Swarthmorean 1931 February 14

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Optitgc ttttaiy
Wt**ir..
Mill
Vol. Ill,    No. 6
Swarthmore, Pa., February  14,  1931
$2.50 Per Year
Home And School Endorses Enlarged
Physical Education Program Here
New   Gymnasium   And   Increased   Physical
Education Staff Specified; Physical Exam*
ination Each Year Held Desirable
FAVORS NEW GYM
The Home and" School Association
went on record at its February meeting
Monday night unanimously favoring an
immediate improvement of the physical
education department of the Swarthmore school system. The action of the
Association came about in the form of
an endorsement of four proposals recommended by the Health Committee of
the Association headed by Dr. E. Leroy
Mercer—a larger gymnasium, thorough
physical examination of each child, enlarged physical education staff, and an
improved physical training program for
children in the first six grades.
Monday night's program was under
the auspices of the Health Committee
and the Welfare Committee. Dr. Mercer as chairman of the former committee described present conditions in the
Physical Education department in the
schools and ended his talk by making the
four proposals outlined above.
"The present 20 by 40 foot gymnasium
with its capacity of about 25 children for
gym classes is naturally inadequate,"
said Dr. Mercer. "It is a basement room
with windows on only one side and is
so small that only one class for either
boys or girls can be held at one time. At
the Rutgers avenue school the play room
is more suitable.
"In the spring and fall it is true exercise may be taken out of doors but at
that time the two physical directors are
so busy directing the spring and fall
athletic teams that they do not have sufficient time to give the other classes the
attention they should have."
Dr. Mercer's recommendation for adding to the personnel of the physical education department was largely based on
this condition as well as the fact that
Wm. E. Zicgenfus, physical director for
boys, is"'also called upon to do some
academic teaching.
The second recommendation that thorough physical examinations be given
every child at least once and if possible
twice each year, was based on the present system which provides for only a
partial examination of head, nose,
throat, eyes, etc.
"Every child should be examined just
as thoroughly as if he were taken to his
family physician. Parents should be
notified of any defects in their children
which should be remedied, a card index
should be kept of each child, and re-
checked each year to observe what improvement is being made," Dr. Mercer
declared.
The recommendation of an increased
physical training program for children in
the first six grades was made on the
basis that these children arc now receiving only one-half hour of directed
physical exercise a week in the gymnasium. This of course is supplemented to
some extent by the recess periods during
the afternoon and morning each day.
In recommending an enlarged staff
for the physical education department,
Dr. Mercer also pointed out that this
was necessary not only to provide more
gym work for the lower grades but also
for carrying the gym work on through
the high school. At the present time
the only organized physical exercise provided the high school students is for
those on athletic teams.
"With an adequate staff, and a room
in which to work, a great deal can be
done for developing the children in our
schools.    Groups  can    be    created    for
(Continued on Page Four)
GOOD WILL DINNER
AT INN TUESDAY
Dr. Mercer's Four Proposals
Endorsed by H. & S. Assn.
1. Better gymnasium facilities including locker rooms and adequate showers.
2. Thorough physical examination
by a physician at least once a
year for each child. Statements
of defects with recommendation
of .correction to be sent to parents and results observed the
following year.
3. More extensive physical education program for the six lower
grades that now receive only
one-half hour weekly of gym
work.
4. Increased personel of the Physical Education Department so
that children may be classified
according to physical condition
and given exercises to meet individual requirements.
Courtesy  The Phoenix
E. LeRoy Mercer
ADOLESCENT CHILD
LECTURE FEB. 17TH
SEWER SYSTEM FOR
COUNTY STUDIED
Ten Creek Areas Served by Five
Treatment Works; To
Cost $5,016,000
TO BUILD NINE PUMPS
The Educational Department of tlie
Woman's Club, Mrs. Harold Goodwin,
chairman, announces another lecture for
February 17th by Dr. McConaughy, her
subject subject being me Adolescent
Child". Such things as "The Child Versus the Adult", "New Attitudes toward
Home, School and Authority"; "Morals
and religion" and "What Constitutes a
Healthy Adolescence", will be discussed.
Mrs. George Hoadley, Mrs. Philip H.
Jcwett, Mrs. Joseph H. Perkins and Mrs.
Robert Lewis will be the hostesses.
-o»»
WOMEN GUESTS OF
IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE
School   Board  Favors   Tax  Cut; «
Dr.   Bassett Named New President
Ritter And Shay Named Architects For New
Gymnasium   With   Plans   Laid   For
Proceeding   At   Once
Dr. Bassett's Rarebit
Wins Him Presidency
Dr. Arthur E. Bassett newly
elected president of the Swarthmore School Board is famed far
and wide for his Welsh rarebits.
All of his friends at one time or
another receive a hurried call and
find Dr. Bassett in the kitchen
stirring a pan full of melted
cheese.
Last night a long intensive meeting of the school board was broken at ten o'clock by adjournment
to the cafeteria where Dr. Bassett stirred up one of the concoction^ for which he is famed.
Every member of the board was
generously served and after the
meeting had been resumed in the
board room the very first act was
Mr. Smith's resignation as president of the Board and Dr. Bassett's election.
Whether Dr. Bassett was elected in recognition of his culinary
powers or in a spirit of retaliation on the part of the other board
members is a question the answer
of which cannot be ascertained.
GLEE CLUB SINGS
IN CLOTHIER HALL
All is in readiness for the Good Will
dinner which the Swarthmore Business
Men's Association will give next Tuesday evening at the Strath Haven Inn.
In addition to W. W. Mitchell, general
manager of the Ford plant in Chester as
the main speaker, a great deal is expected of E. C. Walton who will relate anecdotes of the Swarthmore business district during the past forty years. Frank
S. Reitzel, president of borough council
will tell of plans for improving the borough and particularly the business district during the coming year.
. v Practically every merchant in Swarth-
mbfe is contributing cither souvenirs
which will be given to everyone at thc
meeting, or. a single gift which will be
MV'v^iven to the holder of a lucky number.
An orchestra from the cqjlege will furnish music while the dinner is in progress.
Elric S. Sproat will act as toastmaster.
A comprehensive sewerage system plan
for Delaware 'county..was. presented for
consideration to representatives of thirty-
four municipalities and' townships at a
meeting of* the Delaware County Municipalities, to consider stfcfl a plan, held
at thc Chester Club, 511 Welsh street,
last week.
At last week's meeting, of Borough
council, Joseph S. Bates and Leonard C.
Ashton were named to represent Swarthmore at the meeting.
The report was characterized. by its
creators, Albert F. Damon, Jr., consulting engineer; E. Herbert Snow and W.
L. Stevenson, members of the State Department of Health, as a "practical project with practical estimated costs."
Ten creek areas in this county are outlined and will be served by five treatment works, exclusive of Chester and
its immediate environs, which already
has a plant under way. The estimated
cost of the complete project is $5,016,000.
Operating costs are not detailed in the
report.
Nine pumps, stationed in various lowlands throughout the county will assist
in the work of conveying the sewage to
the five main plants. These will be constructed near the Delaware River, for
the most part, where the land is of a
low nature.
Swarthmore  will   be  served  by  plant
No.  3  located  on  the  property of  the
Baldwin   Locomotive  Works  in   Ridley
Township.    This plant will also collect
sewage  from  Morton,  Rutledge,  Ridley
Park, Prospect Park and the townships
of    Nether    Providence,    Ridley    and
Springfield.    Swarthmore's  participation
in the plan  will probably necessitate a
bond issue within the next two years.
■+•»	
Swarthmore Blaze
A loss of several thousands of dollars
was sustained when the Swarthmore
residence of Dr. George H. Cross, widely known oculist of this city, was dis- i
covered to be ablaze late Saturday afternoon. The dwelling is situated at 123
Princeton avenue. The flames started in
the roof and a quick response to the
alarm on the part of the Swarthmore
Fire Company prevented the fire from
spreading. Members of the fire company, assisted by neighbors, removed
considerable furniture and the loss
chiefly was inflicted by water. No one
was injured and Dr. Cross was loud in
his praise of the good work of the firemen. The damage was chiefly located
in thc roof and the walls of the dwelling.
Women's clubs of Delaware county
will be entertained by the Delaware
County Chapter of the Izaak Waiton
League -nexf. Tuesday- evening, aT: 8:30
o'clock, at an illustrated lecture by Dan
McCown, internationally known orator
and naturalist, who will talk on the subject, "A Naturalist in the Rockies." The
lecture will take place at Media High
School.
Mr. McGown's pictures are based on
25 years experience in the Canadian
Rockies, where he has constantly lived,
making a study of wild life and the terrain. His lecture will be unique, not
only for the wealth of material contained
in it, but also for its rare charm of presentation.
<»»»
Mr. and Mrs. Milton H. Fussell, Jr.,
of 435 Riverview avenue, Swarthmore,
entertained at dinner and bridge at their
home, Friday evening.
Many Village People Expected to
Attend Affair in New
Building
HAVERFORD  CLUB ASSISTS
A large-number-of Swarthmore people are planning' to attend the concert
of the Swarthmore College Men's Glee
Club in the Clothier Memorial Hall next
Friday evening. This will be the first
opportunity for many people to see the
beautiful new building on the campus.
The concert will represent the combined efforts of the Haverford and
Swarthmore Clubs and promises to bean
unusually fine program. In addition to
several Swarthmore boys in the two
choruses, Donald Turner, son of J. Archer Turner of Harvard avenue, and a
senior at Swarthmore, is business manager of the Swarthmore Club.
The program for the concert has not
(Continued on Page Fight)
Swarthmore's Basic Problem
A Communication
In order to point a moral, let me
tell a tale. The moral is the most serious, that can engage the attention of
Swarthmore property owners; the tale
is,  I fear, a not uncommon  one.
My pride, or Pharisaism, suffers a
blow in the telling of the tale; for I
have always rather plumed myself, in
conscious self-righteousness, upon being a citizen who did not grumble at
taxes. Suddenly I awake to the unpleasant fact that I am being shamelessly discriminated against; as arc
others.
Upon returning from a long foreign
trip, during the incumbency of Martin
B. Young as tax-assessor, I discovered
that my taxes had been seriously increased. So I looked up the list, to
see how my neighbors were faring.
This is not the place to recapitulate
the glaring inequalities I uncovered.
Suffice it to say, I found that my next-
door neighbors, the Hulls, whose home
is two or three times the size and value
of mine; and whose lot is approximately the same size as my property,
which then included a rear section,
since sold, are assessed at a lower figure than thc Elliscs!
My point is not that their rate is too
low; but that mine is too high. I am
making this comparison public with thc
consent of Mrs. Hull. Any chance
passer-by, or the grdcery boy or the
garbage man, can sec at a glance thc
great difference in the value of these
two houses, which stand side by side,
and in the value of the two lots. Only
incredible incompetence, or deliberate
discrimination, could rate the Ellis
property at a higher valuation than the
Hull property.
So much for the story. The moral
is twofold, and touches every Swarthmore householder.
First, the assessor's lists should be
made public, that all such conspicuous
injustices should stand before the bar
of public opinion. Had I not looked up
figures for myself I would have had
only a general sense of injustice done
to me. But with the facts before me,
the situation carries its own condemnation. If THE SWARTHMOREAN
were to publish the Borough tax list,
with its inequalities, there would ensue such a civic commotion as Swarthmore has never before known.
It is thc intent of the law that this
list should be public property. It is
open for inspection to anybody at thc
Media Court House. There is no improper exposure of a citizen's private
affairs in thus making known the
amount of his real estate assessment;
thc matter is wholly a civic one and
thc publication of the entire list of
borough property-holders, with their
assessments ,is the one sure and democratic way of insuring a fair and even
distribution of thc cost of local government.
(Continued on Page Four)
Expressing conviction that not only
can a new gymnasium be started at once
but that the school tax rate can be reduced from 27 mills to 25 mills, the
Swarthmore school board adjourned at
a late hour Thursday night to convene
again at a special meeting next Thursday evening.
Thursday night's meeting was further
marked by the resignation of Frank N.
Smith as president of the Board and the
election of Dr. Arthur E. Bassett as his
successor of the remainder of this year.
Mr. Smith said that his resignation was
caused by the pressure of personal business. Dr. Bassett's first act as president
was to reappoint Mr. Smith chairman of
the building committee in charge of the
new gymnasium project for this spring.
The committee appointed to study the
financial aspect of the gymnasium question and thc selection of an architect reported that $43,909. was available for
building purposes this spring and that
the committee was of the opinion that a
gymnasium building wtih a cafeteria in
the basement totaling about 4900 square
feet of floor space, and providing a playing floor in the gym 40 by 60 feet with
adequate space for spectators* couUL.be
built for that amount. The committee
making this report consisted of R. C.
Disque, Frank N. Smith and Dr. Arthur
E. Bassett.
The committee further recommended
that Ritter and Shay, architects for tlie
newly completed Rutgers avenue school,
the auditorium at the College avenue
building, and the new shop building, be
employed as architects for the new gymnasium.
This decision was reached after considerable discussion -arid after a thorough study of. the . situation had been
made. The recommendation of the board
was made in view of Ritter and. Shay's
familiarity with the school requirements
here; their high standing as school architects in and near Philadelphia, and their
success with the school building already
done in Swarthmore under their supervision.
It was decided to instruct Ritter and
Shay to draw up plans and specifications
for a gymnasium and cafeteria building
costing about $44,000 and to draw up
sketches of the entire proposed west
wing of the present College avenue
building to be built on the land purchased last summer from the college.
Remuneration to be made as follows:
for preparation of plans and specifications 3.6 per cent, of total costs; for
supervision of construction 2.4 per cent
of total. Providing that if for any reason the contracts for the construction
of the buildings are not awarded, Ritter
and Shay are to receive a lump sum of
$500  for their work.
The proposed tax cut of 2 mills is
based upon the budget for 1931 and 32
which will be presented at the special
board meeting next Thursday. It is also
based upon an increased real estate assessment which the county commissioners estimate will be $5,075,460 for this
year as compared with $4,841,015 for
1930. Should the real estate assessment
be less than this amount or should the
number of exceptions granted by the
board cut down the tax return the board
might be faced with a condition which
would require an increase in taxes in
1932-33.
♦ «»
COUNTY LEAGUE TO
MEET NEXT THURSDAY
On Thursday, February 19th, at 2:30
P. M., the Delaware County League of
Women Voters will hold its regular
monthly meeting at its headquarters, the
Woman's Club House, Media, Pa. This
meeting will be in charge of Miss Alice
C. Darnell, Chairman of Living Costs.
The guest speaker will be a representative sent by Governor Pinchot, who will
discuss "The Utility Situation in Pennsylvania as it affects Living Costs." An
open forum for general discussion will
follow.
All interested are cordially invited to
attend, and it is hoped that the.audience
will be large, and well prepared with
questions to bring out ail sides of this
timely subject.
The Executive Board of the County
League will meet at 10:30 a. m. on the
1 same date, at the same place.