The Coral Gables Times

Thursday, October 12, 1961 THE CORAL GABLES TIMES 11

Mrs. Virginia Ormsby Sunset Teacher's Fourth Graders Backdrop for Her Book Writing

By ADELE SITKIN Correspondent A boy, a dog, light humor, and adventure are in Gableite Virginia Ormsby's new book for young readers. A teacher at Sunset Elementary School, Mrs. Ormsby has just completed her sixth book for children 8-12 years old, "Long Lonesome Train Whistle," published by Lippincott Co. She lives at 1336 Obispo Ave. The book is filled with local color of the Georgia countryside, depicting the Southern speech and beauty of the area. Ten-year-old Lee, the feature character, gets involved with a storm, a fire and a witch. The author was born in Atlanta. She taught in the elementary grades in that city's public schools until she moved to Florida in 1948. After one year of work on the Miami Daily News, she returned to teaching. Mrs. Ormsby's hobby is painting and drawing. MRS. ORMSBY She went to New York in 1953 to sell a series of cartoons centering around school life. Finding that this was difficult to do, she converted the cartoons to apply to a story about children based on the cartoon book. Her first book published was about a day in elementary school entitled, "Here We Go." The first few books were based mainly from ideas she took from her own experiences of teaching fourth graders. Her inspiration for stories has been applied to the illustrations which she has done for all of her books including "Cunning Is Better than Strong," a companion book to "Long Lonesome Train Whistle." Virginia Ormsby's later books are focused on the regional life of Georgia as she remembers it. Some of the events, ideas, and themes of her newest book were told her by her father. In order to get illustrations, Mrs. Ormsby visited South Campus of the University of Miami and sketched the train there. She also went for a ride on it.

They Try Bus You May Ride

Coral Gables City Commissioners were late for their Tuesday Commission meeting. Howcum? They took a spin around a few blocks in a new air-conditioned bus which they are considering purchasing to replace other equipment. GMC, the manufacturer and low bidder at $28,669, brought the bus from St. Petersburg to demonstrate it. It didn't get the contract, however. The Commission is pondering whether to buy two of the 45-passengers outright or to go into a lease-purchase agreement with GMC for 10 new busses. Other features of the new buses are tinted glass, adjustable seats, pop out windows which serve as emergency exits, automatic transmission and a rear door that will not permit the bus to move forward unless it is closed.

Metro Meets McLeod Tuesday in a Booth

Gableites will help decide the fate of Metropolitan Government Tuesday when they go to the polls for the third time this year. A "Yes" vote would ratify the amendment which will radically change the form of the present government. A "No" vote would kill the amendment and preserve the present form. The amendment would reduce the number of commissioners from 13 to five and eliminate the county manager. Other major changes would have the sheriff and tax assessor elective rather than appointive. This same issue was voted down in late 1959. Approximately 17,000 voters are eligible from Coral Gables to vote in the County election. Only 6,663, including some from overlapping precincts, voted down reassessment six-to-one Aug. 15. The County has 12 precincts in Coral Gables, with five overlapping surrounding areas. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters must be registered with the county to be eligible. Coral Gables registration alone will not qualify. Joint registration, approved by the Gables City Commission recently, is not in effect.

Woodworking To Be Taught Here

Woodworking classes for adults begin Oct. 17 at the Coral Gables Youth Center, under the direction of William Atwood. Construction of wooden items from the design-stage to the finished product will be taught. Patterns of Early American style woodworking will be included. There will be a fee of $9 for the 8-week course.

THE FOURTH Chamber of Commerce-sponsored course in Practical Politics will continue through Nov. 23. Students (standing, left to right) are Ed Brown, T. R. Wieber, Frank Kerdyk, R. H. Leitch, James C. Stamm, George L. Dewwey, and instructor Oscar DuBreuil. Seated left to right, are George W. Rowley, Marshall I. Wolper, G. N. Eaton, and Gerard Pucci, instructor for the last three weeks.

City Commissioners' Reprieve

City officials got a breathing spell in the threat by Circuit Court Judge Pat Cannon to jail them for contempt of court this week. Judge Cannon granted City Attorney Ted Semple a delay of 10 days to Oct. 20 before he will again require the City Commission, city manager, finance director, members of the Retirement Board and trustees for the board to appear before him in connection with the case of Floyd Brasher. Semple asked for a postponement of Tuesday's appearance because he had to leave the same day for Tallahassee on a case. Brasher, a former Coral Gables police captain, sued the City in 1958 when he claimed a physical disability caused in line of work. He had been given some extensions after his normal retirement date. The City maintained his disability was not service incurred. In Aug. 30, 1960, Judge Cannon ruled in favor of Brasher. The case has been under appeal by the City.

Half-Million for Parking

Fiscal agents A. C. Allyn & Co. was awarded a contract by the Coral Gables City Commission to handle a $500,000 off-street parking bond issue. Allyn was low bidder on two bids with a price of $7.25 per bond. A joint bid for $8 a bond was submitted by P. J. Van Ingen, C. T. McCreedy and A. B. Morrison. The money will be used to purchase additional off-street parking in various places throughout the City. The program is a continuing one.

STORM DRAIN

Appropriation of $2,628 has been approved by the Coral Gables City Commission for construction of storm drainage sumps along University Drive from Avenue Sarto to Ponce de Leon Boulevard.

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