Swarthmorean 1932 April 15

              Swarthmore,
'?w?Fr»s,
THE
t*2-M?J
Vol. IV,   No. 15
Swarthmore, Pa., April 15, 1932
$230 Per Year
SCHOOL INSURANCE
MAY BE CHANGED
Business  May  he Taken  Away
From Swarthmore Agents
Entirely
LOWEST     RATES      SOUGHT
Possibility that drastic changes might
he made shortly in the method of placing
the fire insurance oi the school district,
was intimated at the regular meeting of
the Board on Tuesday night. A new arrangement providing that all insurance
.should be placed directly with a large
I'liiladelphia company. F. Baruch Agency
Inc., was recommended by George Corse,
chairman of the Insurance committee.
At present, the insurance of both thc
school district and the fxirough is placed
with -Wilson and Co.- of Philadelphia.
The business was turned over-to this
company following the death of Leslie G.
Campbell, resident of Swarthmore, who
for a brief time before his death served
as a broker of all the insurance placed
by both the borough and thc school district.
Concurrent with taking over Mr
Campbell's business, Wilson and Co. offered to handle the borough and school
district insurance and turn over a share
of the profits to Mr. Campbell's widow
Another portion of tlie profits from the
policies they agreed to turn over to de
signated Swarthmore insurance agents
who up to several years ago placed all
of the insurance direct.
This arrangement with Wilson & Co.
has been in effect the past year and since
there has been no fire loss, the efficiency
of Wilson and Co., at the most important time of a policy has not been tested.
Representatives of the Baruch company
however, have convinced Mr. Corse that
they can bring about certain efficiencies
in the writing of the insurance and
would offer improved service both at the
present time and in case of a fire loss
which would save the school district
hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars. .--•:■. ; •.        •
Through Mr. Corse's interest in the
subject, a representative of Baruch and
Co. went ovcr a number of policies of the
school district and pointed out where certain savings might be made. Mr. Corse
consequently feels that a change is justified.
Although the board delayed a vote on
whether or not the complete change
should be made, approval tb place several
policies due at this time with Baruch and
Co. instead of Wilson and Co. was granted Tuesday night
Mr. Corse said that he had not discussed with Baruch and Co. their willingness
to in some way share the business with
the brokers of Swarthmore, particularly
the four longest established Insurance
men here, E. C. Walton, Charles Parker,
Charles Smith and William S. Bittle,
who have always benefitted in some way
by the local school and borough insurance business.
The entire board expressed a desire to
sec the four local insurance men just referred to, share the business in some
way. However, Mr. Disque expressed
the general sentiment when he said that
he thought the practice of asking a large
Philadelphia broker to share the profits
on the business with local agents who did
none of the work was "undignified, un-
business-like and illegal."
At the same time Mr. Corse said that
he did not believe a return to the original
plan in operation several years ago of
parceling out the insurance among the
local agents would result in the greatest
efficiency and economy.
Mr.   Corse  said   that  other   insurance
writers  who pay  taxes  had   spoken  to
(Continued on  Page  Ten)
»»»
MEET WEDNESDAY TO
DISCUSS PLAYGROUND
Howard Kirk of Lafayette avenue, one
of the original workers in the interest of
the Summer playground at the College
avenue building, appeared l>efore tlie
school board and volunteered the co-operation of a number of parents towards
making the project a greater success this
summer.    .
The Board has set aside $1000-for.Recreation in the budget for 1932 and the
expense of the Summer playground
would have to come out of this item.
They suggested to Mr. Kirk that he call
a meeting of interested parents and draw
up suggestions for improving the playground.
Such a meeting will be held next Wednesday evening, April 20 at 7:30 in Mr.
Morey's oftice at the High school. All
parents who are interested are invited.
SENIOR PLAY AT
H. S. TONIGHT
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HUH
RUTH DARLINGTON
As "Miss Parrot"
The Senior Class of Swartlnnore High
School will present its annual production this evening, April 15, in the College avenue building auditorium.
"Trelawney of the Wells", a four act
play by Arthur W.  Pinero, takes place
in   England   during   the   Mid-Victorian
period.   The plot has to do with a large
group of stage folk whose lives become
intermingled with those of an aristocratic
and very strictly proper family from the
West   End.     The   entire   production   is
filled  with   sharp  contrasts  and  sudden
changes in temperament.
■♦«♦
MANY REQUESTS FOR
PLANS FOR KITES
Great interest in The Szvarthmorcan's
Kite Contest is apparent among the boys
of Swarthmore and there is every reason
to believe that the tournament scheduled
for May 7 will be a great success. About
twenty boys called for plans and specifications for building novel kites which
may be secured at the office of The
Sxyarthmorean. It is hoped that there
will beiatjeast fifty entries in the tournament.
Two loving cups, one for the winner in
the class below twelve years of age, and
one for the winner in the class for boys
over twelve years of age will be offered
by The Swarthmorean. A score of other
prizes will be given to runners-up.
The winners will be selected by the
success with which the kites are flown in
the tournament and their neatness and
originality of construction.
Mitchell Nominated As New
President of Players' Club
Annual   Report   of   Cast   Committee   Read   —  Will
Conduct Survey To Learn Opinions
Of Members
The annual meeting of the Players'
Club of Swarthmore was luid at the
Clubhouse on Monday evening, April 11.
The regular routine business was transacted and the nominating committee made
the following report, quoted in part.
"The nominating committee, as a result of the written expressions from the
club members, place iu nomination for
the various elective offices of the club
the following men: President, Chas. D.
Mitchell; Vice President, Dr. A. F.
Jackson; Secretary, Herbert T. Bassett;
Treasurer, T. VV. Andrew; and Board of
Governors, 3 year term, two to be elected, R. C. Comley, J. Dolman Jr., and G.
W. deForrest; 2 year term, two to be
elected, D. Malcolm Hodge, Harry L.
Miller, C. Wahl Olmes, and Claude C.
Smith; 1 year term, one to be elected,
j; Kirk MeCurdy, Elmer E. Melick, J.
Archer Turner, and R. G. E. Ullman.
Respectfully. Submitted, the Nominating   Committee,    D.    Malcolm    Hodge,
I
Chairman, Mrs. Leonard C. Ashton, Mrs,
Edward M. Bassett, C. Wahl Olmes, and
Dr. Geo.  P. Warren.
* *   *
The members of the Club will express
their preference for the candidates to fill
these offices at the May Club night, May
2nd to 6th inclusive. As the members
enter, they will be given a ballot; these
ballots to bc filled out during the evening
and deposited with the judge of elections
or his tellers, as they will designate.
* *   *
The Report of the Cast Committee at
the annual meeting is quoted in part:
"Your Committee reports the production of seven plays as outlined in the
following schedule:
Nov., J. Dolman, Jr., "Erstwhile Susan"
Dec, Barnstormers, "Cock Robin"
Jan.,     Chas.     D.     Mitchell,     "Intimate
Strangers"
(Continued on Page Nine)
PLAY FOR BENEFIT
OF HEALTH CENTRE
JUNIORS PRESENT
WASHINGTON PROGRAM
Some of the alumni of  the  College
arc presenting a play "The Enchanted
April" by Kane Campbell, in  Clothier
Memorial   on   Friday   evening,   April
22. The play is being given under the
auspices of the Little Theatre Club of
the college and a part of the proceeds
are  to go to  the  emergency  fund  of
the  Community Health Center.
 ♦»»	
Attend Anniversary
Among those from Swarthinore attending the dinner commemorating the
200th anniversary of the birth of David
Rittenhouse last. Friday evening at thft
Historical Society were Dr. and Mrs.
Lewis Fussell, Dr. and Mrs. George
A. Hoadley, Mr. and Mrs. William
Matos. Mr. and Mrs. M. Kovalenko.
Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Johnson, Mr. and
Mrs. J. H. Pitman, Mr. Arthur Bassett,
Mr. Frank Morey, and Mr. W. E. S.
Temple. Mr. J. H. Pitman was chairman of the general committee and Mr.
S. W. Johnson was chairman of the
dinner  committee.
Candidates Pledge Opposition
To Increase In State Taxes
A thorough revision of appropriations
for all departments to balance the state
budget without a tax increase is one of
the pledges upon which Delaware
County's four incumbents for the Legislature seek the support of the Republican voters at the Primary election April
26. These incumbents, all of whom are
receiving the support of the Regular Republican Organization, are EH wood J.
Turner, Grover C. Talbot, and Thomas
Weidemann, for the County District, and
Edward Nothnagle for the City of Chester.
"There is every reason to believe that
the state will face thc same financial
difficulties in making up next year's budget as boroughs, townships, and cities,
are facing now," declared Mr. Talbot
when interviewed yesterday. "Delaware
County's four members of the House
are agreed that if returned to their present posts at Harrisburg, they will oppose
the levieing of additional taxes in any
form whatsoever."
Campaign speeches of the four candidates during the past week have tended
to emphasize the variety and quantity of
state legislation which the present incumbents have influenced. In the discussion and settlement of practically every
important problem before thc House
during the past six years, at least one of
Delaware County's Representatives has
played a vital "role
It is doubtful .if there is a single member of the Legislature who has submitted as many bills and secured the passage
of as large a percentage as has Ellwood
Turner during his four terms as a member qi the House from Delaware County
at large.
Mr. Turner first won recognition because of his interest in aeronautics which
in 1925 and 26 was looked upon largely
as a Federal problem. In i927 he introduced and secured the passage of the
first aviation legislation in Pennsylvania,
providing for the regulation of this relatively new industry.
Since  Mr.  Turner's  early   activity  in
aiding the development of aeronautics he
j "An Evening at Mt. Vernon" a Bjt.
Centennial sketch written and coached
(by Mrs. Peter E. Told, one. of the
1 talented members of the Junior section
of the Woman's CVhbV was produced
by members of the club last Tuesday
evening, April 12th, before an enthusiastic awUence of club members and
their p/CTests.
A/clever portrayal of thc home-life
of General Washington at Mount Vernon' after his retirement from active
life, this fitting tribute to the famous
leader reached an effective climax as,
with candles softly flickering, a band
of .-colored slayc§, grouped., around their
master hummed the strains of an old
song, while from behind scenes a final
toast to Washington was read by Mrs.
Told.
The characters of General and Lady
Washington were very ably enacted by
Miss Jean Doctor and Mrs. Harlan
Jessup, Jr., while the other members
of the cast were:
Miss Pauline Wagner, Miss Doris
Narbeth, Miss Martha Keighton, Miss
Catherine Hershey, Miss Mildred Bond,
Mrs. James Bogardus, Mrs. H. Weston
Clarke,  Miss Katherine  Simpers.
Miss Cornelia Van Alen, Mrs. Richard Ammerman, Mrs. Walter Luff,
Mrs. Robert Sharpies, Mrs. S. Cope-
land Palmer, Jr., Miss Eleanor Kennedy, Miss Barbara Turner and Miss
Catherine Thompson
ONE MILL CUT
IN SCHOOL TAX
Salary   Increases  Waivetl;   Few
Improvements for
1932-33 Planned
IS   THIRD   YEAR   FOR   CUT
Board Praises
School Secretary
Miss Sadie Chadwick, secretary to Frank Morey, superintendent of schools, was highly
praised for her efficiency and
thoroughness at thc meeting of
the board Tuesday night. Thc
remarks were made when board
members commented on the
losses suffered by other school
districts   during   the   depression.
"Miss Chadwick has deposited
school funds every day in order
to minimize losses on checks.
Due to her care in this connection and in hundreds of other
small items she has saved.'the*
school district thousands--o'f dollars," said R. C. piSque, treasurer of the board.'''
"School districts that are in
dangerous financial circumstances „n6w would not need to raise
-taxes or cut their appropriations
to the limit if they had a Miss
Chadwick in the office," he added.
■»♦•-
FUNDS PROVIDED FOR
SOME STREET WORK
The highway department of borough
council will not be entirely without funds
for street and resurfacing and repairing
this year according to the statement of
Leonard C. Ashton, president of council.
As a matter of fact, the budget for the
Highway Department, which was finally
settled on at $8072.80, contained an item
of $2607 for resurfacing and repairing.
In addition to this, there will bc a balance
available from the Underpass Fund for
the same purpose amounting to $2400,
and finally, there is a sum of $1100 which
has not been allocated to any specific
purpose which can be used for street
work if necessary. We therefore have a
total available for highway improvement
work of more than $6,000.
WOMEN TO SEE
CHERRY BLOSSOMS
Ellwood J. Turner, member of the Legislature from Delaware County, who is
a candidate to succeed himself.
has been associated with so many projects that his first and still one of his
greatest interests is overlooked by many
of his friends.' However, in aviation
circles of the entire country he is known
(Continued on Page  Ten)
Sixty-five Swarthmore women will
leave Chester at 8:53 a. m. next Thursday on the Pennsylvania Railroad, together with several hundred women from
other women's clubs, on the annual pilgrimage to see the Japanese cherry blossoms in Washington !• There will be one
coach reserved for Swarthmore and Mrs.
Arthur R. O. Redgrave of Vassar avenue, who is in charge of arrangements
for the local club is desirous that the
Swarthmore club keep together.
Word has been received that. President
and Mrs. Hoover will be out on the
balcony of the White House to greet the
women.
The special train will leave Washington at 6:30 p. m. one hour later than
the time specified on the ticket and will
arrive in Chester about 9;15 p. m.
Swarthmore's school board on Tuesday night set the tax rate at 25 mills, a
reduction of one mill over the current
rate, and a total reduction of 2x/2 mills
in three years. The economies necessary
to balance the budget at this tax rate
were made possible by waiving the provisions of the salary schedule affecting
salary increments representing a saving
of $3600; by eliminating one position on
the teaching staff in the elementary
grades, by postponing desired^repairs,
replacements, and additions to the school
equipment; and by postponing scheduled
expansions of instructional offerings,
such as offering secretarial subjects, for
which there is insistant demand.
In announcing the new rate, Dr. Arthur Bassett president of the Board said:
"We are particularly proud to be able to
make this reduction in the face of continued building and provision of new
equipment needed for an enlarging enrollment. This will restore the former
rate in effect before the new financing of
the building program, and does, in realty
provide sufficient reduction in other services to complete financing on the 1927
tax rate."
The items  in the budget are as  follows :
General  Control $6,019.00 or   4%
Instruction 105,635.00 or 75%
Auxiliary Agencies 5,350.00 or   4%
Operation 17,000.00 or 12%
Maintenance 1,800.00 or    1%
Fixed charges 5,470.00 or   4%
Total Current Expense—
141,374.00
Debt Service 45,986.92
Capital Outlay 1,800.00
Grand Total $189,060.92
Under Debt Service is an item of $15,-
000 which involves double financing.
That is, it is paid out at the beginning
of the year to be reborrowed later. Subtracting this from the grand total indicates a net budget of $174,000 or less
than five years ago in 1928-29.
The income for 1932-33 is estimated as
follows:
Bond   sales   and   temporary
loans     $15,000.00
Taxes      131.03Z15
Tuition         19,000.00
State  Appropriation       22,828.77
Other  sources          1,200.00
Total     $189,060.92
Income from tuition pupils this year
is estimated at $2600 less than last year.
This is because a large number of the
graduating class are tuition pupils and
Springfield township in building up its
own high school will cease, sending high
school pupils here.
Before the discussion of the budget
was begun, a letter was read from
Claude C. Smith, solicitor, who offered to
take a twenty per cent reduction in his
fee which at present is $500. Mr.
Smith's re-election for the coming year
comes up the first of July and his proposal will be discussed at that time. For
the present the item was kept in the
budget for the same amount as last year.
(Continued on Page Ten)
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