The Times

THE TIMES

the local community newspaper for all South Dade John T. Watters, President & Publisher William von Maurer, Editor Robert M. Slane, Advertising Manager Subscription: $3.00 year by mail anywhere

Days That Are No More

The Union League Club, not the youth of Coral Gables, would have been a more appropriate audience for the remarks of Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker last week. The respected soldier and airlines tycoon was guest speaker at the first annual Junior Orange Bowl Service to Youth Luncheon at the Coral Gables Country Club. The whole tenor of his talk was "turn back, turn back, oh time in your flight." Instead of advising our youth to look forward to a new world, he invited them to turn their eyes to a past which can never be regained, no matter how much we desire to recapture it. The World War I hero told his young audience and assembled members of the city's service clubs that the United States must turn away from internationalism. America, however, is the leader of the free world and can not shirk its responsibility by turning its eyes inward, no matter how passionately Captain Eddie may desire it. Our country will survive only if our youth is informed and equipped properly to lead other nations of the world toward democracy. This will take boldness and courage. A turning away from this responsibility is impossible. Isolationism is dead, Captain Eddie. The World War I ace praised the virtues of States Rights, although he declared that the welfare of Florida is dear to his heart. States Righters, youth of Coral Gables, are responsible for some of the worst ills that afflict this state. States Rights is the cloak behind which segregationists hide to frustrate the solution to a problem which is tearing our nation apart. Whether we like it or not, our national problems have grown to such proportions that the states are no longer capable of dealing with them. Our young people must be made to understand this so that they can help preserve the freedoms of the individual under these new conditions. Captain Eddie also dragged out that old bugbear of the "giant bureaucracy in Washington," an attitude which is no service to young people in a changing world. Once again, whether Capt. Eddie likes it or not, this isn't the America of his youth. We are now a complex, giant mass of population that demands more and more government services. That "giant bureaucracy" in Washington isn't going to go away or get smaller. It needs young people of good caliber to fill its ranks as administrators. It is no service to youth to attack this bureaucracy as an undesirable monster. Instead, it would have been better to encourage young people to take up government service. There are many hard working civil servants who have gone unsung too long. Captain Eddie also attacked foreign aid as undesirable. It is not foreign aid which is undesirable. It is the way that it has been wasted and mishandled that is a national disgrace. Our young people should be alerted to this profligacy and encouraged to study the problem of better administration of our substance. America, the world's richest nation, can not keep her wealth clutched to her bosom. If she is to retain her position as world leader (and this is the only way she can survive,) she must use her wealth wisely to lead other nations along the road of greater material abundance. We are sorry, Captain Eddie, but the days which you cherish are no longer with us. We can survive only if we change, and we can change only if our youth is aware of what is happening in this world. They will never learn that by looking over their shoulders. They can preserve this nation only by looking forward and meeting the challenge of a New World.

The Right Direction!

Remember The Times

25 Years Ago Paul D. McGarry was appointed by Col. Henry L. Doherty to make arrangements for Coral Gables to take part in the nation-wide celebration of president Franklin D. Roosevelt's birthday ... A progressive PTA at Coral Gables Elementary School made plans to provide pupils with more playground facilities. The action came shortly after the PTA had obtained heating for the classrooms... The country's top tennis players gathered in Coral Gables to compete in the Miami Biltmore championship tourney. 10 Years Ago Four Coral Gables and Coconut Grove youths won first place in the Orange Bowl Regatta Pram races. Bucking stiff winds, but still finishing first, were George Crawford Jr., Johnny Mairs, Doug Jones and Bobby Webbs, all 14 years old... Harry Shay and Byron A. Sperow were some of the top officers of the Coral Gables Kiwanis Club to be installed by the president of Kiwanis International, Don H. Murdoch, who made the trip here from Winnipeg, Manitoba ... Gableite V. E. Chenea was appointed general manager of the Bahamas Development Board... Gableite Ernest F. Coe, known as the father of the Everglades National Park, died. He was 84.

Thanks Police

Letters To The Editor Thanks Police Editor, The Times, I know that a great many of the residents in our Town of West Miami are truly grateful to our police force for the excellent job they do; for the extra attention they give our homes when we are away and on vacation. I know that a great many of us would like to show our appreciation in some way at Christmastime; but we usually think about it and forget about it, because we just don't know how to go about showing our appreciation to the fine men in our police and fire departments. Do you have any suggestions either collectively or individually how to solve this happy Christmas thought? Thank you very much. A resident of West Miami

Why Reject Federal Funds?

Letters To The Editor Why Reject Federal Funds? Editor, The Times, I note that Opa-locka recently became the first Dade municipality to receive federal funds for an urban renewal plan. The $7,000 award which will be matched by the city (the City's share is usually composed of services by city employees or the use of maps and information already compiled) will be used to make a complete study of land use, traffic flow, business and industrial potential, etc. To date Coral Gables has accomplished much along these lines but the picture is far from complete. Our planning board and other civilian committees, of necessity, have their limitations since many of our needs require the services of firms trained in these fields of endeavor. Eventually, our growing city will more and more feel the absolute need for this technical information and guidance and it will not be available at the time that it is needed which is really now. The Committee of 33 has made available to the city all ordinances, forms and information necessary to secure this Federal aid instead of having the taxpayer pick up the full tab. All that remains for the city to do is to pass the ordinance, sign the application and sit back to await the grant. Whether or not you are in favor of Urban Renewal is immaterial. This is not a slum clearance project where the Federal Government might attach strings and have a voice in type of tenancy etc. Since we as taxpayers pay the moneys which are now made available to our cities for surveys, why shouldn't we use these funds instead of being taxed again when the city decides that these surveys are a must? Metro has also invoked this resource for a "land use plan." Every progressive city needs a "land use plan". It is the "Guided Tour" to our economic future. I hope that our City Fathers will reconsider and decide to avail themselves of this aid. Charles H. Finkelstein 815 Catalonia

South Miami Roundup

BY EDWIN KNIGHT KNIGHT IT'S ALL OVER. And I'm a little glad. Behind us are the New Year's weekend, the Christmas holidays and 19[?]. The holidays seemed longer and more penetrating than usual. We're in a brand new year now. WE'RE FILLED WITH new aspirations, ambitions, and goals. But 1960 is still fresh in our minds. To some, it's depressing to look back at a past year. To others, it's fun. Some fond and lasting memories are brought back. NEVERTHELESS, SOME important events took place that will live with us for many years. Nationally, the big news was the presidential election. South Florida-wise, Hurricane Donna got the big play. IN SOUTH MIAMI there was no outstanding story that captured the spirit of the year. There were individual stories that are worth noting. But the trend was towards news of growth plans. HERE IN FRONT of me are the tear sheets, the dated clippings and the yellowing newspapers that depict the year 1960 in South Miami. Some of the news is sad. But not much. Some is funny. Other news is of places, people and dates. MOST SPACE in this paper was given to news of what may come later. Story after story was written about separ buildings, shopping centers, master plans and human endeavors. At year's end, they remained just that — plans. IN FEBRUARY, ideas were announced for a family-type recreation center costing some $250,000. We have heard no more of it. South Miami Council, at this time last year, had high hopes of moving the city's auto inspections station from its present site. The station is still there. IN SEPTEMBER, plans were announced for two skyscrapers near the intersection of 62nd Ave. and Sunset Dr. They were to have cost in the millions. But we have heard no more of the buildings. AND FINALLY, in December, a long-awaited master plan was presented to the Council and the Planning and Zoning Board. The plan is lofty but workable. If used it will be a great benefit to the city. Council is offering the plan for the public to read and discuss. But we think that little will be done with it. SOME NAMES BECAME more important during the year. L. M. McConnell, who came to South Miami as city manager in 1957 resigned in March to become Metro's budget director. CLINTON B. PETRY became acting city manager and, later in the year, the city's third permanent city manager. Joseph H. Kline, 6001 Twin Lakes Dr., was elected to a two-year council term replacing Jack Block. Block had chosen not to run for reelection. RUSSELL LINDQUIST, executive director of Southwest YMCA, 4040 Red Road, was transferred to a similar post in Chicago. He was replaced by John C. Barber, a YMCA official since 1925, in February. SOUTH MIAMI RECREATION Director Charlie Skalaski was named South Miami's Man of the Year by the So Miami Jaycees in March and South Miami Mayor Paul U. Tevis was hospitalized in September for treatment of a left leg blood clot. GEORGE B. HARDIE became city attorney replacing Hughlan Long, and the Jaycees named Diana Brooks as Miss South Miami. She replaced Judy Ann Harwood and represented the city in the Miss Florida Pageant in Sarasota. ARTHUR VINING DAVIS and Gov. LeRoy Collins, along with others, helped in the dedication of the magnificent South Dade Baptist Hospital and Councilman Geo Gibbons became a director of the Dade League of Municipalities. BUILDING BECAME a big item last year, although home construction was off from other years. There were no schools constructed in the city limites, but six schools were completed in the west and south Dade areas. BANK OF SOUTH MIAMI got a new name and a huge addition. The new name is First Bank and Trust Co. of South Miami. The addition is a new tellers lobby and officers' desk area in the front of the present building. THIS IS OTHER miscellaneous news that occurred during the year: South Miami library opened in January with 5000 books. It has proved highly successful... Work began in February on a Perrine Post Office. It was completed. AIR CONDITIONED express bus service between Miami and South Miami began in July... Metro operations in the southern end of Dade County moved into new permanent headquarters in the Perrine Civic Center. SOUTH MIAMI FIRE department got radios for its fire equipment in July, making it possible for the department to spend more time inspecting homes and businesses and remain in contact with the fire station. SOUTH MIAMI'S pension plan was ruled null and void by Circuit Judge Joe Eaton. Eaton ruled in August that the Council had acted without authority in adopting the plan since the city's charter does not allow for the plan. ST. THOMAS EPISCOPAL church, north Kendall Dr. at Red Road, dedicated a new $250,000 sanctuary constructed and completed during the year... Burdine's outlined a plan to be the attraction store in the proposed Dadeland Shopping Center on North Kendall Dr. SOUTH MIAMI purchased the W. H. Brown fertilizer store and property adjacent to City Hall for $39,000... South Miami Grey Ghosts defeated the Waycross, Ga., Bulldogs in the city's first Youth Charity Bowl at South Miami field.