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18 WINNETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1923 i Winnetka Weekly Talk ISSUED SATURDAY OF EACH WEEK by LLOYD HOLLISTER, INC. 1222 Central Ave, Wilmette, Ill Telephone .. ] . Winnetka 388 Telephone All communicati panied by the name and address of the writer. Articles for publication should reach the editor ; Thursday noon to insure appearance in current issue. Resolutions of condolence, cards of thanks, obituary, poetry, notices of en- tertainments or other affairs where an admittance charge will be made or a collection taken, will be charged at regular advertising rates. : Entered at the postoffice at Winnet- ka, Illinois, as mail matter of the sec- ond class, under the act of March 3, 1879. ~ SATURDAY, MA AMERICA SINGING One of the simplest and surest ways to find out what a man really is deep down in his heart is to find out what songs he likes to sing, or likes to hear sung. It is a simple way because it involves no extended investigation ; it calls for no elabor- ate apparatus; it is easily put into practice. Ask him what songs he most enjoys. Can there be a simp- ler way? It is also a sure way, re- vealing very certainly the man him- self. What a man appreciates shows without doubt his personal side. Not only does singing show a man, it also shows a nation. - Tell us what songs America likes to sing and we will tell you what kind of nation she is. We don't believe that she especially enjoys singing "The Star Spangled Banner;" appear- ances indicate that she takes a gen- uine delight in singing "Dixie." TURDAY, MARCH 10, 1923 _ Study "Dixie," observe its rhythm. The heart of America in its gay moods beats in much the same way. Analyze the melody. America loves it. She may feel it her duty to sing the Star Spangled Banner, but an American doing his duty is after all a sad sight. A man often sings to keep up his spirits, or to raise them to a higher level. The boy passing the grave-yard or "gravy-yard" as Car- toonist Briggs calls it, whistles to persuade himself that he is not scared and to keephimself company. The man, faced by a fearful situa- tion, sometimes hums a fragment of a tune. During the Great War America took to singing. All America sang, soliders and civilians, old and young. Men and women were cherred up by it, felt braver. The vocal expres- sion took a pain out of their hearts or under other conditions increased their joy. When hundreds of citizens sing together they are somehow drawn together. The people of Winnetka felt it when they sang together that last Sunday night in February at Community House. COMMUNITY GRATITUDE In every community there are men and women who, without sal- ary, devote a tremendous amount of time, money, and energy to the pro- motion of civic enterprises. They attend meeting after meeting, .giv- ing not only their evenings but also, very often, their comfort and inclin=, ation to public welfare projects. Members of their families know how much time these citizens spend at the telephone, announcing meet- ings, exchanging opinions, answer- ing criticisms. Most of the people in the town or city are not ungrateful to these unpaid workers, but, at best, its a kind of negative thanks. There's many a man who never lends a fin- ger to help his community, whose gratitude takes the form of finding fault. Finding fault has its value, but appreciation of service rendered should be expressed often and strongly. So, we take this occasion to thank especially one man for what he has done for Winnetka. In many places in Winnetka there are evidences of his unselfish and vigorous social spirit. Skokie school is an everlast- ing monument to this man. We speak for Winnetka, when here- with we tender our sincerest gradi- tude to Mr. Laird Bell! VILLAGE CAUCUS Ever attend a Village Caucus? If you haven't, you've missed a unique experience. City people never have a caucus; the meeting would be too big. But villagers get together in a caucus before election time to nominate candidates for village of- fices and talk over matters of com- munity interest. Everybody has a right to be heard. If you have a suggestion or a grievance, you can ventilate it at such a meeting. If an evening or two before you just missed running into an auto, standing at the curb without lights, here's a fine chance to tell what you think of people who fail to light up after nightfall. A -|caucus is distinctly an opportunity for discussing village affairs. A student of civics can learn more about democratic government in two hours at a caucus than he can in two months from a school book. He can see just how it is done. He can see real human be- ings, Bill Jones and Nellie Bly, making arrangements to govern themselves through officials of var- jous sorts. He will see the real thing, know it just for what is, and have no vague, abstract ideas. We had one in Winnetka last Monday evening. MUSIC MEMORY Imagine yourself in Orchestra hall. 'The Chicago Symphony has just played part of a movement from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. You are then asked to answer the following questions: (1) What is the name of the piece, part of which you have just heard ? (2) Who composed it? (3) What was his nationality ? Suppose you had shown your familiarity with twenty-five such pieces of music, wouldn't you feel rather proud yourself The fact is, that if you're an average man you'd get a grade of about 23. Another probability is that your little son or daughter would get a rating four times as good. That's because when you were a school boy they didn't have Music Memory contests. Nowdays it's quite different. Children who are to take part in the contest are, with the help of a phonograph or piano, drilled thoroughly to recognize almost any phrase from the world's master compositors. The teacher puts into the phono- graph a record, the name of which only she knows. The children listen to it. The teacher stops the machine and asks some child the name of the composition. If the child makes a mistake he is corrected. So the drill goes on until every child in the team is letter perfect. They rehearse over and over again to make sure that they will not forget. Then the grand final contest comes at Or- chestra hall. The value of the affair, of course, does not lie in winning. The great thingisthatthey become acquainted, get to be on intimate terms with masterpieces. Appreciation is heigh-- tened and life has more value. It's too bad, however, that the element of contest, of competition, is made so much of. THE COMMUTER'S TICKET The March ticket is green like last Spring's leaves. As the con- ductor comes through the car with a red carnation in his button hole, he feels like punching the commut- er, but instead punches the green ticket. The sun is rising accord- ing to schedule and sinking just as regularly. The sparrow chirps as merrily as if spring days had re- turned. As the days go by, the ticket will be smaller. When he has paid his taxes--income, real estate, and personal property--the com- muter's bank account will also be smaller. Little pools of water on the low side of the walk make wet feet. Soon three things will be green-- the monthly ticket, St. Patrick's |z Day, and the grass. The wild geese are honking northward. The Fords are scooting up and down Sheridan road. and the ticket will be no good. Then we will write about the April ticket. Soon March will be past, |S ¢ RYE BOO OUUOTaRRUeT UTR RDRRReeRRReeeRReR RRR A 7 EY e000 Pe BRUT ReR EYE pO V GUYVILLLLLRILIRLLLRLLRLILY REVVRLOLLVVVVLVLLLVLVLLVVRLVVVVLLLLVLLVIVRITLR0D Sto & Look! LOOK AT YOUR OLD FLOORS The only thing you can , do to make them look like new 1s to HAVE THEM RESURFACED Let me give you an es- timate for doing the | work with the ABBA H505000000600060085000000800000 30 NEW IMPROVED SHG64D066060000000000088 guaranteed 2 ------ Ci a SCHLUETER FLOOR SURFACING MACHINE GOO6660068L $N RA y ARARD 5 5 = £5 & IT PICKS UP ALL THE DUST Old and New Floors Resurfaced C.E.PAYNE 826 Park Avenue Wilmette Phone Wilmette 204 = 4 a x Eada aa se sui 8