Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1925-10-16
Public School Course In
Public Utilities Advocated
By Gov. Sam \. Baker

Mexico, Mo.-(SpeciaD The estab-
/ lishment of a Public School course TO
teach children the value Of Public
Utilities was advocated by Governor
Sam A. Baker Of Missouri at the
annual barbecue here, Of the Missouri
Power and Light Company stock
holders.
Il believe when the ~eople Of any
community are educated to what Is
right, fair and just to the men and
women who have their money in Public
Service Utilities, and fully understand
their problems, there will be a greater
unity Of feeling between the produc-
ers and the consumer, between the in
divldual and the members of the Pub
lie Service Corporation" the COVER
nor said.
Why not have Public Utility
school; that school TO teach men and
women, boys and girls the value Of
Public Utilities ?" he continued. 81
will 20 further than that; in addition
to putting this work in the colleges
and universities, would make it a
part of the curriculum of the public
school system, so that the small boy
and the small girl would know what
the electric light plant in his com
munlty means to him; would know
what the water works system was,
and the gas company.
Public Utility. officials are merely
trustees for the public. They may
have their money invested, but do not
get one bit more of good from the
electric light plant. If you happen
to head the electric light system, you
do not get any more benefit from ii
than do, and do not own one penny
of electric light stock. You are sim
ply the trustee operating the plant for
my benefit.
1T Is an opportunity to render Il
service, which you are rendering, to
mankind"
Virtually all those present at the
barbecue were stockholders of the
Missouri Power and Light Company
which Is affiliated with Illinois Power
ana Light Corporation, Kansas Public
Service Company, Des Moines Elec-
trlc Light Company and Illinois Trac-
ton System, Incorporated. Chairman
j. L. Brown of the Missouri Public
Service Commission also gave an ad-
| dress. Others present included Presi.
dent Clement Studebaker, Col. George
Nj. Studebaker, director; Vice Presi-
dent and Treasurer p. c. Dings; Vice
President and Secretary Scott Brown;
Col. q. I. Buckingham, general coun,
sci, and c. A. Wait, assistant to the
president.
The barbecue is an annual affair
with Missouri Power and Light Com
pany Stockholders, and Governor
bakers address was especially signi-
meant as indicative of the growth OF
greater appreciation and under
standing between the Utilities, and
consumers and public officials.
We call this progress civilization"
the governor said. Civilization de
termines the character and the number
OF the wants of man, and utilities and
wants are mutually related. What
would happen if the railroad trains
would quit running for twenty-foar
hours, if the gas and electric plants
would close down, if the water works
system woul dget on the bum? What
would happen? We could not pass
the buck to grandma, as was done
one time when the telephone company
shut down two or three hours to move
its plant. Some one asked, what will
we do" A newspaper suggested;
Ask grandma what to do, because
she lived when they did not have those
things The Public Utility has its
place in every community and those
VINO are engaged in this work are
public benefactors.
Il am not a stakeholder, but | wish
| were, because | believe it means
something-not only in a pecuniary
way, but because it also furnishes an
opportunity for service"