Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1961)
MONDAY MEDFORDixTRIBUNI MEDFORD PR1NTINOCO 33 North tit St, tn wjliU Dhnm w RtTKL Editor HERB GREY Adveljiiint Mtnr iSiew ALLEN JR.. Mn Edltoi 55t.H ADAMS, City MlttjT RICHARD JEWBTt. Spirt. Editor OLIVE STARCHER. Women e Editor DALE ERICKSON, ClrcuUtlon wr 'A;"Tnrfnndent Newspaper ntered second elai matter l Medford. Oregon under Act of M.ncm.TTsnm'lM RATES B, Mall - In Advance. Copy 10c Silly -nd Sunday 1 year 315 00 ': Dally and Sunday- mos J 00 . Dally and Sunday 3 mo. Sunday Only-One year y Carrier-In Advance Meord A.hland. Central nf jMg b.ii .liUnnvllle. Gold Hill Dill, and l Sunday- vear .IB 00 Dally and Sunday I mo I SO Carrier and Dealya - copy I0o All Term, mn-i. -Official Paper of City of MeJfifJ Otnclal papur oi rr-j --'. ' ffSited'Presi International Pull Uaaed Wire 0 P.I Telephotojewpjcturea nH"0L5DATnCCHVtVlC Of. - in New York Chlo De troit. San Fnc'coi,rVA,n'elJ: snHii Portland SI Loula at- 1-,-tji Vancouver B NEWiPAPIt PUUISHHS ASSOCIATION NATIONAL EDITORIAL Flight o' Time Medford and JcKn County Hl.tory from the files J Th. Mall Trlb'ine 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago. 10 YEARS AGO F.b. 13. 1951 (Tu.sday) Mark -Hatfield last night warned members of the Jack son County Lincoln club that the Republican party must put Its own house In order If It Is to win the 1952 Presi dential election. A Red Cross blood caravan left the Medford hotel this morning for Rogue River where Jackson county's sec ond donation of volunteer blood is to be taken by the mobile blood unit from Port land. . 20 YEARS AGO F.b. 13, 1941 (Thursday) A box of Williams peari m the Argentine was put on display this afternoon in the show window oi me ion County Chamber of Com- From Arthur Perry's "Ye Smudge Pot" column: "Spring styles for men are showing i,n Inhabited. Off-hand It looks like the coat was too .. l ,1 Inn Ki It " smau, ana mc 30 YEARS AGO Fb. 13, 1931 (Friday) The Rogue river fish bill, prohibiting commercial fish ing In the river, became state law today. A bill has been introduced In the state legislature to ab olish all property taxes. 40 YEARS AGO Fab. 13, 1121 (Sunday) A bill to permit Medford to appropriate land for auto camps passed the state legis lature Friday. SO YEARS AGO Feb. 13. 1911 (Monday) The First Baptist church Sunday became the first church locally to have a chll dren's nursery during Sun rinv services: It proved so successful that other church- es have Indicated they will follow suit. The only apropriauuii urn that southern Oregon has be fore the state legislature Is one providing for the estab lishment of an agricultural ex- perlment station In the Rogue valley. What's Your I Q.7 Nina mi ten terracf Is lupetler seven ar elaht Is uxell.nt; five it la iota. 1. Monte Carlo Is located In the Principality of T 2. Name the three world leaders who signed the Yalta agreement In 1945. 3. Name the primary colors 4. Paper was first made by the Egyptians, Greeks, or Chi nese? 5. A natatorium is an Indoor swimming pool, a flower con servatory, or a burial ground? 6, Does sound travel faster In warm or cold weather? 7. Does the Bible say that money Is the "root of all evil"? 8. Was Casey Jones a real or fictional character? 9. A son of the late Presl dent Roosevelt married daughter of the multimillion aire Deleware duPont fam lly; name the couple. 10. Who was commander-la chief of the American forces In Europe during WW I? Answers; 1. Monaco. 2. Jo seph Stalin, Franklin D. Roo sevelt and Winston Churchill 3. Yellow, blue and red. Chinese. S. Swimming pool t. Warm weather. 7. Not It says "Lot of money Is the roof of all evil." I. Real F. D. R. Jr. and Ethft dtiPont 10. Gen. John J. Panning. 4 A- FEBRUARY 13. 1961 A Vote for Groans of anguish when Dr. Edwin Durno aries, the lobby groups of the NAM, to try to stifle any progress in Congress by liberalizing the rules committee regulations and allowing the addition of three' new members, have no doubt echoed by this time in Washington, D.C. In direct opposition to the feeling of Oregon, Kep. Durno voted contrary to tne advice oi nun dreds of his good friends and advisors. William Tugman, his chief assistant in Ore gon, who was hired to what Oregon felt, reported to us by' telephone (before the vote had been taken) that he had ad vised the 4th congressional representative of how the people felt. THE uproar throughout Oregon to people we have talked to, and who have talked to us in no uncertain terms, has been great. Both Republicans and Democrats have taken a liking to the fresh vigorous outlook of the Ken nedy administration. As much as any administra tion can become non-partisan, the Kennedy ad ministration has gained respect and hopes of all people, all walks of life, in Oregon. Rep. Durno was completely unaware of this which is a bad thing for, a congressman or he didn't care about what people thought. He was more interested in making points with special pressure groups selfishly dedicated to blocking all progress for the nation in a time of great problems. THE Sentinel backed Dr. Durno when he ran for congress because we felt that Charles Porter was too quick to run a separate "state de partment of his own" throughout the world. We would still no doubt have backed Dr. Durno against Mr. Porter, but, Dr. Durno now has one strike on him in Congress. He has two more to go. And the saddest thing of all is the fact that we can see very little chance of effectual leader ship in gaining help for the 4th district when he has put himself on the side of reaction. He was told. He wavered. He went back and forth. But he finally cast his vote with Rep. Nor blad to sign up the 4th district on the side of stagnation. Coquille Valley Sentinel. erness We are gradually coming around to a new theory about the use of the open land the govern ment still owns and which is called "wilderness" because it has a romantic to some observers that wilderness is people. Tfc 1 i. f reooie uumginn aruunu TjacKinp: we earui, setting fires; a picked garbage. The reason for it the A stockman who takes serve has a responsibility to the government which can revoke his permit: he fears fires for they rob him of the grass ger is (in these days anyway) imbued with cer tain principles about conservation and he leaves as many small trees as THOSE who go into the woods or the open anaiaa urjfVt ns tacrtrtrtaiVti lifir ni-o o f q fliA trtanf- est damage. Roads are built so that anyone with an auto and a hunting license can go almost any where. He needn't leave his name or assume any responsibility for his acts. If the fire he leaves burns grass or trees he home in perfect safety. longed to some one else. So now the lovers of who likes to get away from it all for a day or a week as well as the professional are coming to realize that just building spot or good trout stream isn't the solution to anything but how to despoil nature. A man who packs into a fishing place respects it more than if he drives to it. The government is doing too much pearl cast ing. Making the wilderness available to people is only a part of it; making people respectful of wilderness is most diiticult. bherman Uounty Journal. Ash Wednesday "Immediately before astic Institutes, everyone and confess his deeds, and the confessor shrive him" (give him absolution or pardon). Thus the day before Ash Wednesday is Shrove Tuesday, this year observed on Feb. 14. ' The 40-day abstinence of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, so called because of the cere monial use of ashes. These traditionally come from the burning of palms blessed on Palm Sun day of the preceding year. The priest dips his thumb in the consecrated ashes and places the mark of the Cross on the forehead of the kneeling faithful. The Roman Catholic ceremony derives from the custom of public penance in the early church. Similar ceremonies, but without the use of ashes, are performed in the Church of England and the Episcopal Church in America. Not all Ash Wednesday observances are re ligious, however. In parts of England, the direc tion of the wind on that day is believed to indicate how it will blow throughout Lent. In rural areas of Germany it was the custom on Ash Wednesday for young men to take girls of the neighborhood to a pooi,and there "wash them favouredly." EJUL Stagnation in. Southwestern Oregon voted with the reaction keep Durno informed of Bill sound. It has occurred the greatest danger to a J 1 1.1. 1.1. flower is soon a bit of Jack or responsibility, his herds into a forest re he has bought. A log possible. can read about it in his The stock he shoots be the outdoors, the man roads to every pretty Lent" order the Ecclesi shall go to his confessor Dennis the "Mf?. WlLSOM SAYS 60WEDAY I'M GONNA BfcT A BIS STRING BEAN UKB VOU'' Foreign News: Algerian Fears; Berlin Peace; China Trade Talk By PHIL NEWSOM UPI Foreign News Analyst From the foreign news ca bles: Algerian War Diplomats in Paris doubt the forthcoming meeting be tween French President Charles de Gaulle and Tunisian Pres ident H a b 1 b Bo u r g u I b a will lead to early negoti ations be tween French and rebel leaders on the NewEom war there. end of the civ Rebel leaders have made it clear they are cool to the Bourguiba mission. They are friendly with him Washington Report By WILLIAM NON-INTERFERENCE Washington-The total sanc tity and rightness in any and all circumstances of the old doctrine of "non-interference" by o n e or more Ameri can nations In- to the affairs of another is now being discreetly re examined in Washington The ap proach is a White mixture oi sympathy and s k e p t Icism, with skepticism coming out a bit ahead. The Latin Americans-those who run decent governments as well as those who do not are all together in regarding non-intervention as absolutely indispensable. They remember with bitterness the old, old days of "Yankee imperialism" and of the Marines being sent in here and there. It Is, however, becoming plainer by the day that this concept, understandably so revered by the Latins in prin ciple, Is a most doubtful rule if applied with no possible cxeceptlons. F THE United Slates and others had not persistently refused to intervene against the right-wing excesses of the old Batista regime in Cuba, there would today be no left wing dictatorship under Cas tro to bedevil and threaten all of Pan America. And if the United States and others had not persistent ly refused to intervene long ago against the right-wing ex cesses of Trujillo In the Do minican Republic, Castro would get nowhere at all in justifying himself now. In this present world, in short, actions within a single American country which men ace liberty and order there will menace liberty and order In all. So they cannot in com- monsense be treated as the sole and exclusive concerns of the country immediately involved. In this sort of thing what is one country's business Is everybody's business. For movements which bring In alien tyrannies to this hemis- phere-as Castro is bringing in the mortally dangerous tyran ny of imperialist Communism do not stop at national Iron- tiers for baggage examination. Nor are they halted by the immigration authorities for want of properly stamped passports. CVJR all these reasons a most careful review of the doc trine of non-intervention is now going on within the Ken nedy administration. Every body Is sympathetically aware of the sensitivity of the La tlnos. And there Is not in any event the slightest intention to have the United States take up any "big stick" approach Menace but fear his attempt to "ex plain" the rebel stand to De Gaulle may weaken the posi tion of strength the rebels consider necessary to get the best terms. Berlin Peace The Soviets have cautioned East German Communists against provoking any seri ous incidents in Berlin. The Kremlin is said to want to avoid trouble in Berlin while Premier Nikita Khrushchev seeks face-to-face talks with President Kennedy, probably at the United Nations spring meeting in New York. Mora Trade Talk Pressure Is mounting again in Japan for increased trade with Communist China to counter the "buy American" S. WHITE We genuinely wish to help all of Latin America, if only to help ourselves. All the same, reality is real ity. And the longer the whole problem is examined the more difficult it is to see how un questioning acceptance of all the implications of a slogan like "non-intervention, with out any regard to the circum stances of particular cases, can help the Latinos them selves. Castro may argue that what he does in Cuba is a purely internal matter matter. When one man sets a torch to his house In a high wind you may call it only "self-determina tion" if you will. But all other rational house owners on that street will call it an act of arson against them all and they will do something about it, too. SECRETARY of State Dean Rusk has just pledged the United States to help the Latin-American countries put an end to all tyranny, "wheth er of the left or the right." Very significantly, he did ndt speak only of external tryannles. And even more sig nificantly he emphasized the necessity for a cooperative approach" to perils such as these. "These," he said, "are hem ispheric problems, and they require hemispheric solution. This is a deeply important, if softly stated, declaration of high America policy. For to say that something is a "hem ispheric" problem is also to say that It is not, and cannot be so regarded, simply a na tional problem. (Copyright. 1961. By United Feature Syndicate, Inc.) Try and Stop Me By BENNETT CERF A RELUCTANT FATHER was bugged by his wife into taking 10-year-old Willie (a monster) to a violin con ceit by the great Heifetz. After watching the maestro fiddle through two stun ning numbers, Papa pro posed, "Whaddya sjy we blow? Don't tell Mom and I'll treat you to a movie instead." Willie, surprisingly, refused to budge. "I wanna stay," he maintained, "till he saws that thing under his chin in half!" Th height of nonchal ance was achieved by a titled book collector in Eng land recently. Asked by a library committee if he'd allow his priceless first edition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales I printed by Caxton in 147M to be borrowed for an exhibition, his Lordship yawned, "Certainly, but for Gawd's sake, don't lose 'the damned thing!" HUSBAND: The boss acted like a lamb when I hit him for a raise this morning. WIFE: Tell me exactly what he said! HUSBAND; Ba-i-a.-. MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. ORE. ...Communications ... Letters lo Ihe Editor must bear th nam and addr.ss of in. writer. "IUS "" certain circumstances the use of a pen nam. or initial for publication is PJ" Th. Mail Tribun. reserves th. right lo .dit all l.it.rs with a vi.w to cl"l,'''7 condensation. Letters submitted for publication must not exed 400 words. 1 printed in this column do not necessarily represent th. ri.ws of th. pap.r; in sacs contrary is oit.n th. case. Hooray for Mr. Tuckerl To the Editor: Mr. E. M. Tucker Sr. deserves some hearty applause for his recent statements made in regard to the construction of Emigrant dam. Since Mr. Tucker's mo tives were good, because he has the courage to state his opinions, and because he of fered some constructive ideas on the subject, he should be rated "head and shoulders" above those who only cry "Ridiculous!" A small person can easily find fault, but it takes a big ger person to come forward with sound ideas to improve anything. We need mqre peo ple who have the Initiative and intelligence to question matters that involve public safety and public welfare especially in those areas where public money is being expended. orders of the previous Eisen hower administration. But most of the demand for Chi nese Communist iron ore and coal is from small traders who can get it cheaper from Peiping than from the United States. The big companies such as Mitsui and Mitsubi shi are not having any of this; too much U.S.-Japan trade involved. Polish Scarcities Lack of spare parts for ma chinery is so common in Po land, according to a Warsaw newspaper, that people be lieve "the phenomenon is an integral part of the building of socialism." The statement in Zielony Sztander, mouth piece of the foinn unitea Peasant Party, emphasizes the worry of Polish party leaders over the development of agriculture. Observers say look for a tightening up and the possible ouster of minor functionaries responsible. - Church of Sil.nc. Observers in Home say don't be surprised if the Vat ican has strong words to say soon on the apparent rise in church persecution behind the Iron Curtain. Thus far there has been little official reac tion to recent clampdowns in Poland and Hungary. But Pope John XXIII may com ment personally when he has studied the worsening situ ation thoroughly. In the Day's News By FRANK JENKINS From Washington: P r e s i dent Kennedy's ad visers have told him that in stead of inheriting a budget surplus from the Eisenhower administration he faces a BIL LION DOLLAR DEFICIT for the fiscal year that will end this coming June 30. Senator Mike Mansfield, Democratic leader in the senate, forecasts also a TWO BILLION DOL LAR DEFICIT for the fiscal year that will end on June 30, 1962. President Eisenhower esti mated in his January 16 bud get message that the Treasury would wind up the 1961 book keeping year with a 79 million dollar surplus. The Eisen hower forecast for the 1962 fiscal year was a surplus of $1,463,000,000. TVORE from Washington: ' Senator Mansfield's pessi mistic assessment of the fed eral government's budget status follows Mr. Kennedy's dark picture (in his State of the Union message) of an economy beset by more than five million unemployed, a drop in national production and a widening gap in our in- Folks who have read a re - cent article in a popular maga zine entitled "What we must do to win the cold war" are aware of some grave condi tions existing in our national "Jungle of bureaucrats" con ditions that have proven de trimental to our expensive program of trying to win (and hold) the friendship of other nations. Right here lies the big difference between our country and all the nations under a dictator's heel. In America a common person can be heard without risking all manner of persecution, in cluding death! Mr. Tucker has, in previous articles, made some mighty good suggestions regarding conditions that concern every one in Southern Oregon. I re fer to our annual fog and smog problem, and to the ever-dwindling supply of wat er resources. His ideas on these problems seemed proof of his unselfish motives to do something of benefit to every resident. We who are nt well in formed on such matters as the construction of earthen dams are thankful for all men of Mr. Tucker's caliber who are working to protect the general welfare and safety of our way of life. Let the searchlight of controversy continue, without rancor, to protect us from the slough of a decaying demo cracy. Philip Lee Burns P. O. Box 791 i Ashland, Ore. Rainbow" Praised To the Editor: It was my pleasure Thursday evening to attend the opening perform ance of "Finian's Rainbow" presented by the Medford Sen ior High school. I know all who were there for any of the performances join me in congratulating the entire cast and the director, Mr. Lynn Sjolund, for a thor oughly enjoyable and profes sional presentation. The chorus was outstanding and their numbers were well worth anyone's attendance. In my opinion, the individual performers demonstrated re markable stage presence and ability for a high school ama teur group. I would urge any one who has never attended one of these programs in the past, to make it a "must" in the future. I know they will be wonderfully entertained. Richard D. Nelson, O.D. The Mall East Main st. Medford. Ends and Means To the Editor: Today, Feb. 12th, is community work-day at the new Eagle Point Boy Scout headquarters on the 33 acre site between sparkling clear Little Butte creek and the steep height of land that is said to mark where the pair of eagles had their nest of pioneer times, giving Eagle Point its name. Thet big land mark pine the eagles used is gone. Only memory remains.. The 40 by 48 Boy Scout building is nearing comple tion under the competent hands of the Hanscom broth ers, with other willing hands. ternational balance of pay ments. Both Mr. Kennedy and Sen ator Mansfield found the Elsenhower budget estimates for the current fiscal year and the next year UNREALISTIC. Mansfield called the Eisen hower budget prediction for 1962 too rosy. TTMMMMMMMMMM. Let's concede that in his budget message for the 1961 fiscal year and In his estimate of the budget surplus for the 1962 fiscal year Ike might have been just a trifle over on the rosy side. After all, you know, there is a certain amount of politics in our system of government -and it was fairly good politics for an out-going Republican administration to suggest that in view of the sound founda tion that had been laid for it the incoming Democratic ad ministration ought to be able to show a surplus in both years. TJUT- - Might there not have been just a trifle of politics in Mr. Kennedy's dark picture, in his State of the Union message, of an American economy beset by more than five million un employed, a drop in national production and a widening gap in our balance of inter national payments? That tended to point out that he was assuming the bur dens of the Presidency at a moment when the Republicans were leaving things In an aw ful mess - which could have been designed to make all the more brilliant whatever suc cesses President Kennedy may have in straightening things out. rVO an impartial observer, it A looks like there may have been a little politics on BOTH SIDES. 1 But more hands are neeaeu, hands trained in carpenuy and electric wiring especially. Other and more hands will be wanted when extensive lana scaping, including innovations on the steep height of land as well as that below, that was a junk catch-all till a bull dozer was brought in to initi ate the transformation. Wating in the office of Ea gle Point's burgeoning grade school building for a go-ahead from Scout Master Marshal, a solemn-faced boy and girl were seated near me with the of fice woman giving instruc tions. To my question of who started it, the girl said: "I did. I just patted him, on tne back." To which the boy sot-to-voiced. "Pretty hard pat ting." Then the girl answered, "He hit me and I screamea cause it hurt." A Boy Scout in full dress nodded sober as sent. The school principal enter ing his office, the boy was mo tioned that way. He seemed to give the girl something more than a challenging look. To the witnessing Scout, a sort of "meet you in church" look. But sober-faced, he did not seem much the worse for "wear" when finally cleared. The girl, with head high, re mindful of the Frencn queen Marie Antoinette who men tioned somthing about liberty demanding the supreme sacri fice, took her turn and re turned sober faced but unruf fled. Quite different from how they told of one teacher who busted his paddle on a boy's rear-end (really his "well filled" pocketbook, 'tis said). and was presented with one that wouldn't break. Seems like Eagle Point school direc tors believe that if good citi zenship can't be induced via the head-end it can be paddled in via the other end. The interesting incident terminated with the arrival of Scoutmaster Marshal who-out- ltned today's activities at Scout headquarters, that in cluded tribute to Lincoln's birth anniversary in the day's doings, and a potluck dinner. F. J. Clifford, Route 2, Box 200F, Central Point, Ore. Heaven To the Editor: Heaven is a land of beauty Far beyond the sky, Where birds and planes and soaring missies Cannot ever fly. This land of wondrous beauty Where everyone is free, This land of wondrous beauty Is where I wish to be. Helen Noss (age 14) 207 Haven st. Medford. A Lin. in Passing To the Editor: Just a line in passing. I have been reading communications again. As Mr. L. J. Townsend says, "I got rocks in my head too. Regarding the Medco log ging road controversy: Now I'm not much for good sugges tions, but would like to put this one in the box. Why not let Medco turn in all their log trucks for heli copters. The 'copters can air lift the logs to the sawmill (They proved this in Russia last year). Ha. Ha. On the way to the sawmill the pilots (whoops) logging chopper drivers can drop the aforementioned logs on the knotheads who are standing in the way of lumber progres sion, namely private logging roads. bo come one and all you good Butte Fallians, Medford- ites and Eagle Pointities, get behind the wheel (logging) and push forward instead of backwards. This private logging road is the safest thing you can buy with Medco money. mere you have my say Hereafter I will rue the day Because I chipped In on the fights All my relations are with the 'ites. J. H. Neimoyer 736 W. Lennor Yreka, Calif. O Editor's note: Don't laugh too loud and long at that heli copter bit. One major manu facturer of 'choppers is now in the process of developing a copter which could very well De used in logging operations, Don't Give Up the Ship To the Editor: At this time I am compelled to compose a panegyric in honor of M. T and its worthy editor. E. A seldom gets off the beam, but he would not be human if he did not make a few errors. No one would recognize the per fect man if met in our imper fect society. Therefore we be II... - ncvc lum a man snould re ceive praise for a job well done. What I admire most aoout him is his ability to ac quire sucn a fine stable of writers that contribute to the best editorial page of any newspaper that we have ever read. His is a gift few editors possess. He calls it "Communications." We do not always inn. with such virile writers as L C. Powell, but there is nn' doubting his sincerity. Ha wants to impeach Earl War. ren from the Supreme Court, v;hile many people consider such men as Warren the hope of America. So while people are writing to their favorite Congressman or Senator to oust Warren, why not in all fairness drop a line to Wash, lngton, D. C, approving of the Judge's wisdom and action. ("Let's have the courage to keep America free" Thomas In the sanie issue is Mr. Radina Tucker of Griffin Creek. She resents any con trast or comparison between the Soviet Union and condi tions in our land of the frea and the home of the bravo This writer sees nothing wrong in learning what is go. lng on in the world. We bp. lieve that she is jumping to, ui , nail cuuciusion when she accuses each and sundry that do not happen to have thp price of a one way ticket to some point east of the Iron Curtain to being a tavern tout or a ne'er-do-well. We agree that there ar people that, when assailed by misfortune, take it on the lam while others come to grips with their problem. Ours is a national problem and it would not be patriotic for its citizens to desert this country in its hour of peril. These are times that try men's souls. The na tion has been a drifting, wa terlogged derelict. Now is the time to man the pumps and keep it afloat. The ume to desert Is understandable, be cause our country was settled by deserters from foreign lands. The Negro has a valid reason for being here. He was forced to settle here. Others came for various reasons, from a dearth of eating apples on the family tree to dodging the noose. Ours is a dramatic heritage, a haven for fugitives, with the proper political pig ment. The last to seek asylum are Cubans. Our heritage does not condi tion us to come to grips with political confusion and eco nomic chaos. Instead of put ting our own house in order, we cry for a savior. This writ er does not believe in running when the going gets tough. He has a wife in a nursing home, Walter Reece, Galice rd., Merlin, Ore. MHS and Broadway To the Editor: I feel I must tell you and your readers about an interesting experi ence my wife and I and her mother had last Thursday night at the Medford High school. With some misgivings, I must confess, we went to the first performance of Finian's Rainbow - our first exposure to a teen-age threatrical pro duction. This will come as no surprise to native Medfordites, but for three "refugees" from New York, the entire evening from beginning to end was pure delight. What surprised us most, aft er years of contact with Broadway productions, was the professional smoothness of the performance. It started right on time with the over ture by a fine orchestra of young talented musicians, and scene followed scene with a rapidity that bespoke an ex pert crew behind the curtain. The large cast, including an attractive group of well train ed precision dancers, moved around on a rather small stage with an assurance gained from hours of rehearsing under ex pert stage management. The principals were profi cient in their various roles, and some of them showed promise of considerable acting ability, with the poise and stage presence of old troupers. The costumes and scenery were fresh and colorful and the lighting and sound effects never missed their cues. Again comparing with Broadway shows, I doubt whether any professional cast could equal the vitality, the enthusiasm, the terrific bounce and verve of this de lightful bunch of talented teen-agers. I am sure that they were enjoying it as much as the audience. May I offer a suggestion? Couldn't the micro phones have been better arranged lo amplify some of the solos? Even Julie Andrews, in "My Fair Lady," needed and was glad of this help for her rath er thin voice. It seemed too bad that rec ognition was not given (as on some TV shows) to the or chestra, the stage hands, and to the host of unseen and unsung youngsters who con tributed so much to the busi ness end of the production. And why not a big hand, too, for the producers of the show, Messers Dyrud and Sjoland? Medford is fortunate indeed to have men of this caliber in the city's outstanding school system. For myself, my wife, and her mother, last week's enjoy able experience reminds us again that Medford must be a wonderful place to raise a family, and certainly is a mighty nice place to retire to. Harold S. Houston 215 Erie St. Medford.