The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-12-03
TRANSPORT Prairie Arr1ves in
Port; Marines Debark Today
Cooperative Spirit Is Greatly
Strengthened At Representative
Gathering of City Civic Bodies

That cooperative spirit which has
come to be representative Of every
civic movement in Pensacola, was
strengthened and given emphasis last
evening, when there gathered in the
San Carlos auditorium such an as
semblage of representative men and
women as are seldom brought together
in the city.
That the women predominated,
proved their interest in all matters CO.
relative to the subject of public schools
and was in accordance with the atti-
tude they have taken on all civic ques-
tions which tend toward development
along educational lines. But the num-
Der of representative men who were
present the intense interest that was
manifested in the movement for better
Schols, and the attention given the
speakers of the evening, proved most
conclusively that Pensacola is facing
a new educational era.
A number Of delightful musical num-
bers frightened the program, and short
addresses were made by DR.. Louis
Dem. Blocker, for the Civic League,
Frank L. Mayes of The Journal Prof.
=: +. Lane OF the high school. DR.; ;. +
Mallory Kennedy Of the medical board,
Mr.. w. p. Cunningham, representing
the school commission, and others.
The only woman speaker of the
evening was Miss Mabel Biggart, of
London and New FORK, who is a guest
at the San Carlos, having arrived in
the city q few days ago from Mobile,
where she attended the Southern Com
mercial Congress, and spent some time
in gathering data for a forthcoming
book, in which she also expects to in
corporate several chapters on Pensa-
cola.
DR.. L. dem. BLOCKER.
DR.. Blocker, in behalf of the Civic
League, made an interesting talk in
which he brought out the following
facts:
The Civic League helped to secure a
city plan; it assisted the Fairgrounds
association in securing equipment, to
the amount of 1915; to the city plan
it contributed So.
1t assisted in securing the Garden
street parkway. It was instrumental
in federating the city clubs, to help put
the Juvenile court through the legis-
iature. 1t Joined the State Federation
of Women'S Clubs, in order to increase
the efforts and value of the organiza-
ton. 1t has assisted Bayview park,
financially and otherwise. 1t has as
sisted the Commercial Association in
its investigation into the condition Of
the city schools 1t has helped to
stimulate public sentiment in favor of
medical inspection in public schools
not already so organized.
In educational lines the Civic league
has advocated trained teachers, better
salaries, longer school terms, fewer
pupils to the teacher, more condensed
methods in grammar school work
hence fewer years spent in grammar
schools.
Following DR.. Blocker's presentation
of the work OF the Civic League and
the efforts they made in behalf of civic
Improvement, Mrs. Laura de Russy
Berry gave two vocal selections, which
added much to the pleasure of the
evening. Mrs. Berry's rich and culti- /
waited voice was heard in an English |
ballad and a French song.
Mr.. MAYEs SPEAKS.
Mr.. J. Fl. Sheriff., who acted as
master of ceremonies, then introduced |
Mr.. Frank L. Mayes. Mr. Mayes spoke |
on the special tax school district" and |
explained how it could be, established |
and what it would accomplish. The
object of the special tax district he |
said, was to secure school revenues
something that were necessary if the |
schools were to catch up and keep pace
with twentieth century progress. \ |
petition signed by % per cent of the |
tax paying qualified voters of the city !
Is necessary for the calling of an cleo |
ton, and the election will determine |
established and how much the tax levy
shall be. The limit is three mills and |
the money derived from same must be |
spent within the district. He showed |
that almost every other county in the /
state had voted special tax districts /
and that in some counties those dis |
tricts covered the whole county and |
most of them imposed the three mill |
levy. A levy of one-half mill in Pen
sacola would produce $4,000 and a |