Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 19 March 1950 — Page 21

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. SEARO ERR Shi v

rR iT

| Editorials-Politics

~The Indianapolis ‘Times

Politics Ry Featur es emer sva tine 24

Radio |

Hizzoner The Mayor Speaks:

NONE OTHER than Hizzoner, Al Feeney, lost no time in join-

ing Ed's crusade. Hardly had the column appeared than the Mayor dashed" off this: “My personal thanks to you for the splendid story about ‘our town,” which appeared in the Indianapolis Times, Mar, 8, “I have maintained for many years that too many people in this city take a sadistic delight” in making i much of our faults and lit-

out, this city’s good points far outnumber the bad ones.

“The teamwork : which you suggest is extremely important if this city is to capitalize on its wonderful potentialities, .and I know that a few more splendid articles such as the one yo -Whpte for. Inside. Indi 1s. ~ will aid materially in develop: ing civic pride in our Hooster Capital.”

‘Orchids to You’ FROM THE office of the Butler Alumni Association comes this. letter from Alumni Secretary George A. Schumacher: “A dozen orchids to you for your article and intent to make people proud of Indianapolis. Not too long ago Anton Scherrer and I were talking about the lack of “-givie pride im Indianapolis. “Perhaps so many people have migrated to Indianapolis during the past decade that ‘we need to educate newcomers and: the current young ' generation - to- -everything we have here.. “Just look at our fine schools; fine churches, a splendid Civic Theater; many and diversified "industries of which I believe Eli Lilly & Co. is the ‘largest in its field in the world. I am sure that many of us who even know of the many things here,

George Schumacher

‘Fan the Flame’

MANAGER JOSEPH J. CRIPE of the Indianagiolis Convention and Visitors Bureau told Ed: “I think your. article that oa ppeared dns last night’s Times was the best story of that type that has ever been in...the local press.” Joe continued: “On behalf of the officers and members of

Joe Cripe

to commend. you for the way in which you handled this story and to offer to you the fullest co-operation of this organiza- + tion in your future program to “% fan the flame of civic pride

Nn our local citizenry. »

“Boost Indianapolis” Indianapolis last week when Ed Sovola, conductor of The Indianapolis Times’ column, “Inside Indianapolis, ” told ‘people to quit knocking Our Fair City.

your article so aptly pointed

SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 1950

was he 0 cry / that resgrnded all over

Ed's mail response was terrific and his readers jumped. on the bandwagon with all the fervor of a mid-summer Indianap-

‘Assess Moaners $10’

WRITES PAUL G. PITZ, 3690 W. 30th St.: - “In-my travels over this good ol’ U.S.A. I've seen a lot of towns which would make a better show in the balloting for title of hick town than would Indianapolis. I came to Indianapolis about 30 years ago from Pittsburgh. If your pal wants to see dirt send him over there. I'll buy one side of the round-tripper. Indianapolis still has to go some to match the black pall which hangs over #Pittsburgh, their recent smoke-abatement program notwithstanding. " “Secondly, they think it is funny. “Thirdly, it has become fashionable for people to depreciate their home town--except in Texas where such offenses are punishable by death and usually upheld jin the courts.

a 88 of ‘es = : «THE. PEOPLE who say Indianapolis is a hick town

are the people who when they go to NewYork, Chicago or some metropolitan city larger than Indianapolis are the very people who say: Such and Such 4 is a nice ® place, | -but-I-wonldn’t-want- to live there: - "We could ise a good sized ¢ivic — “and"a - museum but culturally -we are not dead by any means and we do have many more advantages in that respect than other cities. Indianapolis’ proximity toPurdue and Indiana Universities enhances many cultural opportunities. Our symphony orchestra is going into its 14th year and gaining Strength and reputation.

SeWEVEGOT one of thefinest Core STest Civie The:

aters in the U. S. It puts out top-notch entertainment on shoe-string budgets with amateur and semi-professional performers. I've taken several out-of-towners to performances and they marveled at the physical plant and the level of entertainment. “If all the groaners and moaners who complain about our ‘town were each assessed $10, we would have a nice down payment to make on a Civic Auditorium.

‘Proud of Many Things’ MRS. C. H. PRITCHARD, 1925 Winfield Ave., lost no time in sitting down and knocking out a two-page typewritten letter to Mr. Inside. Excerpts are:

“Your campaign to emphasize the good points of our city is lad to contribute some

~z=Jacksonville;

"in New York.

. perhare take them for grant- _

the Convention Bureau, I want -

‘small-ideas on the subject. In hick-town’ designation is so obsolete it isn’t funny, and is only used, as you suggested, by jealous’ or maladjusted people. I've lived here a long time, and I'm still proud of many things about Indianapolis; we won't

mention here some few things

I'm not proud of...

“Many out of town people are surprised at the nice width of our downtown streets; par: ticularly: Washington and parts “of Meridian... T've heard people here critivize ‘our slow traffic movement, and, while it may leave much to be desired, I still think it's no worse than other cities,”

Some people here express the

.- wish that our traffic moved as

fast as Chicago's, which leads me to belteve they have only been on Michigan Ave. and the Outer Drive, as a Chicagoan I know says those are the only two streets in Chicago with fast moving traffic; of course, they are the streets people from out

of town drive on most fre--quently, hence the. impression of.

speed.

5 2 » . ONE THING we can definitely be proud ‘of is our stores; I have heard this from so many

~gout-of-town-and-out-of-state

people it must be true. A salesgirl in a St. Louis department " store, upon hearing I was from Indianapolis, said, “Oh, that’s

stores,” and then confessed she often came here to shop, as she was the possessor of a railroad pass. “Don’t forget our good fiveand tens, either; nor our interesting = specialty shops, like

a splendid one, I think, and I would be

where they have all the nice -

the first place, that ‘overgrown

Chas. Mayer's. And a New York salesman once told me that we had some store ‘windows. and displays which ‘would compare favorably with those on Fifth Ave. “A man from our Dayton office, here for the first time, said he was surprised at how much more metropolitan our city looked than his own; what did somebody say about ‘hick town?” » o ” Another thing we can be proud of is our big State Fair and its grounds, It is supposed to. have better buildings.- and equipment than almost any other, is located on 237 acres within the city limits, and is valued at arourtd $12 million. (Got these statistics specially from the State Fair Board.) . » = ” WE HAVE miles and miles of good residential sections, which re . still within easy driving

- distance from downtown. We

“4180 have some nice ‘midtown shopping- centers, and I believe all of our neighborhood movies are air-conditioned (you would

be surprised at how many “are.

not in other towns, St. Louis

for-one): “On the more intangible side, many people (but not all, alas) remark on the friendliness to be found here, and the easy informality of most gatherings. If you want to join clubs, sororities, lodges, bowling teams, etc, the number to choose from must be astronomical. Also, you might check on the number of churches and members in town."

. Arlington Ave.,

: ol tent Tel Toeing Tt was no der i Hodes e are notorious boosters for their old home-town and Hoosierland in They'll fight at the drop of a hat for the honor of old «

general, Indiana.

- Here are some of the letters that hit Mr. Sovola’s desk. You ‘too probably have some ideas. Send them to Mr. Sovola.

‘it's Great Work You Are Doing’

“GREAT WORK,” salutes Ed Hunter, 2209 N. Meridian St., in his letter to Ed. Writes one Ed to another Ed: : “It's great work you're doing for Indianapolis. “I, too, came stranger (from Pennsylvania ) in 1913." Prior to that I had

sively from coast to coast, and had sailed the seven seas.

Ed Hunter in the Merchant Marine.

“I finally decided to settle down. I had two cities in mind

apolis. Indianapolis was my

final _choice.-and-1 have- never

once Yegratiod it.

home to accept the position of

secretary of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, where I remained seven years. “T am now employed at City Hall “I hope this doesn’t bore you, but I wanted you to know that I had a background sufficiently good to make a fairly good comparison of cities.”

Jimmy Ruffin, 1723 Rembrandt St., is plenty burned up about the knockers. Writes Mr. Ruffin: “I am 20 years old and take a real interest in our city. It burns me up to hear someone run down-Indianapolis. I go to work at 2 a. m. on Thursdays and Fridays and generally stop

‘at “Wheeler's for a bie to eat

"before going. There are more guys who come in there and do nothing but raise hell about Indianapolis. I feel like hiring a taxi and taking them out of town. “I have been in Cincinnati, Chicago, Dayton, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington, Louisville and Toledo

and I am still proud of and”

glad to live in Indianapolis. Ask any soldier or sailor what they think of our people. They will tell you that the town is really swell.”

‘Let Gripers Move’ RUTH TELLMAN, 1203 N: added her pro‘test in the deluge of mail that fell on Mr. Inside’'s desk: “In this evening's column you praise Indianapolis. And so we all should. I have: lived here all my life and think this. town is wonderful. If

ple who gripe are people who come from other places, even across from-—Europe;

Tellman

Ruth

to talk to hear themselves. “You know, if you don’t like something you can move away or stop doing the thing you don’t’ like. If people don't like Indianapolis, our wonderful town, let them go back where they came. from. Yet they stay and get the benefits from Indianapolis and earn their living here. .

—here as a

traveled exten- .

Fla: «or-Indian«—-

Vi : : : _ Radio resem 28

¢ ® ® w Dynamic, Living “YOU ASKED for it—it's my pleasure to comply,” cheerfully writes Ivan Pogue, 4662 Wentworth Blvd. He continues: “I have traveled from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to the Windy City of Chicago, but you have to live somewhere else to appreciate Indianapolis. “Two and a half years ago I decided to move to another city, Muncie, but in the past few weeks I have returned to Indianapolis at considerable personal expense and I believe Indianapolis to be the most wonderful city in the world. “A city is like morale; it is the sum total of everything in it, and most of these things are little items, little people, taken for granted. :

. “FOR INSTANCE, a person of the type who would say Indianapolis is an overgrown hick town might drive out English Ave. and pass Public School 82 at 4800 English Ave. He might think it would be just an ordinary, taken-for-granted school, but setually there is no other ‘school like it-in-alt-the world. A - “First, it reflects the: POSONEILY. of Principal oe _ and there is only one Mrs. Goss. It reflects the leadership of the school board; it reflects the leadership of teachers . like Mrs. Reynolds, Mrs. Purves, Miss Callon and Mrs. Huston to mention only a few. It reflects the personal"ities and achievements of its pupils, the thinking and efforts of the PTA, the efforts of the men who built it, the architec 2nd even the brick mason.

= “SO INDIANAPOLIS i isa dynaitic, a total of all the thinking of all its people, of all the dreams of all the people, like George J. Marott’s dream of a hotel and Ed Sovola’s dream of a greater city. “It is the sum total of the skill and efforts of the working population. “Lots of luck in your 100 per cent effort to make 20 per cent citizens into 100 per cent citizens.”

‘Solid Suggestions’ MRS. GUY O. BYRD, 6018 Haverford Ave. became so enthusiastic after reading-Mr. Inside that she sent in 35 solid

suggestions for civic pride projects. Some of them are: Drive for smoke educational program.

you have no-._.. ““ticed, the peo-

who just want

Concentrated drive for. beautifying Monument. Circle and {

Monument area. Long-range cleanup of milesquare, ‘ Building owners, proprietors of stores to voluntarily initiate twice daily cleanup of own areas. File nuisance complaints against drive-ins if they don't co-operate.in cleaning up debris.

” ~ u SOLVE SMOG, traffic congestion. Improve service at Union Station.

Build up local pride in 500Mile Race, decorate Monument on race day like at Christmastime. Repair Coliseum. roof. Adopt slogan—* ‘Indianapolis, Cleanest City in America.” Regulate maintenance. of

parking lots, require hard sur-.

face to control dust. Hats off to improved garbage and trash collection. Work on the pigeons.

‘City of Culture’ HATS OFF to Mrs. Miner, 3705 E. who writes: “May 1 make the suggestion that in many cases, the individuals who stigmatize our city (hicktown) are strictly local products, many of whom cannot boast of a trip outside the state, “I like Indianapolis because a hard-earned dollar goes farther here. It is my sincere belief that a person can live

decently here, as cheaply as’

they can live in any other city of comparable size in the U. S. “Let us boost our city of culture, never degrade or belittle it. Keep up the good work.”

ridian #t., relates with great

. suggesting

Xs Bi Fletcher Ave, -

‘My Home, I Like It’

SAUL C. KOBY, 5770 N. Me-

gusto to Mr. Inside how he told off a knocker a couple of years ago. Mr. Koby wrote: “As 1 read __ your article boosting Indianapolis, an incident came to my mind. Living in an. apartment sev- ' eral years ago, we had a neighbor directly across the hall who was a frequent visitor to our apartment, This individual was always knocking Indianapolis and bragging about her home town, -Chicago. I finally had enough of it and told her off, that there were several trains leaving for Chicago and if she didn’t like the town-—why stay? Her reply was.

Saul Koby

“that her hasband” “couldnt Ra A ts i ‘as good ‘a job there, Rather

ungrateful, don't you think? I have lived here the greater part of my life, have traveled extensively and have been places, -yet-1-am-always—-glad to get back. This is my home and I like It.”

Praise for the fire department is voiced by Lena Grassmeyer,. 1011 Taber St. She says: “Do you know that Indianapolis has the cheapest fire and tornado insurance of any city in the U. S.? We have had for the past 20 years.” ° :

From A 'Fellow Naptown Booster": Our Slogan Could

TERMING himself a “fellow. Naptown . Booster, 8 M. F. Moran II takes his pen in hand to say: “I just finished reading your column announcing your ‘campaign, to.give my town a boost, and I want to be one ‘of the first to say, ‘I'm all for you." Indianapolis is my town, too, and I've always resented the overgrown hicktown moniker. What really hurts is the fact that so many native sons use this misnomer. “I suppose it is partly due to the common fault which

people who had no apparent reason (and certainly no

~~ justification) SRE HSH THe WED:t0) Join Iu the agmall

pastime of criticizing. :

“I am a student at Butler, 23d this sors of pamc-call. ing affects me in much the same way that the * ‘overgrown

prompts people to run down the local this, that, or the 1% other just on general principles. For example, 1 have |. heard Butler University called a ‘glorified high school” by

“A CALL for blind loyalty is scarcely the remedy for such abuse. I think an educational campaign is indicated. A few years back the national slogan was, ‘See America First’; ours could be, ‘See Indianapolis First.’ “Most people here are familiar with the big things that you mentioned, such as the ball teams, the Speedway, and the Symphony; and just a listing of them impresses - one with the vast score of ‘big’ activities here. “To know the smaller, though certainly not insignificant things—organizations, projects and services— constantly adding to all that makes Indianapolis more than an overgrown hick town would be an interesting long-time study.

® =» s - i “AFTER the commendable activities and Stow. trends prevalent in Indianapolis have become matters of common knowledge, the shortcomings will be more ob-

Wows Su gvs—5o; vue. duige ve SRV Smytitng-

Be 'See Indianapolis First"

" however, they. need not be targets for pointless criticism, but rather focal points for concerted group efforts to do something constructive. So we don't have a municipal auditorium, or a zoo; so serious slum conditions exist— any numbef of things can be found wrong or lacking. These shortcomings can be challenges to our willingness and ability. © “1 feel certain that a real, though possibly dormant pride and fondness for Indianapolis lurks somewhere in ‘all of us. The fellow who penned. the immortal lines®

“Breathes there man with- soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, ‘This 1s is my own, my native land’ ?” knew whereof he spoke. WE are very fortunate to have a city that anyone, be he native or adopted son, could be proud of 2a a sity iu, ta owa sight and Het Just #8 OVeS. HOVE Nek own ar ! bo