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May 5, 1928 WINNETKA TALK DROP IN ELECTRIC RATE AWAITS COUNCIL ACTION Expert Gives Detailed Account Relative to Ordinance Pre- sented This Week Editor's Note: The appended article has been prepared especially for WINNETKA TALK by an expert in the Vil- lage administration ,and commands the attention of every Winnetka user of elec- tric service. At the meeting of the Village council Tuesday evening, May 1, an ordinance was introduced by Trustee Walter A. Strong, chairman of the Water and Light committee, which, if adopted at the next meeting of the council, will reduce the rates for electric service in Winnetka to substantially the same level as those of the Public Service company of Northern Illinois. This is the first important change in electric rates in Winnetka since 1915, the Village having passed through the war period and the subsequent period of materially higher prices for labor and materials, without rate increases. Rates Same in 1924 Until 1924, the rates charged by the Village of Winnetka for electric serv- ice from its municipal plant were about the same as those of the Public Service company, it is explained. In 1924 the Public Service lighting rates were reduced about 8% and in 1926 they were again reduced about 10%. so that at the present time Winnetka rates are about 18% above those of the Public Service company, for lighting service. Rates for power service have been and are now about the same as those of the Public Service company. Until the present time, the Village council has considered it to be advis- able to adopt a conservative policy with reference to rate reductions, in view of the uncertain trend of cost of labor and material and also be- cause of the policy of providing in- creased generating capacity at the plant, to meet the rapid growth of Winnetka, out of plant earnings, in- stead of by the issuance of bonds. After a careful study of the present financial status of the municipal plant, the council has reached the conclusion that electric rates can be safely re- duced to approximately the same level as those of the Public Service com- pany, and still enable the Village to make all of its plant extensions out of surplus, as well as to continue to pay an annual dividend into the General Fund, to be used for important public improvements. During the past ten years these dividends have amounted to $455,974. At the present time, the Village has (Continued on Page 67) Urge Fathers to Attend Final P. T. A. Gathering The last Parent-teacher association meeting for 1928 at the Hubbard Woods school will take place Monday evening, May 7 at 7:30 o'clock. It is thought that the parents, especially the fathers, would like to see some of the activities of the children. For this meeting the children are repeating part of the recent bazaar--giving the folk dances and part of the Greek play. It is hoped that a great many parents will come. The dances will begin in the assembly at Hubbard Woods school at 7:30. The play will take place at 8 o'clock. At 8:30 the rooms will be open and the teachers will be in their rooms, where some of the work of the children will be on exhibit. At this time the parents are urged to talk over the children's work with Miss Elwell or the teachers if they have any questions to ask. The meeting will begin at 7:30, as it is desired to close the meeting early because of the extreme youth of the children. NEW "ONE-WAY" ROAD Chatfield Road Designated One-Way West Traffic Route Between Hours of 8:30 A. M. and 4 P. M. Chatfield road, between Burr ave- nue and Gordon terrace, has been des- ignated by the Village council as a one-way street limited to west-bound traffic, between the hours of 8:30 A. M. and 4 P. M. The approval of the council for this safety measure was given Tuesday eve- ning with the understanding the plan be placed on trial, the ruling to be rescinded in the event it proves ob- jectionable or impracticable. It was made on the recommenda- tion of the Streets, Drainage and For- estry committee, of which Trustee H. I. Raclin is chairman, and was brought about as the result of a petition from parents of children attending the Hub- bard Woods public school. The petition sets forth that there is frequently a dangerous congestion of automobile traffic at the corner of Chatfield road and Gordon terrace, particularly at the time of opening and closing of school, caused by cars turning east into Chatfield from Gor- don terrace, and other cars coming west on Chatfield, either from the east or from Burr avenue. This congestion is dangerous, it is pointed out, not only to passengers in the cars but to the school children on foot. Present Contract for Legal Advice on Rail Question Village President Henry F. Tenney, on behalf of the joint committee of north shore villages, Tuesday evening, presented to the Winnetka Village council an ordinance authorizing Win- netka's participation in a contract with Francis X. Busch and John S. Miller as counsel to handle the legal matters in connection with the proposed grade separation plans, in the territory from Wilmette to Highland Park, inclusive. The contract provides that each municipality shall bear its proportion- ate cost of the legal services, based on the 1927 real estate valuation. Win- netka's share, it is said, will be 27.4 per cent of the total. The ordinance providing for the con- tract was ordered engrossed and posted, and the Council also authorized President Tenney to write a letter to the North Western railroad, request- ing that company to record with the village its understanding that the pav- ing of the team track driveway be- tween Pine street and Eldorado ave- nue will not delay the grade separa- tion project nor serve to add to the expense to be borne by the village. "Where is God?" Subject of Christ Church Sermon The sermon topic of the Rev. R. Malcolm Ward, assistant rector, at the 11 o'clock service in Christ church this Sunday morning will be "Where Is God?" The children of the Church school will have their service of wor- ship at the church on Sheridan road at 9:30 o'clock. PLAY BALL! Winnetka Baseball team has the following games definitely sched- uled, with tentative hookings for many others for the season now opening. Sunday, May 6--Winnetka will play Glencoe at Skokie Playfield. Sunday, May 13--Winnetka will play Waukegan at Waukegan. Sunday, May 20--Winnetka will play the Wieland Dairy team, of Chicago, at Skokie Playfield. Recitalist George Seaberg, Chicago pianist, is to give a short program in the Jane Kuppenheimer Memorial hall at Sko- kie school, Winnetka, Wednesday afternoon, May 9, at 2 o'clock. Dur- ing the morning, he will give a group of numbers at the Horace Mann, the Greeley and the Hubbard Woods schools in Winnetka. Mr. Seaberg is a pupil of Howard Wells. He has become rather well known in Winnetka and Wilmette, for during the past two or three years he has been teaching in both villages. This will be his second recital at the Skokie school, his first having been given last October. His program at the Skokie school next Wednesday will consist of the following numbers : "Capriccio" and "Rondo" from the Second Partita of Bach; three Brahms waltzes; "Dance Caprice," by Grieg; "Humming Bird," by Niemann; an Ftude and a Scherzo of Chopin. Open Season Today at Playfield Golf Course; All O. K! Winnetka golfers will be glad to know that the Skokie Playfield course is now in condition for play. The season will be officially opened today, and players are requested to make ap- plication for their 1928 memberships. A charge will be made for play on the course on and after this date. Walter Stelzel, Playfield Pro, will be on hand to supervise the course during the season and have charge of the repair shop and luncheon facilities as in former years. He is also ready to give lessons to any golfers who feel they need to practice up a bit. : Application blanks will be in the hands of Mr. Stelzel and he will ar- range to take care of the registration fees until the treasurer, Sanborn Hale, returns from his vacation. May Extend Center Street Improvement to the South The matter of the continuation of the extension of the Center street im- provement south of Winnetka avenue through the Manus Indian Hill subdi- vision to connect with the pending im- provement in Kenilworth, has been re- ferred to the streets, drainage and forestry committee of the Winnetka Village council for investigation. Roland D. Whitman appeared before the council at its meeting Tuesday evening, urging that body to proceed with this work as soon as possible. HEAR EXPERTS' VIEWS ABOUT 'BETTER HOMES Ernst vonAmmon, Jens Jensen and Robert Kingery Speak at Final Sessions Note: Earlier meetings during Better Homes Week were reported in the April 28th issue of Winnetka Talk. The Better Homes round table con- ference Thursday evening, April 26, in Community House, was a full room capacity audience. Mrs. Arthur Benson, chairman of the evening, in presenting Ernst von Ammon, voiced the feeling that Win- netkans are proud that they can claim as townsman one of such note in his profession. Mr. von Ammon suggested that in approaching the consideration of in- terior decorating one should do so always from the standpoint of com- mon sense and practicability. That one should avoid useless and unhygien- ic furnishings and should always con- sider the maximum of use and com- fort. Also, that useless expenditure could often be avoided if there were more collaboration of client, architect and interior decorator, or, if the latter were not used, between the first two, with the decorating in mind and carefully considered He said that the interior should carry out as nearly as possible the motif of the exterior, and always to consider suitability and scale. Mr. von Ammon stressed the fact that an interior decorator helps the client to crystallize his own ideas and then carry them out. He also expressed the thought that the types of home architecture best adapted to our climate and landscape are the truly American or Colonial architecture and also the English types. An informal discussion followed and Mr. von Ammon was generous in answering, in a practical way, the many questions asked. Hear Jens Jensen The Better Homes conference Fri- day evening, April 27, was presided over by Henry F. Tenney. Jens Jensen of Highland Park was the speaker, who presented the subject of exterior decoration in a fascinating manner. He stated that proper planning and planting had everything to do with the appearance of the home. "What treasures are our trees," said Mr. Jensen, "representing the Indians, perhaps the pioneers and generations of long ago. They are the poets of all of out doors." Our gardens should represent more (Continued on Page 5) Tenney Reappoints Zoning Board for Another Year Members of the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Zoning Commission were re-appointed by President Henry F. Tenney at the meeting of the Win- netka Village council last Tuesday evening. In accordance with the provisions of an ordinance passed at the last meet- ing of the council, the expiration date of the official term is now the first Tuesday in May. The personnel of both boards is the same and the appointment is for five years, one member going out of office each year. The members and the date on which their term of office will expire, follows: Stanley P. Farwell, May, 1929: Cor- am T. Davis, May, 1930; Charles I. Bryon, May, 1931; Robert Kingery, May, 1932; Spencer S. Beman, May, 1933.