Rafferty readies for censorship fightDr. Max Rafferty squared off for

a news censorship (“dict showdown with the State Board of Education today after charging that three spec­ters—political commissars, financial starvation, and teachers’ unions— threaten California’s schools.

Lafferty, speaking at the 1964 con­ference of the California Association of Public School Business Officials in the Civic Auditorium yesterday, said politicians are making an historic at­tempt to wrest control of state schools from educators.

Their “ cynical attempt,” he said. is part of a more ambitious objective —to abolish local self government in California.

Rafferty, under fire for an allegedattempt to police information flowing from the State Department of Edu­cation. didn’t mention the so-called “ news gag rule” in his talk. But United Press International reported that Rafferty’s controversial mem­orandum will come under discussion w hen the superintendent of public in­

struction meets with board mem­bers at I a i s Angeles today.

“ For the first time in California history the long intruding nose of politics is dipping into education,” Rafferty told Bakersfield conference delegates yesterday. ^Educators are being required to give political solu­tions to school problems.

“Abolishing local government inCalifornia would be next if these Statism advocates had their way— tile principle is the same as a merger of education. What you’re seeing is a well planned and cyni­cal attempt to abolish all local self­government. Education is the battle­ground for Statism because it’s ex­pensive and therefore vulnerable.’’

What California schools need. he said. is more state money, and Jess state control. He told delegates not to worry about increased state con­trol if the schools get more state aid. “ It s been more control and less aid up to now,” he said.

He said California schools need

“ quick state money this year — a massive bi fusion of money.

“ I know some school districts will bankrupt without emergency aid,” lie said. “ The county-wide tax plan is a mirage — what we need is state money.”

California, he said, has got to over­haul its methods of financing public education. “ Needy school districts should get state money,” he said. “ Right now w e’re supporting the M il­ler B ill which I call the most power­ful school financial reform bill iii years. The archaic property tax sys­tem has outlived its usefulness. We’ve got to work out new methods of financing schools or face disaster.”

Rafferty said public apathy hassapped California education for 30years.

“ Parents shouldn't let politicians take their schools over and gain partisan advantage from their chil­dren.” he said. “ It ’s time people got up on their hind legs and told these politicians what they want.”

Apparently referring to the Unruh Bill, he said: “ The first attempt to wrest control from local school dis­tricts failed because school districts which would have been wiped out fought back. But Statism backers have shifted tactics since then.”

He assailed the argument thatschool district centralization saves money. “ Increasing the sheer size of government never saved a nickel.” he said. “ I ’m all for voluntary uni­fication of school districts with voters having the final say in elections. But I don’t want any Sacramento ‘Big Brother’ to have that same say.”

Turning to teachers’ unions, Raf­ferty said they’re tearing down the image of educators as professional men.

“ For years we’ve been trying to get education in tho same league with medicine, law, and the minis­try.” he said. “ But ̂ we’re tearing this image down fast. In New York teachers go on strike when they feel

see Rafferty—page 20

RAFFERTY'S THREE SPECTERS—

— Californian Photo?

political commissars financial starvation teachers' unions

Sen. Scott should report on money; see editorial page

LOCAL SECTION

Dear Mr. Day: By thetime you receive this the Alaska ’quake will be old news; however, it will still be very vivid and real to Alaskans. Let me say here, Alaskans are a very special and hardy people ami will bounce back.

Yesterday and today wehave received letters from relatives and friends in Bak­ersfield. There are so many people I would like to write to at this time. I thought jou might help me by print­ing an open letter to our friends in Kern County. My husband, Milton Norton, chil­dren Mike, 6. and Yvonne. 3, ale safe and well.

On the evening of March 27. the children and I re­turned from grocery shop­ping about 3: IU. I immedi­ately put a moose roast in the pressure cooker and lo eggs on to boil for Easter eggs. Milt came home about 5:20, changed his clothes and walked into the kitchen. Mike was iii the back yard getting ready to harness his sled dog.

Anchorage has tremorsfrom time it) time as Bak­ersfield does, so we didn’t pay much attention when weirst urned •teppe v Ii o ll lain cc

the tremors

The spectacular "Marim bas" are scheduled to perform for the Trade Club of Greater Bakersfield next Wednes­day night when Traders entertain visiting dignitaries from Bakersfield's sister city, Wakayam a, Japan. Tickets are one sale to sponsors and committeemen, this week only, at the Chamber of Commerce office, FA 7-4421.

City building water data, realtors told

the stove off, and into the doorway,

dishes and lamps crashing.

B y ibis time ii was more than a little tremor it was heaving ami rolling. Milt was holding Yvonne who was crying. I was afraid a tree would fall on Mike. .lust about that time a crack attorn tour inches wide ap­peared- ai the far end of the back yard and ran just like a snake toward the house, coining within a few inches of M ikes feet. When this crack hit the house we dis­covered, later, it separated the wall from tile foundation about two inches. That gave us quite a jolt.

I saw the cement floor ofthe carport separate from the house as I was stand­ing and holding on to the doorway looking out. When ii started to dissipate Milt told me to get the car keys and coats. He took Yvonne out I made it out with keys and coats. Lot the children and a neieldior w it Ii her baby and three other children in the car. Milt told its to get to tho other side of the block.

H r started yelling forr \ p i ' our to go to the other side of th(> block, the next street o\cr when he saw the houses on the street toward the inlet falling over the bluff.

As I looked over my shoul­der I saw a neighbor’s house across the street crumble and fall.

We parked on the next street. There were 75 or IOO people parked or standing on that block. More cracks. of the two-inch variety opened ruining across the street. It appeared to keep shaking for 20 or 30 minutes. The sound I remember was

s e c Pipefuls— page 20

T’he City of Bakersfield will take a stand on controversial water issues involving the Kern

| County Water Agency before public hearings are begun oui

I proposed zone of benefit taxes during June.

Al Noland Jr .. Bakersfield ;city manager, told a Bakersfield Realty Board meeting yesterday that the city’s position will be outlined by the city council. The city, lie said, would take an in­dependent position, if necessary, relative to the agency's water pricing policies and benefit tax.1

j Noland told the realtors the city's newest department, a wa­ter research agency, is develop­ing information concerning the water picture. The council will evaluate the data before outlin-

! big its position as concerns the agency's policies.

William Horsley, director ofthe city's water department, told the group he has been on the job sev en days, taking of­fice April I. The department’s

(primary function during the I next few months w ill be lo pre­pare water information for the Council

The department also will at­tempt to explore the possibility; of water rights the city may, or] may not. have on the Kern River. The city also is faced with tile question of how water from the F R P will be trans­ported from the West Side to the metropolitan Bakersfield! area and how it will be treated1 and distributed, he added.

The department also will in­vestigate the possibility of a fu­ture water source for the city through the federal govern­ment’s East Side Project, he

I said. This project, he added, is some 20 years in the future, but

j attempts will be made lo e s t i ­mate water .costs from thi-

I source.

Horsley said the city shouldbe .concerned with proposed fed­eral legislation affecting water sources in Western states, par­ticularly, in mountain areas. There is a ]>ossibility, he added, that some of these sources could be “ dried up” as a result of the legislation. Another federal bill would help agriculturalareas with the financing of

see water data—page 40

Midnight is deadline for registering for June vote

This i,-' the last day to register ii you want to vote in the June 2 direct primary election.

The Kern County elections of­fice iii tile Civic Center will re-

jmain open until midnight to ac­cept last-minute registrations.

At the latest count, 105.635J Kern residents had registered. This is well below the estimated lot),OLK) potential voters, accord­ing to County Clerk Vera Gib­son.

Those not registered should doso if they will be 21 years of age by June 2 election day, a California resident for one year, and in the county for 9ft ♦ days prior to the election.

Voters should reregister if

tho\ have moved from one pre­cinct to another within Kern County, or if they failed to vote in the 1902 general election—or if they wish to change party af­filiation.

Voters who were registered and voted in lite 1962 general election and have not changed their address need not reregis­ter.

Members of the League ofWomen Voters are agisting the county clerk’s office by register­ing voters in the Civie Center lobby.

Voters may also register at 'any Bakersfield city or county fire station or with any of the registration deputies appointed

i throughout I he conn tv.

The Kern River runoff j during the April-Julv pe-| rind will be about 45 per. cent of normal, a consid­erable improvement in the! forecast made more than ti month ago.

The new forecast for UK).OOO acre-feet of water; from the river was made today after the April snow sur­vey in the Kern watershed showed late March and early April snowstorms had deepened the snow pack at almost a l l1 stations. In March, the forecast' was estimated at 170,000 acre feet runoff or about 3S per cen! of normal.

While the 190,000 acre feetwill boost the water supply for Kern River water users, they will still be shorted, as normally i

the runoff is 460,000 acre feet based on a 65-year average. In a good water year on the plus I side, such as 1958, the run-off1 amounted to 831.740 acre feet.

The California Department of W ater Resources in its report on the April snow survey in other sections of the Central Valley said the runoff would be about 50 per cent of normal.

At Round Meadow, the April I snow survey for the Kern River water shed showed a snow i depth of 64.5 inches with a wa­ter content of 15 inches while the normal water content is 26.3 inches. Round Meadow is at the 9,000 loot elevation.

At Tyndall Creek at 10,050: feet elevation, the snow packj was 24.7 inches with a water; content of 4.8 inches as oorn-

see water—page to

Mother gets jail term on j morals count

Mrs. Norma Jo Kroker, 45, convicted of contributing to the delinquency of her 12-year-old twin children, was sentenced to a year in the county jail yes­terday by Municipal C o u r t Judge Walter Osborn.

Mrs. Kroker s co-defendant and her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Georgia Bra Daves, 22, was present ai the probation hearing yesterday, and was one of sev­eral witnesses called to testify that nothing improper took place between the two women — they were originally charged with a felony, committing “ c r i m e s against nature.”

Mrs. Daves is scheduled for a probation hearing before Os­born April 22.

Despite the number of wit­nesses testifying in Mrs. Kroe-

|ker’s behalf yesterday, Osbo n noted the probation report car­ried a great deal of conflicting testimony and “ I quite frankly think these things occurred. . . . I hereby sentence Norma Kroe- ker to one year in jail, and probation is hereby denied.

“ She begins her sentence right now.”

Scrap yard wins overobjections

The city planning com­mission last night ap­proved a resolution recom­mending the city council grant ti permit to the Sierra Iron and Metal Works for a scrap metal and iron yard operation near the intersection of Brundage Lane and Lake­view Avenue.

The council will act on th e recommendation at its regular meeting Monday night.

—Californian Photo

"It 's something you can't very well miss," declared Bill Brady, left, chairman of the annual golf tournament of the Bakersfield Insurance Board to begin at 8 a.m. April 22 at the Stockdale Country Club. Ray Pierson, assistant pro at the club, gives Les Hack­ney, ticket chairman, tips on improving his game. The tournament will be followed by steak dinner and awards in the evening.

'Insurance issue' triggers mistrial in damage suits

The issue of insurance and in­surance carriers injected in testimony during a civil jury trial arising out of a car-truek accident resulted in a mistrial and a rescheduling of the case with a new jury in Kern County Superior Court.

Judge John D. Jelletich de­clared the mistrial during die second day of hearing of a suit brought by a trucking firm and a counter suit by a Bakersfield! man injured iii the traffic acci­dent, on south Highway 99 in1 September. 1961.

In the action. Valley MotorLines Inc. sought SI .900 for damages to its trucking equip­ment damaged when the rig crashed into the rear of an old- model pickup operated by Sera­phim Pourroy, 58, on Highway 99 a half-mile north of Bear Mountain Road.

Pourroy, in turn, filed suit seeking SI 10.0(H) for multiple in-

j Lines and its driver, Robert II.| Cleveland, as defendants in his cross complaint.

In his opening statement to! the jury after it was empaneled;

I Monday afternoon, attorney Rob­ert. E. King, representing the

•trucking firm, contended the! tail lights on Pourroy \s vehicle! were not operating when his'

c lien t’s truck came upon the slow-moving pickup.

King’s first witness, truckerI George Bentley of Sterling (Trucking Co., told the jury he j came upon the pickup a short

time prior to the accident. Hesaid lie observed “ something”just ahead of him in the right lane and by veering his heavy rig into the passing lane at the last moment, avoided crashing into the pickup. He said it was traveling at low speed, without tail lights and with dim head­lights.

Beni ley said he sounded his truck air horn a s a warning when he passed, then continued on to Greenfield where he stopped. He learned alioth die

soc mistrial—page 20

The commission recommenda­tions, which followed closely those of the city planning staff,included: H ie area be surround­ed by a 10-foot solid or wire mesh- fence with slats: that ma­terials not be stacked higher than the fence; and that there be no open burning.

Numerous o b j e c t i o n s wereaimed at the possibility of exten­sive burning operations to “ clean” the metal from such things as plastic, wood, rubber or insulation on wire.

The city’s zoning ordinance does not list scrap metal or junk yards as a specific use in heavy industrial areas. The planning department’s staff memorandum to the commission said the use was “ inadvertently” permitted and that the operators are de­veloping the site for the salvage material and its handling.

Curtis Darling, attorney for the operators, said the term “ junk yard does not apply to tile operation. It is a salvage metal depot, he insisted, and “ in no sense of the1 word is this a junk operation.”

Opponents, however, contin­ued to refer to the operation as a junk yard. Attorney Gabriel Solomon asked the commission not to permit a junk yard op­eration in just one section of the city. He said that if the com­mission determined the opera-

do-it-yourself project; difficulties atop a 10-foot utility!1*011 Lioukl 1,0 permitted in an Paul p °le near the front of his home ^ - zone, heavy industry, it

Novice electrician fails in 2nd 'do-it-yourself'Anothei

has fizzled for Francis Karleskint.

The 40-vear-old North Baketjuries suffered in the night-time field man drew public attention crash, naming Valley Motor March IS when he encountered

5 areas involved

70-mile speed zones scheduled on U.S. 99

at 106 McClean Ave.Though reluctant to discuss

I the reasons for being on the pole. Karleskint ultimately ad­mitted he had been attempting to reconnect the electrical power lines to his house which I had been disconnected by Pa ­cific Gas and Electric Co. ear­lier in the day.

H ip n ov i c e a t t em p t re su l t edin neat'-electrocution for Earle

I skint, who finally freed him­self. but required treatment by

j a private physician.Tuesday, Karleskint appeared

before Municipal Court Judge Marvin Ferguson and pleaded builty to a reduced charge of

Robert B. Bradford, admin- petty theft. Judge Ferguson set istrator of highway transporta-j his sentencing for April 27. don, said, “ Our experience with! Deputy Dist. Atty, Gerald

70-mile I these first five 70-mile zones Goodsell said Karleskint alleg-speed signs posted. The signs* will be a strong factor in our edly forged the signature “ Marywill be posted within two weeks, recommendations regarding fu- Johnson” to a 891 county wel-

ture extension of the higher fare check that was addressedThe other 70-mile speed areas, I speed limit.” to the McClean Street house.

as announced in Sacramento by the State Division of Highways, are a 27-mile stretch of U.S. 99 between Sacramento and Lodi and a 10-mile stretch of I ' S. 101 north of Santa Rosa.

An ll-mile stretch of U S | The new speed Highway 99 n e a r Bakersfield I miles over the re and a 25-mile stretch of th e highway south of Tulare will de­

limit zonescome 70-mile spee in about two weeks.

A 47-mile stretch of Inter­state 15 in tile desert area east of Bakersfield will be the first

(of the five freeway sections in I the state to have the

I permitted as an j in a bill passed by islature.

limit, pillar 65 ‘’experiment’'

the 1963 leg-

heavy industry, should then be allowed in all city M-2 zones.

Solomon asked that the peo­ple he represented not be pen­alized for a mistake not ut their own making. Residents in the

I area did not move alongside the industrial operations now in ex­istence. he declared. Industries moved into the area along side el the residences before zoning ordinances were developed, hr said. Moue night Solomon toldthe cit J < I the conditionsdeveloped • to the area’sbecoming t ot the city andwhile it w 'incorporated.

The ope t requires rail­road faci! a 70-foot truck scale and a .urge crane to pro­cess metal in huge, wholesale quantities, according to attorney Darling. He listed some of the neighboring industries as a ren­dering plant, cattle feed lot, a large cotton seed oil operation and a manure dump.

Sidney Greenfield, one of theThe state official warned that; Mrs. Johnson, who lived at partners in the scrap metal op-

California’s basic speed I aw, ] the house prior to Karleskint,, nation, said the firm does not which r e q u i r e s motorists tolls now living in the Northern I P^n to bury old car bodies. It drive no faster than conditions I California area and, apparently, I will Install a pit I O feet deep. render safe, still applied in thejfailed to notify welfare author!- feet long and I O lect wide, new zones. * ties of her change of address.; see scrap yard—page 20

BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1964 PAGES 19 TO 28

Mosters tourney opens in Augusta

see sports, page 23