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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistorical Records - The Arizona Daily Star (13)0.1s erican recor s is eri a e By PAULA GREEN it was under Soviet domination, he did travel to Warsaw two The Arizona Daily Star years ago to visit friends and relatives. Although Wiktor Kwast hasn't lived in Poland for almost 40 years, he hasn't forgotten his heritage.Born in southern Poland 72 ears ago, Y g , Kwast was one of 10 children in a peasant family that moved to Warsaw when he Besides writing a series of 18 articles on a Polish hero of was a child. He said his father was adamant that all 10 of his sons the American Revolutionary War, Kwast is researching ma- obtain an education. terial for a book on one of America's foremost bridge designers, Kwast, an electrical engineer, interru to also Polish born. g p d his studies at Warsaw Polytechnic for seven years to write a sports column The early patriot was Col. Thaddeus Kosciusko, a military for a daily Warsaw newspaper and play volleyball in a city engineer who aided the revolution by designing the fortification league. During this time he also wrote three sports guides and of numerous American positions, including West Point. was an avid mountain climber. Kwast's other main interest is Ralph Modjeski, who de- While Kwast was working at a factory in France during the signed more than 30 major bridges throughout America and summer of 1939, war broke out in Poland and he couldn't enter Canada and who developed preliminary plans for the eight -mile Warsaw to rescue his wife of six years, Zofia. San Francisco -Oakland Bay Bridge before his death in 1940. They were reunited in London six years later after Kwast "Many Poles have contributed to the development of requested aid from the queen of England. Zofia had been in a America, yet they are forgotten by Polish -Americans " said concentration camp at Ravensbruck for 10 months and later had Kwast. "I want to revive. interest among Polish -Americans and been taken to Sweden by the Red Cross. give credit to those Poles who deserve it." Her memories of the concentration camp prompted the Kwasts to move to America during the Korean War, which she Most of Kwast's articles have been published in Polish-lan- feared wouldt row guage newspapers in New York and Chicago. He also has g o worldwide proportions. written for the monthly newsletter of the Kosciuszko Founda- "I didn't want to go to America because it was farther from tion, which promotes ties between Poland and Polish-Ameri- Poland and I still wanted to go back," Kwast said. "Once here, cans. I was overwhelmed by New York and came to love the coun- „ It was at a 1975 event sponsored by the foundation that try. Kwast saw Pope John Paul II, then Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, A. graduate of the Imperial College of Science and Tech - speak In New York. nology in London, he used his electrical engineering degree to "I was very surprised that the College of Cardinals chose a obtain a position at an electronics firm in Newark, N.J. Polish pope," Kwast said. "My wife and I had given up hope Another job with a New Jersey military arsenal took Kwast when John Paul I was chosen. �' st to Yuma, and he became "thrilled with the Southwest." The "It is a terrific show of strength for the Catholic church in Kwasts, who have no children, retired in Tucson three years Poland. I believe the church has grown stronger since the ago and live at 9055 E. Lee St. Communist takeover in Poland because before, the people took their faith for granted." "I came here to start a new life and I am happy," he said. "I am just beginning to delve into Polish history and give recog- Although Kwast had vowed never to return to Poland while nition to the Polish heroes who have become lost." Everyone at Camp Adventure, a small eastside private school, has an acute case of double vision. But rubbing the eyes or wearing new glasses won't help. People there do indeed see double, because in the school of only 180 pupils there are four sets of identical twins. Camp Adventure, covering 23 acres at 9239 E. Wrightstown Road, is a private school for children of preschool age through third grade. In its 10 years of operation there has never been more than one set of twins — until September, when the school was "bombarded," says Sandy Gerlach, the ad- ministrative assistant. The four sets of twins, all from Tucson, are Amy and Beth Carter, 3; Nicole and Amy Babcock, 3; Mike and Matt Miller, 4, and Jerry and Jeff Carlson, 5. Gerlach says that for a while, teachers naturally had trouble telling the various twins apart. They've become accustomed to the sight, but not the idea, of having four duos around. "The other children are fascinated with them," Gerlach says. Four times two It's playtime in and on an old car :Y for the four sets of identical twins at Camp Adventure. In the top row, 5 -year-olds Jeff, left, and Jerry Carlson flank Mike and Matt Miller, - 4. i nside the car are, from left, . Nicole and Amy Babcock, and Am* _ Y and Beth Carter, all 3. (Star photo by Jack W. Sheaffer) Polish and proud Wiktor Kwast and his wife, Zofia, are happy to be Tucsonans, but frequently think homeward to Poland. Kwast writes about Poles who have played important roles in America's development. (Star photo) PAGE EIGHT -SECTION G THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR - TUCSON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1978 Nei. hbors g Family of rado. They got it working just this month after laboriously hauling it in a small trailer .• >> dollmikersnr{ .., - Thanksgiving turkey is prepared, so long as Gas Miser. Robert Sikorsky has spent most of his there's plenty of it and the white meat . • hXw. : comes out done close to the bone. adult life looking for ways drivers can conserve - ` Delia Fi ei �)a's talent for , , Thanksgiving dinner the way mother used gasoline. The work has culminated in a book that A : making dolls iii the motif of g � F �y'�. .Z.B�� ..erg-.• getting the wood to fit into the small com- begins national distribution this week. Neighbors \ _ y < Ted De Grazi� could have '�� � :, ra ,`..,,,,.,w.: �a s � =� The Dewyers bought an old, cast-iron p J Orth Page , " 6G. .. •• e: been inherited; but the skill "We`ve cooked a few things on it. It's East - wasn't learned directly from Ford fanGeer® Ever since he drove a 19M Ford •• .- ° her mother, Carmen Bermu- dez. Mom didn't start creating tr 'S icku truck to high school Bob Cooke has b P p g been a a `' 4..:, her own style of dolls until she - '' Ford fanatic. The Tucsonan now travels anywhere Y was in her 70�. Neighbors {v y he can find parts for his collection of 30 antique and Pa92Ge _ restored Fords Neighbors hbors South, Page 7G.Central, (1 -hr ArIzalUt aff 1,ShtrTUCSON THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 1978 PAGE O N S Taste o nostalgia - Aft lugging the genera tions -old woodburnin stove from Colorado the Dewyers gather t prepare their firs Thanksgiving dinner i it. Ray and Gail an their children, CarriE 8, and Aaron, 7, enjo the relic at least a much as Sylvester th+ cat likes its radian warmth. (Star photo b! Jack Sheaffer) Family cooks up old-fashioned Thanksgiving By DANNY MADDUX The Arizona Daily Star rado. They got it working just this month after laboriously hauling it in a small trailer It doesn't matter to most people how their to their home at 7111 E. Kingston Drive. Thanksgiving turkey is prepared, so long as there's plenty of it and the white meat Ray had been looking for such a stove comes out done close to the bone. since hEs lived in Colorado four years ago. He But Ray Dewyer always wanted to cook estimates the stove may be 75 to 100 years old, and he's trying to find out for sure. Thanksgiving dinner the way mother used to. Now he and his wife, Gail, are getting the He said the hardest part about cooking is chance to cook turkey and fixin's the way getting the wood to fit into the small com- farmers did several generations ago — on a partment on the side, so he's spent a lot of - woodburning stove. free time recently cutting up the wood he The Dewyers bought an old, cast-iron has gathered. woodburning stove last summer in Colo- "We`ve cooked a few things on it. It's great," Dewyer says. He bought it mainly as an inexpensive source of heat, but was look- ing forward to having some old-fashioned meals cooked on it, he says. Gail said she is a little reluctant to use the stove, and still finds the various burners and vents to- be a "challenge." "I wasn't real crazy about it," she says, but she expects to continue using it for Thanksgiving every year because the stove can accommodate so much at once. This year every dish -- turkey, potatoes, yams, rolls'and pie — will be done without benefit of electric range. She's developed a new respect for the cooking talents of 19th -century Americans, especially because there are no precise con- trols for cooking temperatures. She's tried out such items as biscuits, soup and a roast with no disasters yet — at least none she's talking about. The Dewyers and their two children have invited friends to share the old-fashioned dinner. For Ray, the meal will probably be as nostalgic as it is delicious. "My mother had a big, black cookstove," Dewyer says. "It's always been in -the back of my mind." __ -.. -. _. _ �° •' s . ._ Ir -4 f J. ' 1` - a �` • 4.` l'4 P • ` r rt t ; s ' + -. w , A doll household— The dolls may be made in the same family, but the figures created by Carmen Bermudez, below right, and those of her daughter, Delia Figueroa, result in far different images. Bermudez uses polyester fiberfill and bright yarn to crochet fanciful characters like the one above. Figueroa, displaying one of her largest dolls at right, teams with artist Ted De Grazia to create quaint Mexican and Indian child figures from fiberfill, knit material and human hair. Neighbors central Lifelike th racters emerge from yarns of Tucson women By PAULA GREEN The Arizona Daily Star Two years ago Delia Figueroa handed her 72 -year-old mother a bundle of yarn and told her to be creative. Instead of crocheting a sweater or knit- ting a vest, Carmen Bermudez crocheted an 18 -inch doll that was curiously lifelike. She continued creating dolls, and ear- lier this month put 19 of them on display in a special showing at Casa de Luz, a North Campbell Avenue candle shop. Each doll seems to assume a different personality, from a ballerina to a miner to Bermudez's brother-in-law. "The more dolls my mother makes the more she uses her imagination," said Fi- gueroa, who lives near East Second Street and North Fifth Avenue. "Her latest dolls even have fingers, toes and built-up ears." Bermudez, now 74 and a widow, has an eye for detail, crocheting separate layers of clothing for her dolls in brightly colored yarns. Bracelets and earrings create a femi- nine image for the female dolls, while tiny pockets and belts are part of several male costumes. Buttons are used for eyes, and Bermu- Star phot®s by Jim Davis and Benjie Sanders f dez crochets other features, from eye- brows and lips to leg muscles. "It's a challenge to make each doll a little different from the next," Bermudez said in Spanish. "I'm always thinking Qt how I'm going to make each design unique, The mother of five mar begin crochet- ing the doll from the head down, stuffing the limp form with polyester fiberfill as she goes along, or may work from the bottom up. Figueroa said her m6ther has made more than 30 dolls, each requiring about 15 hours of work. Bermuoez has sold sev- eral dolls and has given others to rela- tives. But Bermudez isn't the only dollmaker in the family. Figueroa makes dolls mod- eled on the artwork of Tel De Grazia, the Tucson painter whose figtires of Mexican and Indian children are internationally recognized. Figueroa creates dolls in De Grazia's motif with polyester fiberfill, flesh -colored knit material and human fair. The dolls, which De Gr`I zia signs after painting their faces, sell for prices from $60 to more than $100, depr-riding on size. s "Through word-of-mouth I've built up a clientele for my work," sgid Figueroa, a 1 � v HlSk/ f � �flgg f' ! + SII • ` ! f� 9,� /vf Xr �! j i . I t native Arizonan. "It gives me a lot of plea- sure to make things and sell them." She also uses the De Grazia design for Christmas ornaments and for appliques on velvet pillows. She sells her collecters' items through about eight retail outlets in the West and the Southwest. j The mechanics of running a business are nothing new to Figueroa. She ran a local boutique, "La Pinata," for 10 years. Besides handling the bookkeeping, buy- ing and selling chores of the shop, Fi- gueroa designed women's fashions using original appliques and beadwork. During this period she met De Grazia and began transferring his art into her medium. "I loved the work but didn't like work- ing all day," she said. "Running a shop was draining my creative energy and I couldn't spend as much time with my crafts." So she sold the business in 1970, keeping the name, and travels with her husband as his job as an industrial electrician de- mands. "What I want to do next is keep going on this smaller scale," Figueroa said. "But - already I'm getting more orders than I can handle. I wish my mother had more time so I could put her to work for me." 915 ,�✓' fl' , {�r+ `✓ 5 fi i� PAGE Two -- SECTION G THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR TUCSON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1978 Forditude The Model T fire engine he's inspecting at right is one of Bob Cooke's favorites among the 30 time- worn Fords that fill a warehouse at his South Tucson whole- sale car lot. Cooke's son, Gerry, restored the fire truck at age 14. Wearing his Ford jacket, belt buckle and cap, Cooke enjoys tin- kering with an impec- cably restored 1936 Ford, below. (Star photos by Ron Lon - den) By AL ARIAV The Arizona Daily Star The Madel T Ford, the sturdy little car that revolutionized the American lifestyle, is more th-in an automobile to Tucsonan Bob Cooke — it's a story of ingenuity and indus- trial succe's• The l()w-priced car produced oil America's first automotive assembly lines has played a prominent part in the life of Cooke, a vintage car expert whose sur- roundings resemble a turn -of -the -century factory. Ever siriee he drove to high school in his 1934 Ford pickup truck, Cooke has been af- fected by Ford's innovation. Today, at 50, he is an antique -Ford fanatic who'll travel cross-country to locate a fender for a Model A roadster; one of the vehicles in the parade of three-quarters of a century's worth of Ford cars he owns. Cooke claims to have Arizona's biggest collection of time -worn Fords, about 30. Half are stored at his house, the rest in a garage at his South Tucson wholesale car lot. The cars are in mint condition and most can take to the road any time. They're all Fords. In Cooke's office hangs a certificate signed by Henry Ford II, chairman of the board of the Ford Motor Co. and a grandson of the than who began his career in a cov- ered wagon factory. Model A's, Model T's, roadsters, fire trucks, coupes, pickups — Cooke's life is saturated with Fords — "the best cars on the road," he calls them. Cooke was born in the year that the Ford Motor Co. came out with the second Model A. That car was created after dealers, fac- ing stiff competition from an upstart outfit called General Motors, demanded a new automobile. Cooke has three Model A's, one of which belongs to Tucson Ford dealer Jim Click. Cooke, who wears a belt buckle with the Ford emblem, owns Fords from 1903 to 1956, the year "they just stopped making them as good," he said. But he quickly adds, "Fords are still the best on the road." Drexel fire chiefflying hoping sparks will stop The new chief of the Drexel Heights Fire District, embroiled in several controversies since he took office this month, says the department's efficiency "will rise quickly" as soon as the turmoil subsides. Charles R. Young, 53, replaced Herschel' S. Catlin, 52, in an election last month as fire chief of the 18 -square -mile district. Heading a force of 10 paid employees and 25 volun- teers, Young has faced a series of problems involving apparent factionalism and vandal- ism since he took over Nov. 9. The feud between supporters of each man intensified after a recall election in July, in which Catlin bested Young by 16 votes. But in October's regular election, Young won by 33 votes, 131-98. After the last election, Catlin, the dis- trict's fire chief the past two years and its volunteer chief during the 1960s, accused Young's supporters of casting fraudulent votes. The Young faction charged that Cat- lin had rigged the election. Some Drexel Heights residents contended the election was irregular at best and possibly illegal. Despite vocal opposition, the county Board of Supervisors certified the election results. Catlin sued in Superior Court. Ani- mosity between the two cliques grew. Superior Court Judge Jack Arnold upheld the election of Young, and the Tucson resi- dent since 1951 became the new chief. "But the problems only began then," . Young said. Vandalism has been increasing at the de- partment in recent weeks, and both sides, although careful not to blame each other, deny any involvement. All four tires on Young's emergency - equipped pickup truck were slashed re- cently, nearly keeping him from responding to a fire call. A $75 tarpaulin was stolen from the firehouse at 5960 S. Cardinal Ave. Two fire hoses valued at a total of $150 were slashed. A number of false alarms have been received, Young said. "I didn't have anything to do with it and I don't know who did," said Catlin, unem- ployed since the election. "My supporters would never slash anyone's tires." TUCSON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1975 "I am not blaming anyone for stealing and slashing tires," Young said, adding that the Pima County Sheriff's Department is investigating. Young's dismissal of three men, includ- ing two sons of Catlin, from the department has also disturbed Catlin. He called the fir- ings "uncalled for," saying they were con- nected to the long-running battle. Young admitted firing Larry Catlin, a volunteer, Ron Catlin, a paid engineer for the department; and firefighter Anthony C. Ball, hired by and a supporter of Catlin. One department employee who was fired by Catlin was rehired by Young recently. Jeff Desmarais, the department's public in- formation officer, said Catlin fired him in May without granting him a hearing. "The morale around the office is better now," Young said. " We all get along." Young's wife, Alice, has been working as the fire district's clerk since the election. Young said he is paying her with his own money, but plans to request a full-time, dis- trict -paid clerk in his next budget. THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR In his South Tucson garage, Cooke keeps a 1915 Ford express wagon, which he found abandoned in a mine shaft near the Mexican border. The wagon is in impeccable shape because Cooke worked on it. His son, Gerry, 20, a partner in the car hobby, restored a Model T fire engine at age 14, Cooke said with a lofty smile. The fire engine, with its solid copper, hand -hammered water tank and rigid rub- ber tires, used to belong to the fire depart- ment in Shasta, Calif. Made by American LaFrance Fire Engine Co. in this country, it "was bought (from the fire department) by a prop man at Warner Brothers," Cooke said. "He rented it to a movie studio because he had no idea how to drive it. About seven years ago, he traded it in here for a new Chevy pickup. What a deal I grit." Other cars Cooke likes to rave about are his 1911 Model T speedster, which can go 90 mph, a 1915 yellow touring car (a Grand National showcar) and a 1933 coupe. The pipe -puffing Cooke said all his cars are from Ford's "good years, when Ford really put a lot into quality work." Cooke said he doesn't like to sell his showpieces, simply because the vehicles' value increases over the years and "because you get to liking them too much," but he re- cently sold a 1939 Ford. A Tucson resident since 1940 and a whole- sale car dealer since 1965, Cooke recently spent two weeks in Hershey, Pa., where he bought two metal fenders for his 1929 Model A roadster pickup. "When you are crazy about these cars, you'll do anything," he ex- plained. The owner of C&C Auto Sales, Cooke has stopped taking his cars to shows because it takes him too long to make them present- able. Trophies his cars won at such shows are lined on a table in his office. "There's nothing more rewarding than taking care of an old Ford. New cars are self-destrutive units that won't go on inde- finitely, like old cars. I own some cars that have 200,0.00 miies or more on them," he said. "Nothing's outdated around here." When he leaves the garage, however, he doesn't ride within automotive history. Cooke drives a 1978 Bronco -- a Ford, of course. SECTION G --® PAGE SEVEN PAGE Two -- SECTION G THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR TUCSON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1978 Forditude The Model T fire engine he's inspecting at right is one of Bob Cooke's favorites among the 30 time- worn Fords that fill a warehouse at his South Tucson whole- sale car lot. Cooke's son, Gerry, restored the fire truck at age 14. Wearing his Ford jacket, belt buckle and cap, Cooke enjoys tin- kering with an impec- cably restored 1936 Ford, below. (Star photos by Ron Lon - den) By AL ARIAV The Arizona Daily Star The Madel T Ford, the sturdy little car that revolutionized the American lifestyle, is more th-in an automobile to Tucsonan Bob Cooke — it's a story of ingenuity and indus- trial succe's• The l()w-priced car produced oil America's first automotive assembly lines has played a prominent part in the life of Cooke, a vintage car expert whose sur- roundings resemble a turn -of -the -century factory. Ever siriee he drove to high school in his 1934 Ford pickup truck, Cooke has been af- fected by Ford's innovation. Today, at 50, he is an antique -Ford fanatic who'll travel cross-country to locate a fender for a Model A roadster; one of the vehicles in the parade of three-quarters of a century's worth of Ford cars he owns. Cooke claims to have Arizona's biggest collection of time -worn Fords, about 30. Half are stored at his house, the rest in a garage at his South Tucson wholesale car lot. The cars are in mint condition and most can take to the road any time. They're all Fords. In Cooke's office hangs a certificate signed by Henry Ford II, chairman of the board of the Ford Motor Co. and a grandson of the than who began his career in a cov- ered wagon factory. Model A's, Model T's, roadsters, fire trucks, coupes, pickups — Cooke's life is saturated with Fords — "the best cars on the road," he calls them. Cooke was born in the year that the Ford Motor Co. came out with the second Model A. That car was created after dealers, fac- ing stiff competition from an upstart outfit called General Motors, demanded a new automobile. Cooke has three Model A's, one of which belongs to Tucson Ford dealer Jim Click. Cooke, who wears a belt buckle with the Ford emblem, owns Fords from 1903 to 1956, the year "they just stopped making them as good," he said. But he quickly adds, "Fords are still the best on the road." Drexel fire chiefflying hoping sparks will stop The new chief of the Drexel Heights Fire District, embroiled in several controversies since he took office this month, says the department's efficiency "will rise quickly" as soon as the turmoil subsides. Charles R. Young, 53, replaced Herschel' S. Catlin, 52, in an election last month as fire chief of the 18 -square -mile district. Heading a force of 10 paid employees and 25 volun- teers, Young has faced a series of problems involving apparent factionalism and vandal- ism since he took over Nov. 9. The feud between supporters of each man intensified after a recall election in July, in which Catlin bested Young by 16 votes. But in October's regular election, Young won by 33 votes, 131-98. After the last election, Catlin, the dis- trict's fire chief the past two years and its volunteer chief during the 1960s, accused Young's supporters of casting fraudulent votes. The Young faction charged that Cat- lin had rigged the election. Some Drexel Heights residents contended the election was irregular at best and possibly illegal. Despite vocal opposition, the county Board of Supervisors certified the election results. Catlin sued in Superior Court. Ani- mosity between the two cliques grew. Superior Court Judge Jack Arnold upheld the election of Young, and the Tucson resi- dent since 1951 became the new chief. "But the problems only began then," . Young said. Vandalism has been increasing at the de- partment in recent weeks, and both sides, although careful not to blame each other, deny any involvement. All four tires on Young's emergency - equipped pickup truck were slashed re- cently, nearly keeping him from responding to a fire call. A $75 tarpaulin was stolen from the firehouse at 5960 S. Cardinal Ave. Two fire hoses valued at a total of $150 were slashed. A number of false alarms have been received, Young said. "I didn't have anything to do with it and I don't know who did," said Catlin, unem- ployed since the election. "My supporters would never slash anyone's tires." TUCSON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1975 "I am not blaming anyone for stealing and slashing tires," Young said, adding that the Pima County Sheriff's Department is investigating. Young's dismissal of three men, includ- ing two sons of Catlin, from the department has also disturbed Catlin. He called the fir- ings "uncalled for," saying they were con- nected to the long-running battle. Young admitted firing Larry Catlin, a volunteer, Ron Catlin, a paid engineer for the department; and firefighter Anthony C. Ball, hired by and a supporter of Catlin. One department employee who was fired by Catlin was rehired by Young recently. Jeff Desmarais, the department's public in- formation officer, said Catlin fired him in May without granting him a hearing. "The morale around the office is better now," Young said. " We all get along." Young's wife, Alice, has been working as the fire district's clerk since the election. Young said he is paying her with his own money, but plans to request a full-time, dis- trict -paid clerk in his next budget. THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR In his South Tucson garage, Cooke keeps a 1915 Ford express wagon, which he found abandoned in a mine shaft near the Mexican border. The wagon is in impeccable shape because Cooke worked on it. His son, Gerry, 20, a partner in the car hobby, restored a Model T fire engine at age 14, Cooke said with a lofty smile. The fire engine, with its solid copper, hand -hammered water tank and rigid rub- ber tires, used to belong to the fire depart- ment in Shasta, Calif. Made by American LaFrance Fire Engine Co. in this country, it "was bought (from the fire department) by a prop man at Warner Brothers," Cooke said. "He rented it to a movie studio because he had no idea how to drive it. About seven years ago, he traded it in here for a new Chevy pickup. What a deal I grit." Other cars Cooke likes to rave about are his 1911 Model T speedster, which can go 90 mph, a 1915 yellow touring car (a Grand National showcar) and a 1933 coupe. The pipe -puffing Cooke said all his cars are from Ford's "good years, when Ford really put a lot into quality work." Cooke said he doesn't like to sell his showpieces, simply because the vehicles' value increases over the years and "because you get to liking them too much," but he re- cently sold a 1939 Ford. A Tucson resident since 1940 and a whole- sale car dealer since 1965, Cooke recently spent two weeks in Hershey, Pa., where he bought two metal fenders for his 1929 Model A roadster pickup. "When you are crazy about these cars, you'll do anything," he ex- plained. The owner of C&C Auto Sales, Cooke has stopped taking his cars to shows because it takes him too long to make them present- able. Trophies his cars won at such shows are lined on a table in his office. "There's nothing more rewarding than taking care of an old Ford. New cars are self-destrutive units that won't go on inde- finitely, like old cars. I own some cars that have 200,0.00 miies or more on them," he said. "Nothing's outdated around here." When he leaves the garage, however, he doesn't ride within automotive history. Cooke drives a 1978 Bronco -- a Ford, of course. SECTION G --® PAGE SEVEN • � � . � . � � � � ` � � - .......... � � � _ � � � � � '�t � * � Y R � � ♦ + E ��I �r. � � �` � � � � +' O' Y �` dR �t i� i; �r '� .i Ii 1� ! !i li � � e. . "smiling cats" cards. To most people a postcard is something you send friends Spurgiesz says some specialists look exclusively for s tsuilaer aims Gas foolishness burns author- u for annexation T By SHERRY STERN The Arizona Daily Star Robert Sikorsky drives a fully equipped Lincoln Continental Mark IV — but don't accuse him of owning a gas guzzler. He says his luxury automobile averages 20 miles per gallon. Sikorsky, 42, is a man who has devoted his adult life to gasoline conservation, first as a consultant to major oil companies and now as the author of a book entitled "How to Get More Miles per Gallon." The $2.95 paperback is already available in some local bookstores, although its offi- cial publication date is Sunday. On Sunday, Sikorsky begins a two-week tour of the talk - show circuit to plug the book. The book tells how, by altering driving techniques and making some minor engine adjustments, drivers can increase their gas mileage by about 50 percent. The book isn't aimed just toward those who care about saving gas — it also talks about saving money. If gas costs 60 cents a gallon, a car that averages 12 miles per gallon will cost $500 in fuel bills to drive 10,000 miles. When consumption becomes 20 miles per gallon, fuel costs will drop to $300, the book says. Sikorsky, who has lived in Tucson off and on for 20 years and now resides at 2472 N. Highland Ave., says, "People think it's a book that's meant for a mechanic. It's not. It's a book for every driver. "A lot of people don't believe it, but we've had 100 percent increases in mileage ... it can be done. It's up to the person and how far you go." He said a car's most critical gas -usage time is whenever the engine is cold, usually after sitting for eight hours or more. Many people just turn the key and drive aw4y at normal acceleration, while others let the engine idle for a minute or two before pulling out. Sikorsky said both methods are wrong. The most economical way to start a cold engine is to turn it on and drive immedi- ately, staying at a .slow speed for the first mile or two. Sikorsky said with this method, the engine will warm faster and lubricate more efficiently. "It's so critical. That minute is such a critical time," he said, pointing out that the method also cuts down on engine wear. (If the car stalls under those conditions, then it's not running properly, he said.) A way to improve gas mileage during city driving is to staytetween 35 and 40 miles an ■ ■ Ina widening At a meeting in April, northside residents voiced several complaints about the pro- posed widening of Ina Road —and wondered if their objections would change anything. Since that meeting, the Pima County Highway Department has recommended three changes in response. Those changes will be discussed at a meeting Tuesday night. There, the highway department will learn if the proposals will placate -the residents, many of whom were against any plan to widen the two-lane road to two lanes in each direction and a center lane for left turns. John Bernal, a highway department planner, said the three changes will increase the cost of the project by about $140,000 to a total of $2 million. Ninety-one percent of the funding will come from the federal govern- ment; Pima County will supply the rest. The most costly change would be instal - "We're obviously interested in being in- tegrated into the community," he said. "The county would look at it in a completely dif- O - . ferent context." r , , Stubbs asked the council, of which only Star photo by Benne Sanders Robert Sikorsky and his book: `It can be done' hour whenever possible, Sikorsky said, be- cause that speed range uses the least gaso- line. The trip to the gas station is also impor- tant to the conservation -minded driver, Si- korsky said. He said the most relevant fac- tor in gas buying is the octane level. The octane ratings at self -serve stations in Tuc- son range from 87.5 to 90, and drivers should buy the lowest octane that gives smooth performance, the book says. Major oil com- panies' gas is usually 89 octane, he said. The book provides, mostly inexpensive tricks and hints galore, such as how cars can get 30 to 100 miles a gallon under emergency conditions by using extreme methods like coasting. Sikorsky's book is a spinoff from an ear- lier work of his, a pamphlet sold locally after the 1974 energy crisis called "Every Driver's Guide to More Miles per Gallon." About 5,000 copies were sold. Early this year, a publisher approached plan altered lation of a curbed, landscaped median down Ina, extending one mile west of Oracle Road. The original plans called for a center left -turn lane, but the residents said that would divide the neighborhood. The cost of the median would be $70,000, Bernal said. The second change would be installation of special crosswalks at the Oracle Road and Paseo del Norte intersections to im- prove the beauty of the area, Bernal said. The crosswalks, which cost $6,000 each, would be patterned after those used in Scottsdale, which look as if they were made of brick. The third change is for a traffic signal to be installed at Paseo del Norte at a cost of $25,000 to $30,000. Bernal said the intent is to make the street safer for schoolchildren. The meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Cross Junior High School, 1000 W. Chapala Drive. him and asked him to update the pamphlet for national distribution. Sikorsky did so with the help of the U.S. Department of Energy, which pointed out that a few things the pamphlet recommended were unsafe. The energy department has assured Si- korsky of at least 4,000 sales of the book. It was chosen to be the text for a pilot energy conservation course to be taught to that many government employees iti Las Vegas. Sikorsky is quite excited that an ekcerpt from the book will appear in the December issue of Reader's Digest. Last month- a sec- tion appeared in the National Enquirer. The dedication of Sikorsky's book makes it obvious that he believes there is an Energy shortage. It says: "For my son Kyle, and all the children of his generation, with the hope that we have the foresight to conserve fuel today so they may know the pleasure and responsibilty of driving a car in the fu- ture." three members were present, to get back with him in a couple of weeks after studying his engineering reports to discuss their feel- ings on the development and the necessary annexation and rezoning. At Tuesday night's meeting the council also heard several residents who live along Linda Vista Boulevard say they don't want to be part of an improvement district to pave streets in Oro Valley Estates West. Councilman James D. Kriegh said sev- eral Linda Vista residents had expressed their desire earlier to join the improvement district, but only opponents spoke at the public hearing. Mayor E.S. "Steve" Engle said there would be economic benefits in doing the work now, as regional pollution control ef- forts might make future paving inevitable. But most residents who spoke disagreed. They said that area contractors are al- ready overworked, that the change could disrupt their rural setting and that in- creased traffic might result. The council postponed setting boundaries for the improvement district until all mem- bers are present at next month's regular meeting. John R. Newman and James Pe- terson were absent Tuesday. PAGE SIX -- SECTION G THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR TUCSON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1978 TUCSON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23,1978" Rarities ® These four post- cards bearing post- marks frorn the post offices they depict are the cream of Stan Spurgiesz's crop, and a bumper crop it is. In 15 years he has collected about 50,000 post- cards. (Star photo by Ron Londen) Hobbyist find,s beauty in the. ail By MICHAEL SMITH of cats, but none of 'em smiling." His collection sports two The Arizona Daily Star "smiling cats" cards. To most people a postcard is something you send friends Spurgiesz says some specialists look exclusively for when you're on vacation, cards from certain locales. That style of grouping shows up To Stan Spurgiesz it's a treasure. in his many cards tracing Arizona and Tucson through He must be a rich man, then, for his den is crammed Territorial days. Others look for holiday cards, or disaster cards (like his plethora of train wrecks), or just old cards. with shoeboxes and albums stuffed with postcards — 50,000 that when the 500 -student postcards, he estimates. Some that date to the turn of the century are part of He has embossed ones, linen ones, wooden ones, alumi- Spurgiesz's collection of foreign embossed cards. He also has some of the "white border" and linen cards that fol - num ones. He has serious ones and funny ones, colorful ones lowed, but they don't match the -first ones, he says. "Most of and drab ones. He has some adorned with ribbons and your good cards were made in Austria and Germany," trinkets and others not decorated at all. Spurgiesz says. "But World War I put an end to that" when The burly Brooklyn native started collecting postcards most of the production plants were leveled, he explains. after he came to Tucson as a domestic caretaker in 1958. Now all cards are chrome prints and usually simple Spurgiesz is now semi -retired and lives near East Pima photographs, Spurgiesz says, showing obvious preference Street and North Country Club Road with his wife and their for the artwork of old. "Look at the color ... the expression daughter. on the faces," he says of the early cards. "There's nothing They've caught the postcard fever, too, he says. like that today." "My daughter collects only Statue of Liberty cards," he You won't find Spurgiesz at the lodal dime stores flip - says. Her name is Liberty. And his wife, Pauline, now has ping through the saguaro -covered "Hi from Tucson" post - the habit, too. Her specialty is bird cards. cards. Instead, he wanders through dusty antique shops or each additional 1,000 gal - swap meets or hobby shops looking for something he doesn't Spurgiesz's favorites are cards with photographs of post have. He also keeps in touch with other collectors across offices that have been postmarked at that office. "That's my the nation and buys cards offered by auctioneers through the big challenge," he says. "In about 15 years I don't think I've mail. found 200 cards like that." Card hunting is getting harder, though, "as more and Although his collection contains myriad categories, more people are getting into the hobby," Spurgiesz says. It's one -style collectors such as his wife and daughter are be- also getting more expensive. "When I first started you could coming more common, Spurgiesz says. "It's a big field, so buy a whole shoebox-full for three or four dollars," he°says. you can specialize in a lot of areas." "Now you maybe get one card for that." Like hand -embroidered cards, or "squeeze cards" (which chirp, squeek or whistle when pinched), or religious cards, or military cards. Maybe you'd prefer baseball cards, or boat cards, or animal cards. Spurgiesz has plenty of those, but even animal cards can be further categorized, he says. "To find cats smiling is another unusual thing," he says. "There are a lot i`leaders• i-1 or neighbogrout Residents of the area west of the University of Arizona have passed bylaws and elected officers to the newly formed West University Neighborhood Association. About 80 people signed up to become members of the organization at a meeting Sunday, said Carol Dorsey, who was elected president. The membership fee is $2 per adult. Other officers elected were Ray Roberts, vice presi- dent; Betsy Snell, secretary; David Goff, treasurer, and Linda Laird, historian. Ten persons were elected members of a neighborhood council. The purpose of the association is "to maintain the quality residential nature of the neighborhood," Dorsey said. She added that the members are "interested in pursu- ing historical status for some of the buildings in the area." The association's boundaries are North Stone and North Park avenues, East Sixth Street and East Speedway. THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR vatal'ina board asks cost of add'ing t00%, new, school The Catalina Foothills at North Campbell Avenue School Board is awaiting a and East Manzanita Street. cost estimate* for adding two classrooms to the district's Northwest water new elementary school. rate hike granted The board had been told by district administrators The Rancho del Conejo that when the 500 -student Water Community Coopera- school opens next Septem- tive has been granted a rate ber, it will already be over- increase by the Arizona crowded by 75 students. Corporation Commission for its 58 customers north - The school board author- west of Tucson. ized the architect last week The commission a p - to draw up plans for two proved an increase to $8.50 classrooms. The plans will for the first 3,000 gallons and be taken to the contractor 75 cents for each additional for an estimate, then the 1,000 gallons, beginning with board will decide if the price December usage. The cur - is reasonable, said Superin- rent rate is $6 for the first 2,000 gallons and 50 cents for tendent John Eikenberry. each additional 1,000 gal - The school is being built lons. SECTION G PAGE THREE Concentration— On . cold days, seventh -grader (Nike Hyde, above, gets some extra privacy from his winter jacket while reading on his way to class. But for students at Am- phitheater Junior High, between classes isn't the only' time to catch up -on a good book. All students, like- Kathy Wilson, right, read for 20 minutes every morning under a program called SSR --- Silent Sustained Reading. North ` �g Neighbors ...... No 4 F. Daily 20— Amphitheater Ju- nior High Principal Don Scott says SSR is for "recreational reading," which means that kids like Benjie Atkinson, center, and Huda Buali, absorbed at left in Arabic literature, can and do read any material they want. It's not just the students who take part for 20 minutes a day; communicative arts teacher Skip Sapp, below, takes time to read even though he has no class during SSR. Star photos by Benjie Sanders ------------ mad about reading Am P hi S J m By SHERRY STERN The Arizona Daily Star Don't try calling Amphitheater Junior High School between 9:25 and 9:45 any morning. Don't try talking to the women in the front office. Don't bother the principal; don't disturb teachers whether they're to class or not. Don't even walk into classes. For 9:25 is the beginning of a special time — a time for reading and nothing else. It's time for SSR (Silent Sustained Reading), and ev- one in the school takes part ery "I didn't used to a read a lot. Now I've started reading," says 14- year-old Bryan Coplan. "Now I read after school, after football practice, at home and when there's nothing good on television." Eighth -grader Grant Sheffield says, "I think it's a good time for people to read their books because you don't get much time to read during class." Most of the school's 760 pupils would probably agree, whether they previously disliked reading, like Byran, or have always loved it, like Grant. Principal Don Scott says, "The objec- tive is to instill the love and habit of read- ing. It's been very successful." Scott initiated the program in late spring last year after hearing of a similar one in Pennsylvania. Cartoon on classroom wall reinforces theme "We ask them to read material of their choosing. It's recreational reading," he said. So it's not unusual to see a comic book or a Mad Magazine among the paperbacks, although books are the most popular by far. Scott said, "It's so new that we really can't document any achievement. The only real hard and fast proof is increased circu- lation in the library. "You see students and teachers carry- ing books around to read when they have a spare moment." The program is popular with the teach- ers, who have been asked not to use the time for such things as grading papers. They read, too, often sampling some of the junior high books so they can suggest goad ones to students. - nil ° d h 's Teacher Rene vV ner sat s e found another nice, feature of the program. "It's not like a fight. For some reason you (ton't have to say, `You read' and `you read' and `you read.' Kids don't Foof around. They just do it. In fact 9 they complain when it's over. "It's a neat ft -tiling for me be- cause it's one of th(l few times when kids are cooperating because they want to cooperate." Naturally, not every kid loves it. Some say they are bored by it. But the teachers say many are like Mar- tin Moreno, who said, "I never like to read. I think it's boring" -- but then admitted to having enjoyed "Old Yeller," which he read in SSR. There's also -the lukewarm response of students like Mike Evanchak, who said, "Ehhhh ... you have to be quiet for 15 or 20 minutes. I guess it's okay." He also admit- ted to having just finished a good. book in SSR. The real success of the program is shown in the kids who never read before SSR. Eighth -grader Susan Ward said, "I never liked to read before. In the first grade I didn't learn to read. Last year I started to read and now I like it. I read at home now." D.J. Ioane, also in the eighth grade and also a former non-reader, said, "You get involved in a book and you take it home. Twenty minutes a day is pretty cool." ��A