The Coral Gables Times

Thursday, March 29, 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 Subscriptions: $4.20 year by mail anywhere

So, What Are We Going to Do?

It is coincidental that the Jaycees should be releasing their community survey at the time this newspaper completes a six-part series on the city's slums. Most of the people interviewed in that survey - completed before The Times started its series - did not know there were any Gables slums. In fact, most thought the Negro area here is part of Coconut Grove. It might not be any less offensive but at least it wasn't on our own municipal conscience, it might be reasoned in that instance. But, as our Mr. Labelle has shown in recent weeks, we do have our slums. One leader in this city suggested to us that the Negro housing area - IS A TOWN ASSET. -He reasons that it is an asset because it places domestic help and day labor nearby. Shades of economic and social thinking we hope will never again prevail in this country. In our opinion, we have shown forcefully the following facts: 1. Slums exist here. 2. The City's rehabilitation program, why well intentioned, does not remove slums but merely prolongs them by patchin. 3. The residents there - all Negroes - are often paying rental rates which could easily be purchasing them a home of their own, a la Richmond Heights. 4. The City is being denied sizeable tax revenues because of poor use of the land. The Times does not believe the Negroes should be herded into Moscow-type apartments in place of their shacks. Neither does it endorse giving them housing. We are of the opinion that a substantial number of the residents there have the same aspirations as you and I, namely to own their own property and keep it up. Certainly, the experience in Richmond Heights indicates that the pride of ownership accomplishes the miracles of transformation which weekly extortion rentals seem to deny. Can anything be done about the slums in The City Beautiful? Yes, if we want it done. Action can be - INITIATED LOCALLY IF WE -Want it to be. The city's financial institutions could discuss capital for rehabilitation of the area. It could be that housing shouldn't be there at all, that the present tenants should be relocated elsewhere. Either the Gables Chamber of Commerce or the City Commission - or both - could come forward with some plans. To get something constructive done, all we have to do is want a change badly enough.

What You and I Owe to the Jaycees

The Coral Gables Jaycees showed this week what makes their organization probably - club for club - the country's most dynamic civic organization. The men turned over to the community's leadership the results of their survey of 520 families. The families were asked in detail what they liked about this community, what they don't like and what changes they want to see made. The report should be a guide for years to come as to what our citizens want in the way of changes. For all time it should be a landmark in community service by a local group. More than 2,000 man hours (a full year's work by one man) were donated by Jaycees. First Research Corp. contributed generously, as did several other business organizations, to make the survey possible. Estimated to be worth $10,000, the work cost only slightly over $500. We are not surprised to find bumpy streets heading the gripe list. Nor are we surprised to learn that strict zoning is perhaps the top feature the citizens want to see maintained. Basically, the survey shows the people who live here are proud of the town, have uncommon respect for its government and municipal services, and want to maintain things as they are. The finger has been pointed - carefully and with excellent documentation - toward what we need. Now, let's finish the job.

Philadelphia Girl Remembers Romance, the Southern Drawl & Now

By ELVA CHARLTON Correspondent An exotic young Gables matron will give a political coffee to which I have been invited. This will be one of many forthcoming soon. And once again we will indulge in another political binge. For us from Philadelphia there will be no punch to the talks. Hard Facts Through Soft Voices, or Politics With a Southern Accent. "Bah," says my husband. But I will find a certain charm in the talks. Psychologists tell us that most of our prejudices date back to our childhood and so they should love this, should any be reading here. Philadelphia is a city of firm traditions, biased opinions and brotherly love. The brotherly love did not extend below the Mason and Dixon line in the days when I was growing up. Northern women used to admonish their daughters as my mother did me: "Never trust a Southern man, all charm and no get up and go." My father would lower his newspaper from in front of his face, give me a sly wink through his tobacco smoke and go knock out his pipe on the red brick outside the house. For my father was born in the "Deep South" of Virginia and my mother never forgave him for it. Dade could take work or leave it alone. Mother could not leave it alone. Eventually, they worked out a partnership with my father leaving more and more work alone and my mother taking more and more, until my father died as he had lived, a handsome charming Southern gentleman. Mother used to go on a tirade about the "no good Southern men." She never seemed to be talking to anyone. Her words did not disturb my father, who never raised his voice about anything. Certainly, all her words did for me was to create the utmost curiosity to experience some of this devasting charm of the Southern men as soon as I was old enough. The boys came to "court me," (they were the days when we played the field) remember? They came in a Stutz Bearcat, or an Isota Frachini, but the glamour of the car was lost on me, as I sought the charm of the soft drawl and the Southern accent. Well, I never found it, because I married the voice which carried the most conviction, and he drove a Standard Eight and was born in the North. Now a Southern accent on a political platform just sends me... down a garden path shot with moonlight, the fragrance of magnolia blossoms and sweet romance.

We Wonder

The Gulf Building to be built on Alhambra Plaza was shrunk before it ever began as a result of the City Commission's action Tuesday. They lopped off 1 1/2 stories. Why? We're not many years away from the point when we'll be tearing down three and four story buildings here - yea, even six story ones - to make better use of certain land areas. And in that time, people will wonder about the wisdom of commissioners in setting such arbitrary and stifling limits. We wonder now.

FACES IN OUR TOWN by INK

Mrs. Madeline McELDOWNEY OWNER OF ELLIOTT'S OFFICE SUPPLIES CAME TO MIAMI FROM DENVER, COL. IN 1950. SHE IS A MEMBER OF THE SOROPTIMIST CLUB OF CORAL GABLES. A WIDOW, MRS. McELDOWNEY RESIDES AT 20 MINORCA AVE. BUT PLANS TO MOVE INTO A NEW GABLES HOME IN APRIL. OOPS, WRONG PLATE! AT ONE TIME MRS. McELDOWNEY WAS SUCH AN AVID AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER SHE BUILT A DARKROOM IN HER APARTMENT KITCHEN!

Learn About Red Methods

The Dade County Bar Association says it expects a liberal sprinkling of Communists to be scattered through the audience during the day-long anti-Communist seminar to be held at the Dupont Plaza Hotel, Saturday. "There's no doubt that a number of secret members of the Communist Party who live in Dade County will be looking over our shoulders as we conduct this informative session," declared Circuit Judge Robert L. Floyd, chairman of the bar group's Committee on Communist Tactics, Strategy and Objectives. "All of the public is invited and I'm sure the Communists will have their representatives there," he said. The F.B.I. also will attend. The event has been divided into two sessions. An afternoon panel discussion, starting at 1 p.m., will be led by Dr. Richard L. Walker, chief of the James F. Byrnes Center of International Relations, University of South Carolina; Admiral William C. Mott, Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Navy; and William B. Barton, General Counsel of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Admission is $1.

Party Planning Course

Wednesday morning, April 4 at 9:30, the Coral Gables Recreation Department will present the first of a series of six sessions on the techniques of party planning. These two-hour sessions will be workshops for any interested group, agency, parent or any adult. The workshop is designed to help you learn how and what to do at parties that you lead or organize, to help you with problems that you have had in the past, for parties at home or away from home. There will be no fee for this workshop and you need not register for the class. If additional information is needed call the Center HI 8-2567 or HI 3-7197.

New Books Point Way For Travel This Summer

If you are considering travel this summer, the Coral Gables Public Library has a number of new books to help you think about, plan and enjoy your trip. Sydney Clark has revised his "All the Best" books, bringing them up-to-date with the latest information about each country. Just published are the 1961 and 1962 editions of "All the Best in" - England, France, Holland, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg. (Each country's a separate book). And on our own side of the world is "All the Best in Mexico" and "South America." "The Budget Guide to Europe" by Howard Stein will aid those who like a high standard of comfort, but must watch their travel dollars. There is a wealth of practical information in these books combined with the background of history to give the reader a feeling of the atmosphere and color of each country.

Our Chance For Some Glory

By PHILLIPS RUSSELL Correspondent "At Coral Gables, Fla., is one of the most beautiful gardens in the USA." Such a line may be found in one of the future tourist travel books of the nation. And why not? Kew Gardens at London attracts visitors and floral students from all over the world. The New York Botanical Gardens are not far behind. The Arnold Arboretum at Cambridge, Mass., has been a center of attraction for years. Coming somewhat closer to home, it might be mentioned that a few years ago Norfolk, Va., was regarded as a worthy but somewhat dingy port town. Then it set itself to establish a garden that residents would not be ashamed to show visitors. The smaller city of Manteo, N.C., on Roanoke Island was once far off the busier highways. It now has a noteworthy Elizabethan Garden of which even the cab drivers are proud. These two Southern towns have since then gained enormously in prestige, population and attractiveness. The creation of these gardens has certainly been a factor. Coral Gables has the means and the power to do likewise. The recent flower show at the University of Miami Armory is proof that such a project would have strong local support. A Coral Gables Garden would exhibit those flowers and other plants native to the region and the climate. It might also have those plants, imported or adaptable, that deserve attention and care. There is plenty of space within the city limits, or nearby, for a location. The garden club might lead the march toward such a creation, but it ought to have a whole community behind it.