Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Times
Saturday, October 9, 1976, page 6 (of 24)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
opinion
• editorials • commentary • letters
Smoke out fire
There's a devastating fire in a huge highrise. Hundreds of people are scarred for life from burns received in a hotel fire. An uncheckable fire races through a department store and dozens of shoppers are killed. These are fabricated statements but similar events have occurred although to a lesser degree in the South Dade area. In many instances they are totally avoidable because highrises, hotel and department stores should be constructed with every precaution taken to see that none of the above will ever happen. At the Coral Gables Rotary meeting this week, Gables Fire Marshall, Joe Atwood, showed films of a giant hotel fire in San Pablo, Brazil. A fire which never should have taken place. The hotel was built without the ordinary safety standards. Perhaps, we as citizens, can't do much about that, but we certainly should be able to take care of ourselves in our own homes as Atwood alluded to in his talk to the Rotary members. We wonder how many homeowners have any plan of action should they find themselves confronted with a fire emergency. Do we have small children? Do we know how to exit our homes in the safest possible way? Should we stop for belongings or just get out? It's worth thinking about. Have a family meeting and work out a plan. It could save your life and the lives of your family.
Letter perfect?
A news release received in our offices this week soberly began: "A program for alcoholic recovery is now operational at the Miami Post Office, offering help and education to employes and members of their families who have a problem with the disease of alcoholism." We know that alcoholism is serious business and addiction to Demon Rum no laughing matter, but consider the source of the release. Who is to say that postal service hasn't driven a customer or two to drink or, on the other hand, that sorting mail without ZIP codes couldn't have the same effect on postal employes? Perhaps what is needed most, for customer and postal employe alike, is a program to curb the bureaucratic "disease" of slow delivery by the Postal Service and an effort by customers to avoid the plague of ZIP-less mail.
the gables publishing company
serving south dade and coral gables since 1926 jim storey general manager bea moss managing editor bill mc hugh circulation gary gibbs news editor address: 4627 ponce de leon blvd. coral gables, fla. 33146 telephone: 666 7981
Roses are red, violets blue poets to meet, you come too
For those of you who are in search of a muse, you may find it on National Poetry Day via a special program to be held in Coral Gables. Gilbert Maxwell, nationally known poet, will discuss "Trends in Modern Poetry," and read from his poems. Mabel Staats, poet laureate of the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs for the past 16 years tells us, "This is a unique program here and people have been wanting it. Local writers being heard, plus (this) excellent nationally known writer who now lives here." She means, of course, that in addition to Maxwell, local men and women writers who will illustrate current trends with their poems. Among them are: Geraldine Clark, Margaretta Curtin, Ruth Engle, Richard E. Griener, Ruth Jeanette Grubbs, Amelia Lummis, Mary McLaren, Dorothy Mouldenhauer, Mary Napier, Doris Rosebrough, Howard Salzman, Nancy Savage, Mary Ann Stevens and Jnita Wright. Mabel will chair the program which will be on Thursday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m., in the Coral Gables Public Library. She, of course, is a poet of some renown and a well known Gables personality having conducted 14 statewide poetry writing programs, headed 20 workshops on poetry writing from coast to coast including Anchorage, Alaska. Mabel also taught creative writing in Dade Schools for 20 years and she's presently a poet consultant with the gifted student program.
eye on south dade
This should be a very special event so if you're a poet or a poet lover, don't miss it.
Hometown talent
Speaking of the arts, Linda Burgess, Coral Gables artist and senior and art major at Appalachian State University will have a student exhibit at that school's Dogwood Gallery this week. Linda is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Berney Burgess of 4307 Segovia St.
Did not compute
If it's not one thing it's another department. Mentioned in this column last week, was Monty's Sandwich Shop in Coral Gables and how nice everybody was there. Only trouble was that those automated printing imps deleted four paragraphs of the story, one of which mentioned that to find this friendly eatery, you go to 2330 Salzedo. John Rahn over at Gables 76 Station on Andalusia, suggested the place. Once in awhile you get a good tip from somebody.
reader response Animal experiments shouldn't be in schools
EDITOR: All the ladies in "Good Guys for Animals" Group should be highly commended (Times/Guide 9-25-76). I doubt that very many people are really aware of such experiments and how far they progress. More publicity like this article would help. It would seem that movies, plastic models, in illustrations. etc., would be quite sufficient for this subject without actual experiments on live animals. Thousands of animals suffer terribly and often needlessly in the hands of vivisectionists, so why should such experiments be needed or attempted by amateurs in our Public Schools and Fairs?" Children are smart, also curious and some are call-ous. They may be tempted to try such expermiments outside the class room. Many TV shows promote violence and sadism and few people think about Animal Welfare. I have always had a high opinion of our school board members. All are really qualified to judge the merits of this practice and ask themselves to what purpose it really serves in our educational curriculum. Somehow I thought better of Dade County. I am sure that all schools do not carry this program. P. JOHNSON
This Demo is sold on Ford by debates
EDITOR: Just in case you're thinking of conducting a reader poll of the Presidential debates: I watched the first of the presidential debates between Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. Ford's knowledgability was very apparent, it emanated from him, despite the fact that I had no way of knowing, off the top of my head, what the statistics either one of them quoted meant, in a truly comparative sense. Carter came across watered down. His eyes sparkled and he smiled a lot, but he made me more aware of the newcomer he is. He thinks a small amount of success running a governorship, and I'm even dubious about that small amount of success, is akin to running a federal government as large and complex as ours is. Ford's eye didn't sparkle like Carter's did — as a matter of fact he has a tendency to squint — but the warmth and sincerity and rock-like durability and, yes, the strength of the man, came across those ether waves loud and clear. I like him, I believe in him, and I'm going to vote for him. VIRGINIA PAUL A Democrat 3031 SW 97th Ave.
Letters welcome
The Times/Guide welcomes letters and commentary on matters of local interest and import. Letters submitted must be signed to be considered for publication, but names will be withheld upon request. Letters may be edited on the basis of space considerations.