Imperial Valley press., 1932-09-23

The Press presents herewith, a
local residents idea on operation
of automobiles within the city, in
dicating that there is need for care
on the part of school students as
well as the adult population IN
the operation of automobiles.
Editor, The Imperial Valley Press,
Ell Centre. Calf.
Dear Sir;
1 have just finished reading to-
nights editorial, BE Careful" 1t
is good and timely. But 1 just
wondered, have you ever tried to
walk across the streets In the vi
cinity of the junior college and
high school a few moments before
school convenes in the morning
or at noon, or a few moments af-
ter the afternoon closing period. 1
mean any place along Olive, Brigh-
ton or Seventh, Eighth, to Thir-
teenth.
Today we are living in an age
different than the past days OF
the "hoss and buggy" the bicycle,
the many-miles walk to school.
the old time little old red school
house"-when an education WAS
something to be had and something
to strive for and which many times
meant sacrifice and privations on
the part of the entire family.
Today many of the younger boys
and girls that are enrolled In the
various high schools and Junior
colleges of Imperial Valley, and
the country over for that matter,
between the ages of 13 and %, are
familiar with an automobile and
the driving of it. Many are en-
trusted with the family car for
transportation to and from school.
Many, where conditions permit,
have their own cars. Some of them
have licenses and permits to drive,
and some have not. That is mat
ter for the police officers to in
vestigate.
fuDuc Carefm
The motoring public of Imperial
Valley as a whole are very careful
drivers and most considerate of
the pedestrian public. This I have
learned from being among them
for the past 10 years or more, off
and on. They are used to beng
down here in the land of wide open
spaces where they haven't had to
fight day after day the terrific
strain of traffic as they would in
the cities. The motoring public of
this valley is as kind, as courteous,
as careful and considerate as any
that drive on the streets and high
ways any place. They are respon-
sible being or the most part par
ents of these sameh ign school and
junior college students who SO
carelessly and recklessly drive the
various automobiles, stripped down
cars, Jallopies, or whatever name
they may be called. Now that
school has opened, these students
drive carelessly, negligently and at
terrific speeds over the entire
streets neighboring the schools
mentioned above; it is nothing un-
usual to see cars darting to and
from the schools at rates of from
20 to 10 miles per hour, sometimes
in single lane, sometimes abreast
sometimes passing another car, and
often only racing with other cars;
they may be in hurry, or they
may be in fun( but they have alb
solutely no regard for the pedes-
trian that may be crossing the
street. a.-
1t might improve the situation If
traffic officers could give weekly
be careful" instructions in the
schools of the valley, with the idea
of instilling in the minds of these
youngsters that it is UP to them to
be carefuland to beware of the
poor pedestrian who has to use the
crossings in the paths of the stu
dents cars. Some day these young
drivers may get in too big hurry
and rush to their sorrow. Every day
the papers the country over are
filled with gaping headlines such
as:
Young Junior College Student
Held ON Charge of Manslaugh-
ter-After Hit and Run Drive"
"One Killed and Two Occupants