Coral Gables Historical Archive
Coral Gables Riviera-Times
Monday, December 15, 1947, page 4 (of 8)
The page
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-TIMES
PAGE FOUR RIVIERA-TIMES MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1947 CORAL GABLES RIVIERA-TIMES Published Monday through Friday afternoons by the Riviera Publishing Co., 200 Avenue Aragon, Coral Gables, 34, Fla. Established as a weekly newspaper January, 1926; consolidated with Coral Gables Daily Coconut Grove Times, 1929; published daily except Saturday and Sunday. MEMBER, NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION, FLORIDA PRESS ASSOCIATION and CORAL GABLES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ALBERT E. HARUM Editor and Publisher KENNETH S. REYNOLDS Business Manager JAMES B. MOORE Managing Editor WALTER T. KRAM Circulation Manager HELEN REYNOLDS Society Editor DON CUDDY Sports Editor JULIA D. HARUM Woman's Page Editor PEGGY NORTH Classified Manager THEIS & SIMPSON, National Advertising Representatives New York Chicago Atlanta Detroit MEMBER, AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS Full Leased Wire, UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATIONS SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One week | 25 cents Out of town: One month | $1.00 One month | $1.00 Three months | 3.00 Three months | 3.00 Six months | 6.00 Six months | 6.00 One year | 12.00 One year | 12.00 Outside of the U. S.: One year, $12.00 Mailing address: P. O. Box 6972 Coral Gables, 34, Fla. Telephone: 4-1624 Classified Department: 48-2641 RIVIERA 56 The Coral Gables Riviera-Times is liable for errors in advertising only to the extent of the space in which the advertisement appears.
Holiday Safety
It is important for everyone more than ever during the holidays to practice safety first. By time they get up in the morning until they go to bed at night. The streets and highways are crowded with automobiles and people who are bent on Xmas shopping and their mind is not on accidents. Do not use your car for window shopping, play safe, park your car, wherever you can, use a bus and do your shopping in a safe way. By leaving your car, you will reduce congestion on the streets and also reduce the chances of you and your family being involved in an accident and spoil your and someone else's Xmas. Be sure to place your Xmas tree away from the fire place and use only electric bulbs to decorate the tree and when Xmas is over, remove the tree as soon as possible as they create hazards in the home and have been the cause of many homes burning down. Xmas is a time of solemnity, celebrate it with dignity, cheerfulness, and safety. Now comes a pen that will write in the dark. Just the thing for people who don't know what they're talking about. The way we take being taken down is the way we go up or down in people's estimation.
HOLLYWOOD
BY PATRICIA CLARY United Press Staff Correspondent (Editor's note: This is the first of five stories describing the vast and intricate studio machinery which transforms an ordinary young man or woman into star). HOLLYWOOD (UP)—The first step in becoming a movie player, at Selznick studio at least, is to "hit" talent scout Henry Willson. People, who have "hit" Willson at parties, drug stores or in photographs have gone on to become some of Hollywood's biggest names. "I look for the kind of people movie audiences would want to spend 90 minutes with," Willson said. "Acting with me is second to a magnetic personality. The kind of people I pick for movies usually turn out to have been president of their class or voted the most popular." Unconsciously, the Selznick vice-president is always looking. He was in the audience of a radio show when he looked around and saw a sailor also in the audience. He was Guy Madison. Rory Calhoun "hit" Willson at a party at Alan Ladd's home. He discovered Rhonda Fleming when he picked up a high school paper with her picture in it. Coaches His Finds Talent-scouting is just the beginning of Willson's job building stars. When he runs across a person with a magnetic personality, he starts work with them in building the personality and de-emphasizing the negative. He tells them where to go, what to wear and who to go with. He saw Rory Calhoun out dancing one night and called him in the next day for lessons in dancing to fit his personality. Now the tall, dark Calhoun doesn't jitterbug; he rhumbas. Some of them need more help than that. One of Willson's discoveries had to be told which fork to use. Because David O. Selznick makes relatively few pictures, most of his young players have to get their experience in other studios. Willson tries to include a new player in every loan-out deal for a star. When he lent Shirley Temple for "That Hagen Girl" Rory Calhoun went along in a smaller part. No detail of a young player's career is too small for Willson's supervision. In the case of a girl, he even passes on the curls in her hair. (Tomorrow—The Hair-styling Department)
MORE ABOUT THE NEW LOOK
If you have an old "Godfreys Ladies Book" You'll find the girls wearing that vaunted "new look" With flounces and frills and an obvious hustle Quite suitable then, as gals did not hustle To business, to beach parties nor to the links. And never to barrooms to hoist a few drinks. With ankles concealed from the roving eye When legs were unheard of, is no reason why The broad-minded beauties we all know today Should fall for the fashions of grandmother's day. —TOM HENDERSON.
Saving Money
By Al Harum There are more darn ways to save money. And you shouldn't have to be reminded that a penny saved is a penny earned. Take, for example, keeping up the lawn. Why pay to have the grass cut, the hedge clipped and the growth cut back? Besides it's good healthful exercise which takes the cobwebs out of your brain and exposes you to sunshine and vitamins. I know all about it because not long ago the man who keeps the Harum lawn in shape went on a vacation and I decided to take over in his absence. Each evening I donned shorts and seized the lawn mower. I divided the grass covered acreage into sections and concentrated on one section per evening. It was only by dint of great courage and determination that I was able to shear the budgeted space. It was also a great visitation to my appetite, an unneeded stimulus if ever I heard of one. At the end of the third evening, I could hear the grass growing in the section I had cleared, a discouraging note to the whole procedure, and the carefully measured plots became less experimental pastures. As the last blade of grass fell in the south forty, your amateur landscape artist heaved a sigh of sheer relief and bought a pair of dark glasses. The glasses were dark enough to hide the fact that the place was ready for a second going-over. Then I went back to my smoke-filled office where I might once again inhale wet newsprint and printer's ink. Another way to save money is to do whatever little jobs of painting that happen to come up. My wife and I painted the garage apartment recently and did we save money! First we got some paint and then we got a couple of expensive brushes and went to work. Any fool can look at the room we painted and tell where we stopped each evening: my wife still has paint on her hair and instep; the paint went only half as far as in theory have because the other half is on the floor; and one of these days we're going to send the kids up there with a razor blade to scrape the rest of the paint off the window panes. And (I almost forgot this) the windows are frozen shut. The plumber came in the next morning and did the other room and the half while my wife and I resumed our diet of wet newsprint and printer's ink. But you sure can save money doing things around the house.
UP AND DOWN BROADWAY
BY JACK GAVER United Press Drama Editor NEW YORK (UP)—The fabulous nineteen-twenties, when Billy Rose operated his first shoe night club, first phase, has come to an end. The designers and decorators are messing around now in the once gaudy red, white and gold interior to transform the basement interior into an entirely different sort of cabaret. Rose has decided that the time has come for a change and the revival of the Gay Nineties talgic American hoopla that characterized the Diamond Horseshoe during its long reign as the most successful of the big clubs. Billy probably believes that the Gay Nineties (and slightly later) motif of his shows had a lot to do with the current trend in reviving old songs, as well as inspiring the movie people to turn out a dozen big musicals of the same era. The new club, which will retain only the name Diamond Horseshoe, will be something on the continental side, with the show being built around a 32-piece Tzigan (gypsy) orchestra. Waltzes and czardas will echo in the place where Tin Pan Alley's jazz and ballads held sway for so long. The decor will be in vermillion, black and gold. John Murray Anderson, who directed the old Horseshoe shows, will put the new attraction together. Dec. 26 has been set as opening night. * * * The League of New York Theaters, which includes managers and producers, has been discussing ways and means of lowering production costs, especially in regard to scenery construction and painting. The possibility of setting up its own central factory for this sort of work has been broached. Costes now the Theatrical Contractors Association to vow that while construction costs have risen along with everything else, they remain in low ratio to total production expenses. The contractors' profits and markup are now four perk items in business generally, the group said. Even today, the association explained, the costs of building, painting and draping sets range from less than one-seventh to a maximum of one-fifth of current production budgets. Meanwhile, the scenic studios' own expenses have skyrocketed, with labor way up and costs of materials, equipment, etc., as much as 100 to 300 per cent above prewar figures. For example, the set construction costs for "Oklahoma!" in 1943 were $6,705. Today that would be $14,835. Since 1939 the cost of glue and whiting is up 100 per cent, hardware 136 per cent., padding 142 per cent, velours 229 per cent, canvas 304 per cent and lumber 244 per cent. The association pointed out also that producers in recent years are demanding more and more realism in their sets, which means considerably greater use of materials and labor.
THESE Days HERE
We were browsing around Ringer's Jewelry Store this week-end doing a little Christmas shopping and Mrs. Ringer showed us a tricky, sparkling pin, asking "How'd you like to buy this for your wife?" As she showed us how the pin could be separated into two clips, we became intrigued enough to ask how much. "Only $6,000, she stated with a grin." What we took to be rhinestones were real, genuine diamonds. . . . The gals in the society department have asked us to convey their thanks to Capt. and Mrs. Richard French for the box of chocolates they sent over. We'll add ours, too. We helped to eat it. We also owe a thank-you to Charlie Tutan for a tricky pocket knife with our name on one side and his firm name on the other and to Johnny Woods of Knight Brothers for the fancy boxes that contained all sorts of tricky paper gadgets including a paper wash cloth. . . . And Rees Marshall stopped us on the street to state that he had a day-to-day book with our name on it that he was sending over. . . . Christmas is sure coming early Charlie Hines called us up at home after reading the column on the postoffice to say how much he enjoyed it and to add that he was writing a letter to the editor on the same subject. . . . Lee Gebhart went fishing down the bay Saturday. Haven't heard how he made out, as yet. . . . Here's best wishes for a speedy recovery to Mrs. Bill Barr, who was operated on Saturday. . . . Pat Patterson tells us he's about ready to toss away his cane and quit aiding his sprained ankle. He says he can get along pretty well now, except over rough ground. . . . That voice you heard over the loud speaker at the VFW Fiesta belonged to Sergt. Carl Whelan of the police department.
FROM A RIVIERA NOTEBOOK
By Mary Helm Clarke LITTLE WALL STREET With Joselyn Paul Yoder, former director of publicity for the Democratic Convention in Chicago, as publicity director for the Coral Gables Corporation, it was inevitable that the spotlight of the nation's financial circles would be invited to consider Coral Gables. There had been three other harmonized municipalities in the United States and all three were at the top of their class in 1921. The three were Paris, France; St. Petersburg, Russia, and Washington, D. C. Why shouldn't Coral Gables, a Mediterranean architectural dream, attain such heights? With a perfect climate, natural assets for health and its promise as a winter recreational center, every retired capitalist should select Coral Gables for a winter residence. With such rational evidences of eventual financial returns, Yoder urged his former colleagues to invest in Coral Gables. From Ohio came former Governor James M. Cox, and former mayor, Karl Myers. T. Cooper Van Antwerp, construction of International units the French, Dutch, Oriental Villages. Already sold to the charms of the area were William Jennings Bryan, the silver-tongued orator and several times presidential candidate; members of the Deering family of Harvester fame; W. J. Matheson, vice president of a corn products refining company—all men of distinction who had retired to South Florida. One of the Deerings and Matheson owned Biscayne Key, which was the ocean front boundary of the newly planned city of Coral Gables. Hotel and banking tycoons also considered Coral Gables and found it worthy of their attention. John McEntee Bowman built the Biltmore Hotel, and Aquila J. Orme, president of the Atlanta Trust Company and member of the Federal Reserve Board, loaned money at the legal rate of interest because he was so sure the project was foolproof. All these men had reckoned without the reaction of the American people to any rumor that easy money was to be had for the asking. Buyers, attracted by the superb publicity projects of Yoder and his fellow hucksters came so thick and fast there wasn't time to show property, clear titles or draw up deeds. It was a matter of take what you can before the other fellow gets it. A huge board was hung at the corner of LeJeune Road and Alhambra Circle (where Riddle is now) and buyers were invited to register their first, second and third choices for lots available. Later, real estate agents would unscramble the property and buyers. The scene was so reminiscent of the New York Stock Market, the building was known as "Little Wall Street." October 26, 1925, between the hours of 2:30 and 5:30 p. m. inverted buyers dashed up to the tune of $1,097,050.00 in sales. Joe Whitley kept the ledger as proof.
SHORT QUIRKS
New Racket Uncovered NEW ORLEANS (UP)—The newest magazine subscription racket here uses as bait the returned war veteran. The Veterans Administration has warned New Orleans housewives against door-to-door agents taking subscriptions for periodicals "to be sent to our boys in the veterans hospital." The VA says its hospitals provide ample library facilities. Pickiing on Him NEW ORLEANS (UP)—C. E. Davidson reports that in nine months his radio supply shop has been burglarized nine times at a loss of $3,000, chiefly in radio sets. "They smash a new glass window as fast as I can put it in," he complained. He'd Like to Know KENOSHA, Wis. (UP)—Michael Gallo is looking for the person who stole his car—to ask him how he did it. The car, an old model, sat in a ditch all night with the keys in the ignition. The next day the car was gone. Gallo wants to know how the thief managed to do it. Labor Dispute Settled WAUKEISHA, Wis. (UP)—John Szibel, 72, charged in a divorce suit that his wife Ivy, 62, wanted him to pay her 75 cents an hour for her housework duties. His wife countercharged that he made her do the housework despite her heart condition. Both charged cruelty. Mrs. Szibel won the divorce.
FOR YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS SEE LESLIE H. COOMBES REALTOR
2812 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Phone 4-2586
Members Form Parties For Club Fiesta Show
Ringside tables for the Country Club's Fashion Fiesta tomorrow night were as popular as Orange Bowl ducats, as Gableites invited friends to join them for the evening long style parade, supper and dance. At a table at the edge of the outdoor patio will be four couples who have made up a Dutch Treat party. The eightsome are Mr. and Mrs. Richard Vinal, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford E. Courtney, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Milliken and Mr. and Mrs. James A. Henderson. Cocktails first at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. De Camps, 730 Avenue Palermo, are the program for the six guests the Gables couple have invited to the show. With the De Camps will be Mr. and Mrs. Jack Branch, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Marion and Dr. and Mrs. Ray Evans. Mr. and Mrs. Norman Skeels and Mr. and Mrs. E. Hugh Duffy will head a Dutch Treat table for 12, while 10 guests will join the table reserved by Dr. and Mrs. Sidney G. Caswell. Mrs. and Mrs. T. E. Norman have reserved two tables for 10 for club members who will enjoy the fashion extravaganza Dutch Treat. Mr. and Mrs. Harold G. Robinson and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Harting will head adjoining tables for 20. Other tables have been reserved by Mrs. A. O. Lehfeldt, Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Ely Jr., Lee M. Neidliner, Mrs. Ray Peterson and John Paul Riddle.
Pen Women Tell Celebrity Breakfast Plans
"Christmas In Other Lands" will be the subject of the talk Mrs. M. L. Geiss will give Friday at the Celebrity Breakfast of the Miami Branch, National League of American Pen Women. Mrs. L. G. Lewis is chairman of the party which will be held at 12:30 p. m. at the Robert Clay Hotel. Tony Chastain will sing with Miss Edna Burnside playing the piano accompaniment. Their numbers include "O, Holy Night" by Adams; "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" by McGinsey and "Silent Night." Mrs. Oscar H. Charles, program chairman will introduce the entertainers. Mrs. Edwin J. Barker, president, will present a surprise Christmas feature and the guests will join in singing Christmas carols. Assisting Mrs. William K. Lownsberry, courtesy chairman, will be Mrs. Hewett Brown, Mrs. Lon Worth Crow, Mrs. Ethelyn McLain, Mrs. David D. Koger and Mrs. Gilford Hall. Mrs. Ralph Engle will have charge of the guest book. Mrs. Isaac S. Diller, 2nd vice president of the branch will be hostess to the members of the poetry workshop at 2:30 p. m., Wednesday at her home, 3437 S. W. 29th Street.
To Lady Lions
Here's one which mothers of young babies can appreciate: a baby-anchor which holds the child comfortably upright in his tub. The anchor consists of a curved backrest with an adjustable belt which fits around junior. Suction cups hold it to the bottom of the tub. You can run and answer the telephone with no fear that baby will drown while you're talking.
Florida National Bank at Coral Gables
$10 WILL OPEN A Personal Checking Account without obligation to maintain any fixed balance. As much or as little may be kept in the account as desired. The cost is only 10c for each check written. General Banking MEMBER Federal Deposi Insurance Corporation Federal Reserve System Florida National Bank at Coral Gables 1506 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
INTRODUCING THE SOROPTIMISTS Loretta Sheehy Came Here For Two Weeks Back In '25; Remained For 22 Years
A two weeks vacation in fabulous Florida in the boom days brought Loretta Sheehy, a young Connecticut girl just starting her business career, to Miami and a budding Coral Gables in 1925. Her vacation lasted one day. She went to work as secretary to H. Burgett Hall, one of the members of that famous firm — the Coral Gables Corporation. As the old corporation was the original framework of the city government Loretta became that indispensable personage in Coral Gables — the city employee. Her first office was not in the gorgeous building that is pointed to with pride by citizen and visitor today, but a plain office building on the corner of Alhambra Circle and Salzedo Street. Miss Sheehy, another subject in the Riviera-Times series of stories introducing charter members of the Soroptimists and Coral Gables career women, is Irish. She has a marvelous sense of humor, and a laugh as contagious as a small boy's case of measles. Her black natural curlets face her cheery face here and there, a distinguishing mark. Secretary to the city manager, of Coral Gables, Loretta handles her job with tact and understanding. Tact for a harried boss—understanding for the scores of daily callers who come bearing real or fancies wrongs they hope the city can straighten out. Patron of the Arts, Loretta is a charter subscriber of the Miami Civic Music club and of the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra winter series of concerts. This year she has joined the Miami Opera Guild. Due to her interest in music, she has, perhaps, one of the largest collection of records belonging to an individual. She also never permits a theatre group to either open (or close) without her influence of their merit. When Gableites took The Theatre of the Fifteen (1930-1943) to their respective hearts, Loretta became a "first nighter" and confirmed booster. "I hated to see that lovable, serious-minded group of 15 players from the Pasadena Playhouse disperse," she told your interviewer. "They were the first to bring the real theatre again to lovers of good shows way down here in the 'sticks.' Now, of course, we have the Ring and the Box and the Curtain, but the 'Fifteen' were the first to bring us the Broadway plays we knew and loved so well." War forced closing of the Theatre that had its headquarters in the Douglas Entrance. In addition to the Soroptimist Club of Coral Gables, Miss Sheehy is a past president of the Coral Gables Business and Professional Woman's Club and a membeg of the Alpha Phi international sorority Phi Gamma, International Sorority for Women. Each year at vacation time finds Loretta behind the wheel of her Plymouth coupe or by train off to California to visit her sister Nance, who was responsible for Loretta's first visit to Florida; to New York to see the latest shows or to her native Waterbury, Connecticut, to visit her three brothers and other members of her large and scattered family. —Pilkington Photo MISS SHEEHY
Mrs. Higgins Host To Lady Lions
Lions Auxiliary will hold a Christmas dessert bridge party Wednesday at the home of Mrs. Clyde Higgins, 612 Avenue Seville. A 'grab bag' of gifts for each of the 37 members will follow the annual custom of exchanging gifts. The club members are again supplying new books for the circulating library at the Kendall home for children. This has been a yearly project of this civic group for the past 10 years. New books and used books for children between the ages of two and sixteen are wanted. Mrs. Frederick Glass, telephone 4-6410) has charge of the collection.
Y.W.C.A. Co-Ed Group Will Stage Annual Christmas Pageant at Party Tomorrow
The young co-ed group of the Young Women's Christian Association, a Red Feather agency, will stage a Christmas pageant, with an international theme for members and their friends at 8 p. m. Tuesday, at the auditorium. The occasion is the annual Christmas party. The pageant, under the direction of Miss June Thorpe with Edna Burnside at the piano, will present the Nativity scenes. There will be a choir of young men and young women. The participants in the play will bring in gifts typical of the different countries of the world. Folk dancing, in which the guests may participate, will be led by Miss Phyllis Stapells and members of the Business and Professional Girls. Following the pageant, Mrs. J. Lawton Rast, president, will call upon representatives of different YWCA groups to bring their gifts. These gifts in turn will be used to help promote YWCA programs in 30 different countries abroad. A social hour will follow with Mrs. Harry F. Nolte and the members of her committee serving.
In Atlanta
Mrs. Theodore Kundtz, 8021 Cutler Road, is in Atlanta, Ga., where she is attending last rites for an aunt who passed away recently. Mrs. Kundtz will return to her home sometime this week.
AN ESTATE BUILDING PROGRAM FOR BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL MEN AND WOMEN
At the request of one of our clients, we recently completed a rather exhaustive study which we believe should be of interest to many business and professional men and women. To the man, or woman, who has limited but recurring amounts of cash available to provide sufficient life insurance coverage while attempting moderate estate building (capital accumulation) we would be pleased to send a copy of this study. Please send me, without obligation a copy of your report "An Estate Building Program" NAME ADDRESS O'CONNOR, WELLER & COMPANY INVESTMENT SECURITIES 248 Andalusia Avenue Phone: 4-1389 Coral Gables