement last week by R. P. Terry, school board member, that plans were being made to erect temporary schoolrooms at the elementary school to solve the overcrowded condition, was confirmed Wednesday by James T. Wilson, superintendent of schools. Four classrooms each 30 by 20 feet and of frame construction, will be placed on the south side of the school playground, facing the main building, which has already been repainted. Wilson said yesterday that they will be completed in about four months. Bond Issue Suggested At the meeting of the school board on Wednesday, Wilson recommended a bond issue for District 2, to raise money for a junior high school building which would be separate from Ponce de Leon High School. The superintendent recommended that the issue be put to a vote at the May primaries "because it is difficult to arouse (Please turn to Page Four)

"DON'T TOOT, MISTER; IT'S AGIN' THE LAW!

The tuneful tooting of auto horns may be all right in its place, but when it disturbs the sleep of citizens then it's a noise of a different note. At least that's the opinion of Coral Gables' commissioners, who have passed an ordinance aimed at curbing the playing of the "Hut Sut Song" and similar ditties on auto horns in the wee hours. Although the new law is in the form of a general anti-noise ordinance, it was inspired by the raucous blowing of the multi-toned horns during hours when peace folks are trying to get their nightly "seven hours' sleep," commissioners stated.

Ashe, Foster Seek Workers For England

Efforts to enroll American civilians in the Civilian Technical Corps of Great Britain will be speeded up through the appointment of Regional Directors for Florida, Dr. Bowman F. Ashe, president of the University of Miami, and Dean Charles R. Foster of the same institution. With headquarters in Coral Gables, these officers will supervise a campaign of interest in the CTC throughout Florida and will encourage men who wish to enroll to file applications promptly at the nearest office of the State Employment Service. Any qualified citizen who has had experience in the electrical or mechanical field may enroll for CTC service, and if his application is accepted he will be sent to England to work on the servicing of military and civilian defense equipment. Men who are interested should consult local State Employment Offices immediately.

Letter Week Endorsed By Civic Group

Fourth National Letter Writing Week will be observed October 5 to 11, according to an announcement by Postmaster George E. Merrick. In conjunction with the observance of the event, The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce has set aside Wednesday as Coral Gables Letter-Writing Day. "Let's help make this year's celebration a great success," Allie Lindborg, secretary of the Chamber, said yesterday. "Everyone is urged to write letters to their friends and relatives in order that our postal authorities may report an increase in mail sent out from Coral Gables on that date." Commenting on the observance, Mr. Merrick said, "This year, 'Letter-Writing Week' takes on new importance. Letters sent to the armed forces of our country and happiness to the thousands of young men serving in the armed forces. It would at least bespeak appreciation if during 'National Letter-Writing Week' there could be widely developed the habit of frequent correspondence with these well-deserving youths. The exchange of cheerful letters between friends, acquaintances, separated members of the family, will contribute in no small way to spreading happiness and building up a better spirit among all the people."

Satiric Lithographs Are Featured In New Exhibition Art Center

A new Federal exhibition has been hung at the Coral Gables Art Center, Salzedo Street and Alcazar Avenue, entitled "Lithographs by Mabel Dwight, a Sympathetic Satirist." "Let no one fool himself into thinking that artists are incapable of drawing useful conclusions as well as pictures." This is the belief of Mabel Dwight, sixty-four-year-old printmaker and pictorial commentator on the humorous and distressing aspects of modern times. The quality of life in people fascinates this artist. She uses satire not as a destructive weapon, with sneer reflections as its end, but as a means of revealing the sources of social injustices so that they may be better understood and perhaps removed. Though this artist propagates for a life without poverty, she remains true to the principle that the satire is not art unless it contains universal ideas and is carefully constructed. A work of art must always be. When distortion and exaggeration occur in these lithographs they are subtle, mature and suggestive because they spring from sympathy rather than from arrogance and disdain. As a lithographer Mabel Dwight stands among the best in America; although she only began working in this medium in 1927 when she was past fifty. These prints, produced under the WPA art program, are examples of her fine draftsmanship and of her healthy satire, wit and lively interest in people.