The Taos News from Taos, New Mexico • Page 4

EDITORIALS As We See It Merger We applaud the Taos county school board for their plans to expand overcrowded facilities in outlying especially their foresightcdness in providing larger centrally-located schools. Perhaps it will mean the end of some of the one-teacher, less-than-10 pupil schools that are tremendously expensive and unsatisfactory to operate. At least the new schools will be available should smaller ones choose to send their children there. There could hardly be a better time for a building program, what with inflation an accepted fact and the bonus of getting large chunks of the slate-wide two-cent sales tax money brought back to Taos County. No actual consolidation has been made, of course.

The memory of a consolidation fight two years is still too strong. But as the little schools operate farther and farther in the red, and the centralized schools offer better and better classrooms and teachers, the need for change becomes obvious. Classrooms Along with the county school bond issues will come another Taos district issue, for only that is possible because the school district will then have borrowed the maximum allowable under present property valuations. We don't feel that the addition of a few classrooms ($64,000 doesn't go far these days) will be any great help toward solving the problem of an old junior high building in Taos. It's just a stopgap measure to provide temporary relief.

However, we can support the bond issue in there simply isn't any other solution. Bonded indebtedness will be up to maximum, and is being reduced slowly. It will be close to 15 years before Taos district could have a major half a million rebuild the aging school building. There are a couple of solutions, but both are pie-in-the-sky. One would be for massive state or federal aid to become available to the district for building purposes, grants beyond our bonded indebtedness.

Another would be for honest- value assessment of property within the district, which would allow us to increase the maximum bonded indebt- ness, which is based on a percentage of valuation. This isn't likely to happen in the foreseeable future. So let's make do with what we have, and add the classrooms to the present school buildings here. Aiuatlor Still discussing Taos County schools, it is interesting to note that the Ojo Caliente district has the ability to issue $107,000 in school building bonds. The memory of Senator-Principal Albert Amador's widely-publicised plea for funds from Mexico to help his district is still fresh in the minds of many.

The plea, of course, brought no results other than a black eye for the United States. four school bond issues coming up in the next couple of months as other Taos Countians assume their responsibility to educate their children what will the people of Ojo Caliente school district decide? Jaybirds A Taos woman came into the office this week, still shaking from a near-accident when a Taos High student marched in front of her at a crosswalk. This Is happening wore and more frequently, perhaps caused by the warm weather that is bringing more students out around the Plaza during their lunch period. Many of the students are courteous and polite, but far too many of them run to get in the crosswalks so that they can hold up traffic by idling across the street. Such rudeness is obviously done on purpose, as is walking down the Plaza sidewalks eight abreast.

A little education by teachers and parents is the only answer to the maybe a police citation. The burden is still on the motorist to miss the children shouldn't make the motorist's task any more difficult than it is. Pick of the Press Living The advantages of small town living need to be told far and wide to stem the trend to the city. All over the country people are moving from rural areas to the big cities where skilled jobs are plentiful and salaries are high. Smaller cities need skilled and professional people, but they do not publicize the things that appeal to human beings.

The government has urged finer recreational areas for Americans since there is more leisure with shorter work weeks. People are taking advantage of the pleasures offered in the outdoors. Golf, fishing, and boating consume many hours that otherwise would be idle for millions of Americans. The city man works as hard at recreation as he does at his job. His recreation is a veekend project.

He loses hours in traffic as he seeks his favorite recreation facility. If he golfs he must make an appointment days or weeks in advance and then wait in line to tee off. City golf courses are loaded. The man who fishes and boats wails to get his boat in the water. City living offers the highest pay, but it is 'costly.

In addition, time wasted preparing for recreation mounts up. When the city man counts his dollars and blessings he finds he has no more money and fewer hours of leisure. The smaller city is ideal for better living. It costs less and affords more free time. There's no lost time in traffic going to and from home, so evenings can be spent on the golf course or fishing.

From the home to the golf course is a matter of minutes. It's less than an hour to a lake or stream or picnic area, A weekend trip can extend over many miles because there is no bumper-to-bumper traffic. People in business and professions and manufacturing, and this includes newspaper publishing, find they are losing talent to the cities. It is impossible to pay city salaries to em- ployes in smaller communities. So the employer sits back and does the best he can while cursing the big operators in the metropolis.

Somehow the meeting of prospective employe and employer to consider a job involves one consideration. That js the money. If the employer can't pay a city salary the job remains unfilled. Small cities have something that isn of monetary value and it should be a talking point. While it's difficult to convince a young man there is more to life than jumping in a car and catting around over the weekend, most prospective employes might be interested to know that in a small city they can gain stature and become a community leader bv putting forth some effort.

They will find conditions for raisins a family to be ideal both from a financial and rec- recreational standpoint. Beyond that they will find friends and in the big city friends are hard to come by. If a man is a success in a small city the day will come when he can go to the big city and displav his talents and at far more monev than he would receive if he had tried to work his way up the ladder. There's so much to be said for life in small cities and more of us ought to be saying it. The Taos News PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY BY TAOS PUBLISHING INC.

W. J. Olds, Editor Robert J. Faureck. General Manager Regina Cooke, Society and Arts D- Valdes.

Spanish Dave Lucas, Writer-Photographer The Taos News will gladly correct any neous reflection upon the character or reputation of any individual, group at firm which may appear in its columns. Inside The Capitol Knoiv If our Neighbor Billy Beutlcr was born in Santa Fe, he says, because Tans didn't have any hospitals in 1928. Coming to this bright world on Feb. 25, he was weaned under the sign of Pisces, the fish. It is said that those born under this sign are idealistic, emotional and easily led-fruitful, and good in art, music and literature.

His grandfather was the former Bert. G. Phillips, one of the artistic founders of Taos. Asked about his painting ability, Bill claims only that he has the painting strain when it comes to house painting. He went to school in Taos and at the Abby school in Canon, Colo.

His nickname which he inherited from his father is "Beanie." During WWII he served in the navy as a pharmicists mate, 3rd class, and in school he favored all sports, football, basketball and baseball. He graduated with a BA in education from Highlands University, where he majored in biology, history and the social sciences. After that he worked in various positions at the N. Letters To The Editor M. Game and Fish Forest Service and for two years as asst.

foreman at the Red River Fish Hatchery. He is mdrried to the former Tootlie Donahue of Albuquerque and they have three daughters, Susan, Florence, and Margaret Ann. A member of the Methodist church, he is president of the Methodist mens group and a member of the board of directors. He has been a member of the Taos Volunteer Fire Dept. for many years and both he and his wife are ardent lovers of outdoor sports.

Bill and his wife Toodie are a husband and wife team running the Casa De Vidrio Shop and the Kit Carson Drive in Theatre. Speaking about the theatre he says that they intend to shortly convert the theatre to year around use. When Taos gets too hot and active from all the goings on Bill and company head for Cabresto Canyon where he and the wife and girls spend their weekends, when they want to get away from it all. The Other Viewpoint Pleased Mt. Vernon, Washington Dear Editor: Please accept payment for another year's subscription to Taos News.

How we enjoy your paper and how interesting each one is over the last. We were thrilled at the prospects of the future Rio Grande bridge and are making plans to spend our vacation in June in Taos. My sister, her husband, friends in Fresno, California and I all were lucky participants in (he Great Southwestern Land Sales Co. and all have property in Tres Piedras. Unlike of the so- called "winners" who were unhappy at viewing their lots we feel fortunate owning property in Taos County.

Your paper has made it all seem very real to us and in spile of the dirt roads and uninhabited area around Tres Piedras we feel very sure the future will smile on these estaies especially when this "world high" Rio Grande bridge is completed. Your community sounds aciivo and exciting with political, fraternal and church groups to suit any individual and we are mo.st anxious to know it betler. My sister and I are even going to night school to learn Spanish so you see what your "Spanish Page" of your newspaper has inspired us to do. We are looking forward to seeing Taos, famous art center, which everyone knows about even tho the rest of the activities of New Mexico are non-existent. It is possible for you to call your Chamber of Commerce and send us some information about hotel or motel accommodaiions in or near Taos.

We would appreciate your help in this regard as there will probably be four of us. Hope we have the pleasure of meeting you and other citizens of Taos in June. Thank you fur a fine paper and thank you for cumaciing the Chamber of Commerce for us. Sincerely yours Irene Clayton Mr. and Mrs.

Joe Niderait dents. May I invite your kind cooperation in helping me get more information about the Tres Piedras development; has anyone built there as yet? Is my lot accessible? What problems will I have if I try to start building about June 1963? (Copy) Office of the Governor State of New Mexico State Office Building Santa Fe, New Mexico Dear Sir: As an out-of-slate citizen of the U. S. who has recently purchased property in your State, it begins to look as though I have a problem that I shall expect your office to help me solve. I purchased on July 19, 1962, from the Great Southwestern Land Company, a New Mexico Corporation, a building lot, undeveloped, in the Tres Piedras Estates, Taos County, New Mexico.

On January 10, 1963, I mailed this deed, and proper fee, plus a self addressed, stamped envelope for return, to the Office of the County Clerk, Taos, New Mexico, as instructed by the seller. I sent the document by registered mail and have the return receipt, registry No. 18129, signed by Ursula L. Trujillo, County Clerk, Taos, New Mexico, postmarked January 14, 1963. As of this date I have not received my properly registered deed by return mail, and I want to know what is going on out there.

We read some distrubing news In the East of numerous land swindles being pulled in New Mexico and Arizona, and I want to be assured that this is a legitimate purchase, and get my deed back. I shall appreciate your prompt investigation of this matter, and your assurance that I have not been swindled, but my deed shall be promptly returned to me as expected, properly recorded, so I may begin use of this land in June 1963. Very truly yours, John W. Schweikert Cincinnati, Ohio. Estates Entered as second class matter it the Post SUBSCRIPTION KATES PEB VEAB Office Faos, N.M..

under the act ot March fc state $4.00 Cw State im jaai P.O. Box 1005 PJ Dear Sir: You can see from the enclosed letter that I am properly concerned over what may pruve to be no more than poor action on the part of some public servant. Yet I fail to see why my several requests for information to the County Clerk have been ignored. From the standpoint ot good public relations, you must have someone of your acquaintance in the Chamber of Commerce or similar organization who can tell me of the nature, extent, desirability, and accessibility of the property in question, if it is indeed a legitimate attempt on the part of your County to attract new resi- NINE YEARS AGO Mr. and Mrs.

Doughbelly Price relumed Wednesday of last week from Los Angeles where they visited their daughter, s. Jackie Burch and Mrs. Bobby Upton and her new baby. Monica Ritter of Berlin, Germany has opened a sewing shop in the apartments adjoining the Taos Book Shop. Mrs.

Kibby Couse writes that she and Mr. Couse have just returned to their home at Newark, N. following a months vacation in Florida, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smead are spending a week from Phoenix with Mrs.

Smeads daughter, Hope Howard at their Taos home. Stella Masterson and Bernadine Wood have deserted Talpa for a month during which time they will visit California and the Pacific Northwest. Representatives of bold Taos Senior and Junior High Students leave today to attend the fourth annual State Student Council convention being held at Portales. These include Patty James, Wylene Miller, Berlinda Slazar and Roy Sanchez, Bobby Martin, Pricilla Chacon, Grady Woodard, and David Chavez. Mrs.

Bess McCullar has been appointed curator of the Taos Historical Museum, by the board of directors of the TAA, and will begin her new work at the Museum when it reopens April 10. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Fleck returned home last week, from Texas where Mr. Fleck held several exhibitions of his paintings.

Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Van Cleave have returned from a trip to Florida and pxber states.

Looking Back Sucker! Sap Citizen Taken Again By WILL HARRISON The legislature raised the price Of liquor, took a $23 million tax bite out of the sap citizens and then denied them the right to vote In primary nomination of party candidates. The repeal of the direct primary for selecting state level candidates is causing more harsh criticism of the legislature than the huge tax increase. The primary repeal was pushed through to ease the nomination of U. S. Rep.

Joe Montoya for the Senate next year against Ed Mechem and was supported by Gov. Jack Campbell and others in office who saw in it a means for their own easy renomination. Hybrid Plan Gives Politicos Control Even the legislators couldn't stand an extremely restrictive pre-primary conventioi bill offered by Sen. Clint Anderson through State Sen. Ed Mead of Albuquerque, and in substituting for it came up with a convention- primary hybrid that is about as good as possible for that kind of thing but which still takes away from the people the right to express themselves on the candidates.

The stale party conventions that will pick the candidates for the later primary election will be made up of delegates that will inevitably be selected and controlled by county party chairmen with the saps on the outside obliged to take what is given them. Convention Plan For Stale Only The convention system will apply to state level candidates only. District and county candidates will continue to be nominated in direct primary election as before. The conventions will vote on candidates for each office until one gets a majority. He will get first place on the primary ballot.

Others who received as much as 20 per cent of the convention vote at any time during the balloting may have their names on the ballot under the first place candidate. A nearly impossible provision is included for candidates other than those named by the conventions. They could get on by securing petitions signed by three per cent of the voters of their party in each of 16 counties. It would be three per cent of the number that voted for the party candidate for the same office in the previous general election. Reform Provisions Written In Law The new law tries to correct some of the abuses present in a similar system that was used in New Mexico in 1952 and '54 and then thrown out because of public disgust.

It prohibits county convention delegations voting by the unit rule. That means casting the NINETEEN YEARS AGO Timoteo Pacheco, Seaman First Class, of Taos, recently returned from sea duty as a member of a Naval gun crew assigned to an American merchant vessel. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Diego A.

Pacheco, Taos. The following friends of Larry Cisneros, welterweight champion of the USA, sponsored and paid for the photograph appearing in this weeks issue of the Taoseno: Jack Hoffman, Edw. Duffy, Filemon Romero, Elias Romero, Meliton Martinez, J. A. Chacon, Bill Utter, and Adolfor Gallegos.

Mrs. Mary Dolan, Mrs. John McCarthy, Miss Opehelia Valdez, Sister Frances Adele, and Eleanor Valdez motored to Santa Fe last Friday afternoon, and returned to Taos Sunday afternoon. Rev. A.

F. Wasson, who was in Taos recently holding services at the Baptist Church has returned to his work at the Baptist Hos- pilal in Muskogee, Okla. Dr. Arturo LaMothe and Dr. Reynaldo DeVeaux, both of who have been at the Holy Cross Hospital during their internship, left today for Mexico to take their final examinations.

Both of them expect to return to Taos in about a month. Present at the farewell dinner given for them were Drs. L. Moss, W. A.

Onsline, A. M. Rosen, and Mr. Fred Baca and Mr. James Valentine.

Last Thursday night Mr. and Mrs. Walter Moore entertained with a dinner party in honor of their son, Pvt. Milburn West, who was ID Taos on furlough from Camp Adair, Oregon. whole county vote for the candidate the majority of the delegation favors.

It prohibits proxy voting. That means that a convention vote may be cast only by the official delegate himself. tl prohibits changing voles after they have been officially cast. This was a device used to rig (he 1D52 and '54 Picking Delegates Major Weakness The breaks down in the selection of delegates to the conventions. They will be picked in so-called precinct and county primaries which are easily rigged by local politicians to get the delegates they want.

A tiny portion of the people participate in precinct primaries, and outsiders who attempt it are often denied a voice. It is at the delegate picking level that the system falls into the hands of a few politicos. There has been much comment that a complete reversion to the old smoke-filled-room type of plain convention would be more palatable than the system which pretends to be half convention and half primary. 1954 Convention Gave Free Rides When practically the same system was used in 1954 John Simms was nominated for governor without an opponent (and then became the first governor to be denied a second term in 30 years). The convention also gave Sen.

Clint Anderson a free ride without opposilion; also Congressman John J. Dempsey and Tony Fernandez, Dick Robinson for attorney general, Johnny Walker for land commissioner, Dan Sadler and Jim McGhee for supreme court justices. It made the subsequent primary election look like a waste of money. 18. Senators For Repeal It was only in the senate that there was serious opposition to the primary repeal.

It went through 18 to 13 with the following backers: For Chavez, Valencia; Bill Gallagher, Colfax; Louis Page, Guadalupe; Jim Pation, Dona Ana; Bill Wheatley, Union; George Amaya, McKinley, Pern Carr, DeBaca; Fabian Chavez, Santa Fe; Don Sbcorro; Cirilio Maestas, Mora; Ed Mead, Albuquerque; Gordon Melody, San Miguel; Alfonso Montoya, Sandoval; Cas- wcll Ncal, Eddy; Floyd Santistevan, Taos; Lon Shurbet, Harding; Vince Vesley, Grant, and Bill Duckworth who got mixed up on a vote pairing and was shown for repeal. In the house the governor's man, Duke Mayshark was watching the vote from the speaker's desk when the roll was called on the primary repeal measure. It slid through big. From the Editor's Window It Was A Fine Day For The Irish, Too By WALLY OLDS Well now, wasn't that a fine St. Patrick's day celebration Saturday! Casualities were held to a minimum, hymns were raised to the Auld Sod, Tom O'Keefe reigned in a princely manner, his 86 years of twinkling Irish i brightening the windy day.

The day started at eight o'clock when Terrence Moynihan reluctantly provided green topped donuts and coffee at the Fiesta Cafe, with Irv Green (appropriately named) going half the cost of the 150 servings. Next stop was the fueling process at El Patio, where Jack 01- sen dispensed the Irish coffee and the "band" warmed up. Don Blair and Carl Glanz manned the drums and Bill Steinke tootled forth on the flute, and a close listener could pick out bits of "McNamara's Band" from the medley. Then off and around the Plaza, with Tom O'Keefe and Mayor Floyd O'Santistevan in a convertible at the head of the ragged herd. Tom and Floyd conversed in French while circling the Plaza, and 16 nationalities were represented in the parade that followed (four Irishmen) to complete the international flavor.

Back to El Patio, which quickly ran out of space, Irish coffee and corned beef and cabbage as the crowd surged in. Mrs. John Maxson of Dallas and Taos sent a huge box of green hats and bonnets from Dallas, and other St. Patrick's decor, end Taosenos were quick to take up "the wearin' of the green" for the celebration. The good Scot claa of Crawford even turned out for the event, although there was no talk of partition heard.

It was quite an affair. I had no idea there were so many Irishmen in Taos. Mary Wallace Funk, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lozier Funk of Taos, recently got a nice spread in the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner.

Her goal: to be the first woman "spaceman." The attractive brunette, 23 years old, is chief pilot and flight instructor for Wright's Aviation at Hawthorne Airport, and already has qualified as one of the 12 female astronauts chosen by the Lovelace Foundation to be first in space. The program does not have sanction as yet of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), but Mary Wallace could still be the first to go. She has checked out in all tha tests which the original seven male astronauts took before their selection. This included the arduous centrifuge test at U.S.C., where she took three G's on four simulated orbital trips. Mary Wallace was educated in Taos hometown gal who is making good.

NOTH1N 1 BUT TROUBLE Trouble, trouble but it could be worse. Constable Zack Martinez last week was in all sorts of warm and hot water. He found out that he could not get peace bonds placed against Brigidia Garcia of Ranches and Rosana Cortez of Placitas. Justice of the Peace C. F.

Boyer, dismissed Constable charge March 13 on the grounds that there was no evidence to warrant that ihe wumen be placed under pence bonds..