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WINNETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1920 Objects to Using Electric Surplus Fund for Building New illage all In, a letter to the President and Boa) of Trustees Richard H. C. Miller has made a strong protest against the proposed plan to use the surplus in the electric light fund to build a new Village Hall. The main point that Mr. Miller makes is that the unimproved property in the Vil- lage, which should rightfully bear a share of the expense, would not be taxed at all. Tt is also requested that a flat rate of four cents a kilowatt hour be made to electricity users of the Village for the next ten years. At the request of Mr. Miller the let- ter is published herewith : President and Board of Trustees, Village of Winnetka. Gentlemen :-- I have just received the Annual Re- port of the Village of Winnetka for ciation reserves, and of moneys im- properly appropriated during the past five years, that the current could safely be supplied for the next ten years at an average price of 4 cents per kilowatt hour. It is further noteworthy that in appropriating the so-called six per cent "dividend", this has been figured on a sum of $173,000, while the book value of the property is only $131,- 000. In other words there has act- ually been appropriated 8 per cent on the value of the property as shown by the books. Furthermore one is curious to know why the electric ac- counts show no interest as being re- 'ceived on surplus and depreciation reserves stated to be over $116,000. I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, with great respect, Yours very truly, Richard H. C. Miller. year ending March 31, 1919. Tt is the most comprehensive and satisfactory one that has ever been submitted. There is revealed in this report a startling condition of affairs in re- gard to the electric properties. As I understand not a dollar of Village money was ever invested in 'this plant. It has been built up wholly from revenues, excepting a few thousand dollars special assess- ment surpluses which remained after paying for certain improvements, and which legally should have been re- funded. The property as it stands belongs equitably to the unincerpor- ated body of electricity consumers, and for this body the Village Trustees are ex officio and de facto trustees. It would seem clear that the trustees' 'duty is, and their aim should be, to administer this property in the in- terest of the consumers alone, and to give efficient sérvice at the lowest practicable rates. Our Trustees are now, and have been for several years, grossly violating this trust. In the present report it is comical to observe the naivete with which we are told that the Village general fund has been permitted to sponge upon the electric current users with impunity so long and so extensively, that it is now become an institution, and it is aparently regarded as a matter of right. : It is evident that for a number of years large sums of money, aggregat- ing probably $100,000, have been im- properly appropriated under the guise of dividends and otherwise. In the report before me it is stated that this policy will be continued, and that the Trustees propose to build expensive public improvements, (in io way connected with electrical use or development), at the cost of con- sumers of electricity. They propose to exempt six-sevenths of the prop- erty of Winnetka from its just share | of the burden of taxation. The | amount of the gift proposed, and which electricity consumers are ex- pected to donate, is approximately $300,000 in the next five years, in- cluding the so-called dividends on moneys never invested. Let me illustrate. We are told that a new Village Hall is to be built by electricity consumers. Assume it, costs $100,000. We are told in re- port, page 76, that Winnetka has 40.2 miles of street, 1341 dwellings, or an, average of 29.5 dwellings to the mile. It is evident then that six sevenths of, the property is not built on, and does not use D however, is taxable for a \ illage | Hall. Six sevenths of the burden of 100,000 is $87,514, and one seventh i 314,286. The proportion of the cost hen justly falling on citizens using urrent is $14286. It is expected, 1owever, that they will not object | o paying the additional $85,714, thus elieving the wealthy owners of large oldings and land speculators holding xtensive tracts from having to) houlder their share of the cost of | ur new Village Hall. It is clear from the report urrent for domestic purposes could | e furnished for about 6 cents per ilowatt hour in place of the present | 0 cents. It is further clear that in iew of the large surplus and depre- that | McDowell School 2° SStateSt Oldest in City. Established 1876 Dress Cutting and Designing Quickly Taught for Business and Home Uses EASY TERMS : N. J. FELLOWS REGISTERED OPTICIAN Eyes Tested. Frames Fitted Lenses Duplicated Frames Repaired Room 3 Prouty Bldg. Phone Winnetka 85 P. S. IT do not wish to be under- stood as reflecting in any way on the personal integrity of any member of the Council, for all of whom I have the highest respect. The policy adopted, however, is indefensible in principle, unlawful, and unjust to electricity users. Winnetka School Problems 1 o-- -- The following questions are answered by Superintendent C. W. Washburne this week : Q.--A propos of the individu tem: Should I be surprised son comes home with a p he has been promoted downward in one or more subjects? In other words, is this system responsive to the pupil's aptitude at all times? A.--As far as possible we shall not risk discouraging pupils by promot- ing them downward, even if indi- vidual tests show them to be below the standard of their praesent grades. Any parent who requests it will he told frankly in a personal interview of the exact standing of his child, but downward promotions are rather dangerous. A pupils who is behind in the work promoted as soon as a pupil who is al sys- if my aper saying up to standard. In this way the Sys- iw tem is responsive to the tude at all tims, pupils apti- O.--Is there danger in the vidual system for a child to advance too rapidly in one or two subjects,' and be backward in others? A.--Not if properly administered. A punil decidedly ahead in some one shiect will use the time enerally allotted to that subject for work on those subjects in which he is behind. Such an evening-up process is a re- fol 5 ! lative simple matter. and is taking place right now in the case oi those pupils who have finished their speil- ine work for the year, and those who are more than a year ahead in their reading, Q--How should a pupil who is he- hind in a grade catch up? Has the teacher time to help him, or should the child be helped by the parents at home? A --When the individual system is electricity. All property, fully established there will be no need for pupils "to catch up". Each pupil will 'go forward at his own natural rate of progress. Under the present organization, however, teachers help those children who are behind, and In some cases are glad to have the co-operation of the parents in this work. Any parent whose children are behind in their school work should have a personal conference with the teacher, and find in what way the children can be best helped. Q~I understand that teachers' ad- vancement and increase in salary de- pends upon the improvement of pupils in their tests. This being so, will not the teacher be under such stress and strain to bring the children up to the desired marks that she will spend all her time on drill work, and leave out of her teaching the higher things of life: creative ability, imag- ination, character, etc.? Don't you think there is danger in placing our children's education at the mercy of dollars and cents? A.--A teacher's advancement does not depend solely upon the improve- ment of her pupils. This is one factor which is taken into consideration. But the spirit of her class room, her dis- cipline, and her own professional improvement play an equally, if not more, important part in determining salary increases. Claims Skokie Has Peculiar Attraction Hugo von Hofsten, Famous Winnet- ka Artist, Prefers Open Fields for Subjects President Hugo von Hofsten of the society "The Painters of the Forest Preserve of Cook County" has often been asked why he liked to paint the Skokie. In fact, Mr. von Hofsten's painting excursions in Michigan re- sulted in sketches of marshlands and pools kindred to the lowlands west of Winnetka and Glencoe and beloy- ed by north shore residents. Mr. von Hofsten said, when talking it over : "When I first saw the open stretch- es of the Skokie I felt there was something peculiarly attractive and familiar about it. One reason for this is, perhaps, due to my early art school work in Sweden. As a pupil of Prof. Hugo Palm of the Royal academy I spent two years studying and painting in the national gallery at Stockholm, which contains an un- usually good collection of the old Dutch landscape painters such as Ruisdale, Hobbema, Cuyp, Roos and | others. Tt is possible that I absorbed the vision of these good men and "their liking for seeing things. At any rate it was good schooling, and since then I have preferred the open fields and similar subjects. This is my defense for painting "The Sko- of his grade will not be | kie." y ofsten's' gran Mr. von Hofsten' grandfather as commissioned by King Oscar to travel and buy the paintings of the ford masters in Holland. indi-q_ | Specials Saturday and Monday Berkshire Whole Hams, 1b. 33¢c Native Rib Roast Beef EE 32¢ and 35c Hamburger Steak, lb. ...... 25¢ Plate Corn Beef, Ib. ........ 18¢c Pot Roast, Wh... 0000 22¢ Veal Stew, Ib, ...... 00... 25¢ 'Winnetka Commission Market | | | | Company 566 Railroad Ave., Winnetka Filling for Low Lots Winnetka property owners hav- ing low lots which they desire to bring up to grade can obtain filler free of charge by applying to W. A. GIBBON, Superintendent of Public Works Village Hall [ North Shore Electric Sho | JOHN C. WELTER, Proprietor Electrical Contracting and Repairing Electric Washing Machines. Electric Supplies Electric Vacuum Cleaners. and Appliances Electric Ironing Machines 554 Railroad Avenue Winnetka Telephone Winnetka 44 Winnetka Shoe Store Is the place where you can buy stylish shoes for little money. As prices are going up, buy now 10 Bi | to your advantage at low prices. Up-to-Date Shoe Repairing. Call on Us and Be Convinced % H. LUENSMAN, Proprietor What would you do without Newspaper Advertisements I What if there were no advertisements in any newspaper? Lost and found articles might never be restored to their owners. Juying, selling and renting houses would be greatly delayed. eer OE 6) Merchants would be compelle pend almost entirely by d to de- y upon those who passed their for their trade. stores Such a condition would set the hands of the clock of progress back two hundred years. It would limit trade. It would bring delays and annoy- ances and make purchasing risky and expensive, goes This ; , 11S to show how Important newspaper advertisements have be come in our everyday ; affairs. Read them fully and faithfully. It may mean many added advantages in your life and doll book. en ars in your pocket- OE----I0raor----iormor Subscribe for Your I ocal Paper