The Coral Gables Times

CLAYTON CHARLES of the University of Miami, who did the replica of these shoes for Cartegena Plaza, is shown with them. (Times photo by Joe C. Morris)

Symbolized Here The Soul of Two Cities

Just before sunset yesterday (Wednesday), Mayor Robert Searle unveiled — in Cartagena Plaza — a pair of old shoes. Looking like seven league boots — four feet long and two feet high — they are made of concrete and weigh 200 pounds each. A large plaque at the base reads, "The shoes, placed here by the People to People Committee of Coral Gables, are facsimilies of the huge, bronze shoes in Cartagena. They are symbolic of the friendship between the sister cities of Coral Gables, Florida, and Cartagena, Colombia." And below these words appears the poem, in Spanish and English, "To My Native City." It was written by Cartagena's famous poet, Louis Carlos Lopez, and describes how Cartagena, "inspired that sort of affection one feels for his comfortable old shoes." Honor guests at the ceremony were Senora Evelia Porto de Mejia, chairman of the people to people committee in Cartagena and her sister, Senora Judith Porto de Gonzalez, founder and president of La Sociedad de Amor, an elementary school of 4,500 children. They have just completed a seven weeks tour of this country, including Hawaii, by invitation of the U.S. Department of State, in recognition of their educational work in Cartagena. Returning to our city a few days ago, Senora Mejia expressed her feelings this way: "My sister and I are grateful and proud of our friendship with the people of Coral Gables. We are not lost any more in this big country of yours. "We are at home with our friends. And we will return to Colombia, full of spirit and happiness, because of the many wonderful things we have learned from our American friends which will help our people." Receive Wagon Both her sister Judith and she, accepted gleefully, a white nine passenger, "Greenbriar" Chevrolet station wagon, presented by the Coral Gables People to People Committee. Expressing appreciation for the generous gift the ladies assured those present, "It will be busy all day long." Senora Gonzalez, in an interview earlier said that many of the children in her 20 schools are so poor they have had no food nor milk when they come to class. "Some have fainted. Some are literally starving because they have no food at home. And we can't praise CARE too much," she said. "They furnish our school with rice, lard, flour and milk in sufficient quantities so we can give the poorest children and the ones too far from home, a free lunch. Care Sends Food "CARE even sends a box, containing five pounds of flour, dried milk, macaroni and two cans of corned beef so each family, of our really poor, can have a box every two weeks. "We teach the girls of the family how to cook the food and prepare meals. And we teach hygiene to the family through both the boys and the girls." When asked for their impressions, gathered on their whirlwind visit, they said. "We were most impressed by the hospitality centers in your major cities where American citizens volunteer their time and services to make welcome foreign visitors. "We were taken to dinner, in people's homes and were shown the more important things about a city than what the average tourist gets to see." They both agreed their "system" of education in Colombia is the same as here but America's presentation of it is more desirable. Senora Mejia pointed out an instance: "The transition for a child from babyhood to life in school is easier here because American classrooms are arranged with doll houses, toys, musical instruments and especially a piano. And this is only one of many ideas we are going to adopt and do your way." Later Wednesday evening a cocktail and dinner party, honoring the two sisters, from the sister city, was held in the Coral Gables Country Club.

Editor's Mailbox

EDITOR: It is indeed a wonderful thing that we all are free in this country to disagree with each other. It is also a good thing that there are strict laws prohibiting the use of "billy clubs and lead pipes" to settle differences of opinion. If my six - year - old son used language such as you used in your editorial of Sept. 28, he would get his mouth washed out with soap, even though his indignation might be well founded. I share with you the belief that the draft board acted improperly, but I believe that your response is just as improper. Since I cannot condone the use of "a billy club or a lead pipe" on the author of this passionately but radically written editorial, I guess that I have no other recourse than to cancel my subscription. W.A. Shoemaker Jr. D.D.S. 146 Madeira Ave.

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