The Coral Gables Times

Thursday, March 22, 1962, page 4 (of 20)

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THE CORAL GABLES TIMES

Established Jan. 15, 1926 Second Class Postage Published at Paid at Miami, Fla. 364 Sevilla Ave., Coral Gables 34, Fla. JOHN T. WATTERS | President ROLFE NEILL | Editor & Publisher Robert Collins | Advertising Manager Murry Evans | Circulation Manager Maurice Labelle, Raymond Lang | Reporters Mrs. Kay Squires | Classified Manager Subscriptions: $4.20 year by mail anywhere

It's Not Harry Rath

Nobody need jump on Principal Harry Rath at Coral Gables High School for suspending two students over wearing fraternity insignia at school. He is merely doing his duty, prescribed by his boss, the Dade County Board of Public Instruction. But we can direct attention to an absurd law of this state which says a student cannot be a member of a high school fraternity, or for that matter even a service club whose membership is restricted. This latter prohibition is particularly offensive to us. It is another step in the dimunition of the individual right of choice. Doesn't it seem a little silly to tell a group it can't choose its own members? Does public education mean that we must be a faceless lump, absorbing all? You can argue about what the founders of our country had in mind, although we doubt they had any such ideas as these. But little matter. A society is viable and changing and must respond to its own times, not the distant past in which it had its origins. And the interesting point of all this, in our opinion, is that the bulk of people today feel just as strongly about the matter of personal choice, despite the rulings of courts, boards et al. Tell your state legislator about it.

7 1/2-Story Victory A Peek into the Mystery

We're going to have a 7 1/2-story building in downtown Coral Gables, afterall. The City Commission approved it Tuesday. We're delighted to see it because we think the previous restrictions against high-rise buildings downtown haven't made sense. Although, you can't help but ask why our town fathers earlier turned down six stories for Coral Gables Federal on Ponce de Leon Boulevard and only a few blocks south on the same street permitted a hamburger stand to go up. Also coming to eye Tuesday was a key recommendation of the Big Secret Rader Report. Commissioner Evans disclosed that the report, yet to be made public to us mere taxpayers who're paying for it, recommends nothing higher than three-story buildings here except in the Alhambra Plaza. This is the area in which the 7 1/2-story Gulf building will go. What's wrong, we wonder, with Miracle Mile or Ponce de Leon Boulevard? The Times believes many such buildings will be built in the downtown area eventually. Our city is a natural for such desirable industry as the high-paid white collars.

Welcome Signs

A couple of items in these pages last week caught our eye. The first was a new 150 to 200 room hotel for our town and the other was the chartering of a new bank. Both are indications that more growth is coming here. The hotel will go near what has long been a credit to Coral Gables, Al Singer's University Court Motel. Some may ask if, with three banks, don't we have enough already? Where's the room for a fourth? We suspect there's room for mere numbers do not a financial institution make. Any man who can provide better service at competitive prices will have no difficulty ultimately in making his way. That's what free enterprise is all about anyway, isn't it?

Honest Haitian

A Haiti man is either one of most honest men to hit the Gables — or he's chicken. He airmailed his overtime parking fine back. G. Sisler, of Pora Prince, Haiti, sent two $1 bills to Municipal Court Clerk Marie Tkach in payment of a ticket issued by the City March 12 on a Giralda Avenue offstreet parking lot. Sisler was driving a rented car.

How to Get the Preacher into His Flock

By MAX MORRIS Pastor, First Baptist Church Of South Miami Historically there have been two types of public worship: The priestly and the prophetic. The function is different in each mode. In the priestly worship the altar is central. The word priest probably means "a go-between." Therefore, in the priestly worship the priest stands before the altar to represent the congregation before God. Baptists believe in a prophetic public worship. Consequently the most important lement is communication, the preaching and the singing of the Word of God. Unfortunately, Baptists often seek to accomplish their desire for a prophetic worship in buildings which were designed for a priestly worship. They usually, because of tradition, construct auditoriums which are a modification of the European Cathedral. The building is mot often a long rectangle and those sitting toward the rear feel left out of the service. Since communication is of the utmost importance in Baptist worship the architecture of the building should be designed to make communication more effective. The First Baptist Church of South Miami is constructing such an auditorium. Those looking at the building for the first time may think that it is radical or revolutionary. They will likely respond, "It doesn't look like a church!" Actually, how should a church look? The New Testament does not give us any particular architectural design for the place of worship. The first Christians met in homes, caves, catacombs, and open fields. In fact, the church is not a building anyhow; it is a "called-out people," a fellowship of redeemed followers of the Lord Jesus. There is no proper design for a church auditorium. The auditorium should contribute to making more effective what the people believe about public worship. The "revolutionary" architecture of the First Baptist Church does just this. On the main floor 1,500 people can be seated. Yet the pulpit is only a little over 70 feet away from the farthest seat. There is not a column or blind spot in the building. The minister is close to every person in the congregation. The building is acoustically perfect. Baptists need auditoriums that are "alive." In some auditoriums congregational singing is discouraged because the participants get the senstation of singing alone. This causes them to be reluctant to "sing out." In the building, a hundred voice choir, becomes an integral part of the congregation. Because of the circular design the voices of the choir will blend into the congregational singing. The Baptistry is in the front of the choir, directly behind the pulpit stand. By the usage of hydraulics the Baptistry is lifted up out of the floor as the pulpit stand is lowered into the floor. Instead of the congregation having to look up and only partially see the baptismal scene, the congregation will be looking down into the baptistry. Then, too, the choir will have a solid wall which forms a perfect accoustical chamber for effective choral production. No, the new auditorium of the First Baptist Church of South Miami is not radical. Rather, it is designed to expedite what Baptists believe about public worship. South Miami Baptists' New Sanctuary

The Glenns Push On Despite Us

By PHILLIPS RUSSELL Correspondent To overhear the comments on Astronaut Glenn's round-and-round flights about the earth is to be reminded of Wilbur Wright's first little rises above the earth in an airplane. So long ago was the Wright feat that it seems incredible that Alpheus Drinkwater, the telegraph operator who sent out to the world the first news of man in flight, still lives to tell about it. When 59 years ago, Wright was trying to soar into space with his little crate, a few newspapermen watched from afar. When they saw — or were told of—his success they hastened to the Western Union office on Roanoke Island, North Carolina, where Drinkwater presided and wired their newspapers the epoch-registering news. They of course expected jubilation, praise, and suitable rewards. What they got was doubt, rebukes, and warnings. Their editors didn't believe them. Right after these skeptical editors came the croakers who said "What good is it?" When Columbus returned to the Old World after discovering the new one, people either refused to believe him or they said, "What good is it?" The world is divided between the go-forwards and the hold-backs. It sometimes seems that the latter with their dark - blue goggles and moss-green overcoats are in the majority. But the Wrights continue to rise above earth and the Glenns will continue to soar into the unknown. Progress? Or just change? Who can say, and who can stop it?

In Our Series MAILBOX He Says His Position Misstated

EDITOR: I am constrained to call your attention to an error in Mr. Labelle's notable series of articles on slum clearance. I am sure that it was unintentional and that a review of his notes, possibly hastily made, will reveal same. In substance, I was quoted as being in favor of Coral Gables negotiating with the City of Miami to have the instant area incorporated into the Negro section of Coconut Grove. This is completely foreign to my past and present thinking. I firmly believe that Coral Gables, or any other municipality, should squarely face up to its responsibilities. To cede this area to Miami would be equivalent to "sweeping the dirt under the carpet." It would accomplish nothing. The slum would still exist. The inhumanity of it would not be erased. In retrospect, I am sure that the Committee of 33 worked arduously not only because the affected area was located in Coral Gables, but that they were also motivated by a keen sense of decency, justice and humaneness. I did say that it might be well for the Gables to explore with Miami the possibility of a common overall plan but not at the expense of retarding our program. This view might well have been the basis of the above misunderstanding. I should like to take this opportunity of expressing my firm belief that this area, if properly updated, would bear its proper share of the tax load. This view is completely shared by our tax assessor, Mr. Blount. The land value is there and should be put to its best use. This is an elementary principle of good planning, tax equalization and economics. If the improvements were in keeping with the land values, the tax roll would reflect assessments more in keeping with Coral Gables. The profits presently derived justify decent housing. The area should and must bear its fair share of our tax burden. I am wholeheartedly with Don Wessell, "Let Coral Gables continue to show the way." CHARLES H. FINKELSTEIN 815 Catalonia Ave. (EDITOR'S NOTE: A review of the writer's notes fails. to bear out Finkelstein's statement that he never advocated that the Negro section of Miami and Coral Gables be wed. (Here are his direct quotes: "Give it to Miami," "It's not even part of Coral Gables." "The cities should get together ..." (We are glad to print this explanation of his views and will not quarrel with him over what he said or didn't say when interviewed.)

Remember The Times

25 YEARS AGO Mrs. S. M. Greene, Mrs. Fred Ralston, Mrs. O. A. Jenson, Mrs. Ray Peterson, Mrs. Emmy Lou Barton Mrs. Ernest Bolton, Mrs. Janet Harris, Mrs. D. B. Brown, Mrs. Alpheus Collins, Mrs. Thomas Henderson, Mrs. Walter Miller, Mrs. Harry Lindborg, and Mrs. Hal Syele attended a bridge luncheon at the home of Mrs. Gracy Perry of 836 Majorca Ave. 10 YEARS AGO The City's Board of Realtors in a letter to the City Commission foresaw that the future of Coral Gables lies in the Biscayne Bay section. Louis S. Edwards, the board's president wrote, "I feel that the future of Coral Gables lies therein, inasmuch as it is nearly all virgin territory." Edwards' letter referred to the Coral Gables Planning Board's decision to allow replotting of the Biscayne area. ONE YEAR AGO Kings Bay Yacht Club was the scene of a dinner dance to celebrate the first year of service of the South Miami Hospital.