The Coral Gables Times

Thursday, January 25, 1962, page 4 (of 19)

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THE Coral Gables TIMES

Established Jan. 15, 1926 Published Weekly at 364 Seville Ave., Coral Gables, Fla. | Second Class Postage Paid at Miami, Fla. ROLFE NEILL | Editor & Publisher JOHN T. WATTERS | President Robert Collins | Advertising Manager Murry Evans | Circulation Manager Maurice Labelle, Raymond Long | Reporters Mrs. Kay Squires | Classified Manager Miss Helen Reynolds | Society Editor Mrs. Dorothy McCreary | Office Manager Subscriptions: $4.20 year by mail anywhere

Remember The Times

25 YEARS AGO President Roosevelt's fourth Birthday Ball, celebrated in 10,000 communities, was in the planning stage. Paul D. McGarry was appointed the local chairman by Col. Henry L. Doherty, the national chairman. Serving on Mr. McGarry's committee are Judge and Mrs. Albert H. Gleason, Mr. and Mrs. W. Scott Deming, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Morgenthaler Jr., Mr. and Mrs. John O. Montgomery, Col. and Mrs. P. J. O'Shaughnessy, Mayor and Mrs. Roscoe Brunstetter, Senator and Mrs. James Calkins, Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Moon, Dr. and Mrs. E. C. Lunsford and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Headley. 10 YEARS AGO Mothers organized for their door-to-door campaign for the March of Dimes. Mrs. Virgil Wright was captain of the Coral Gables area and her lieutenants were Mesdames Ed E. Giles, Robert Manley, R. R. Peeples, William Bails, Ed Drescher, Margaret Hall, George Crawford, W. B. Roberts, Gladys Satterlee, H. B. Gillentine, W. A. Snare, Paul Whitney, O. H. Maecher, George B. Dorris and W. B. Sindley.

OFF BEAT By MAURICE LABELLE

We were gathered for our weekly critique of the paper when the subject of circulation problems cropped up. Someone pointed out the difficulty in getting conscientious, reliable, dependable boys to deliver the paper and the problems accrued because so many fail to meet that description. As it does invariably, the conversation turned to how much better paper boys were in our early youth. Those were the days r ox promptness and door-to door delivery did not mean you'd find your paper out on your lawn if you were lucky to get it at all. The paper boy was a respected member of the neighborhood who took his job as seriously as any mailman. No newsboy worth his salt would have had his mother call the office to say he couldn't deliver the paper for one reason or another. It was his responsibility to see that the route got delivered. He had one or more trained replacements who could deliver. If that failed, a parent would take the responsibility. These boys took seriously the position that they were independent businessmen. Came Christmas, the newsboy was on practically everyone's must list. Weekly tips were common and often very generous. These boys usually needed the money. Very often it was not their own to keep and spend as they wished, but helped support the family during hard times. And therein may lie the principal reason for the current situation. But whatever happened to the idea that paper routes were a good training ground for adult life? All this seems reasonable enough, but this view prevailed by the narrowest of majorities during our meeting. -MI- It must have come as quite a shock to some residents of the unincorporated areas to have themselves depicted as freeloaders by members of the Coral Gables City Commission at the recent public hearing on the Metropolitan Home Rule Charter. One of the big squawks about Metro rotates around the idea that municipalities willing to pay for and able to provide higher standards should be allowed to do so without interference. So far okay, but to turn the question around, should residents of the unicorporated areas be taxed to support higher standards for city dwellers? Since boondock residents are assessed for streets, sidewalks whenever they are constructed, pay extra for garbage and trash collection and get only a minimum of fire protection and police protection also available to municipalities generally, where is it that they are freeloading? Do county residents benefit more from the operation of a seaport, airport, courthouse, civil defense, etc? It may be that the municipalities generate more activity and cause more expense because of their constant squabbling with the county and among themselves. Let's be realistic. The residents of municipalities pay more taxes basically because their properties are worth more. And they are worth more because of location primarily. If people want to enjoy better police and fire protection and zoning laws, fine. Let them pay for these niceties—but why delude themselves that county residences are sponging on them? If the county ever reached the point where it could provide the highest standards for everyone, there would be some merit to the argument of taxation without service.

MAILBOX

EDITOR: Two women met on their way into a country club recently. "You're going to X's funeral this afternoon, aren't you?" said one. "Oh, my goodness no!" said the other. "I won't have time. I have to go over to their house and help set up the bar. The whole gang is coming back to the house afterwards." It would seem that the cocktail party has replaced the old-fashioned wake. But there was a reason for a wake. A generation or so ago, when a person died, the corpse was laid out in the parlor of his home. To discourage any small, gnawing animals that might be in the area, friends gathered in the dining room or kitchen during the night. And they ate and drank to stay awake. Mostly they drank beer or wine and spoke softly of what a good guy Joe was and how much they would miss him. Then came the day when funeral parlors spruced up their front room with wall-to-wall carpeting, dimly lit lamps, and, later, air-conditioning. The remains of the deceased were laid out here instead of the family home. Thus, callers merely signed a book, held the hand of the survivor and departed into the night. Services became so brief that unless you were on time, you would do well not to go. This modern procedure apparently frustrated some people in their efforts to console the widow, or widower. So they decided to call on the family at home after the funeral. "Well," someone said, "it has been a trying day. I'm going to have a drink." And so a new custom began. Just where or when the idea snowballed into a party, no one knows. But, added to her other problems, the widow now has the task of entertaining an unknown number of — you might say — unexpected and uninvited guests. If a family can afford the luxury of outside help, a caterer will gladly take over in the kitchen, bringing in an ample supply of cold sliced turkey, ham, salads and finger rolls. Meanwhile, a bartender from the local union sets up the bourbon and scotch and braces himself for the onslaught. A family not so well-to-do needn't worry. Friends and neighbors are more than willing to bring covered dishes, dips and snacks, plus extra ice cubes. There are pros and cons on the subject of after-the-funeral cocktail parties. Some say "this is the widow's (or widower's) worst time and we must all rally 'round and console her." Others are appalled and sickened to find that they must push their way through an elbow-bending throng to offer heartfelt sympathy. Do the members of this community condone this modern custom? NAME WITHHELD BY REQUEST

Jacobson, Adams, Pittman, Gale Honored by Jaycees

MRS. DAVE HENDRICK, AL JACOBSON, AND BONNIE HENDRICK, JACOBSON RECEIVE FIRST HENDRICK AWARD Al Jacobson, Larry Adams, Harley Pittman and W. L. Gale were presented the four annual awards given by the Coral Gables Jaycees for outstanding service. They were honored Thursday of last week during a banquet at the Coral Gables Country Club. State Sen. Verlon Pope of St. Augustine spoke. Jacobson, a merchant, received the newly created "David Hendrick Outstanding Citizen" Award. This is in honor of the former Gables mayor who died last year. Jacobson is second vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and on the board of directors. He has been chairman of the Traffic and Parking Board for the last eight years. Jacobson was co-chairman of the Christmas Lighting Committee for 1959-60. Active in church work, he has served as chairman of the education department of Temple Judea. Presenting the award to Jacobson was Benjamin Turner, an attorney who went to law school with Mr. Hendrick and was a law firm partner. Larry Adams, a commercial sales representative for Florida Power and Light, received the "Distinguished Service" award. Adams, a Jaycee himself, conducted the club's main project this year, that of interviewing some 550 Gables families on how to improve our community. In 1961, Adams was appointed by the City Commission to serve on the Citizens Recreation Advisory Board. He was also an adviser to one of the Greater Miami Junior Achievement companies. Adams serves on the Christmas Lighting Committee and helped install the lights in this year's "Fantasy Land" at Merrick Park opposite City Hall. Mort Guilford presented the award to Adams. Harley Pittman, Director of Public Service who worked for the City for more than 37 years, was presented the "Good Government" Award. Pittman came to work for Coral Gables when the city was nothing more than a land of pines and scrub. City Clerk Loretta Sheehy, last year's winner, presented the award to Pittman. Gale, Gables district manager for Southern Bell-Telephone, received the "Boss of the Year" presentation. Larry Adams presented the award. The Jaycees presented certificates of appreciation to University Federal Savings and Loan Association, City National Bank, Dressel's Dairy Farm, M and M Cafeteria and The Coral Gables TIMES. LARRY ADAMS distinguished service BILL GALE best boss HARLEY PITTMAN government

Logsdon Wins Golf

The tournament was low net for the field with handicap Friday when the County Club of Coral Gables Women's Golf Association played in the morning rounds. Mrs. Krijt Logsdon came in first with a 351⁄2. There was a three-way tie for second place with Mrs. Belle Mathers, Mrs. Albert Anderson and Mrs. Faye Britt scoring a 36. Mrs. L. W. Dymond was third with a 361⁄2.