75 years ago: 'Survival Under Atomic Attack' pamphlets still available

50 years ago Population 3,179 (U.S. Census 1960 and 1970) WPUSD: A demographic study of the Western Placer Unified School District as the initial element of a master plan for the district was approved by the board of trustees Monday evening. Retained to conduct the survey of population and enrollment trends is Vern Weber of Sacramento who, according to District Superintendent Orrin Hoffman, was recommended by the state department of education. Weber also has conducted similar surveys for the Roseville school districts. Weber told trustees he uses enrollment figures, housing surveys, information available from Placer County, population figures, national data on birth information for projecting kindergarten enrollment and various other methods evolved by himself to complete his study. "You will know exactly what's happening in your district for the next two to three years when the survey is finished," Weber told trustees. The demographer said his percent rate of accuracy "comes within one percent 80 percent of the time." He offered no long-range promises, but did say he would be able to offer a "glimpse into the future – 20 years ahead" when the study is completed. The cost to the district will be a minimum of $1,500 and a maximum of $2,000 depending on mileage, typing and reproduction expenses. The study would start Feb. 1 and would be completed by early March, Weber promised. Trustees authorized the study in a 3-1 vote with Trustee Dennis Wyatt voting no and Trustee Stanley Nader absent. The board authorized Hoffman at an earlier meeting to obtain estimates on studies leading to building master plan preparation. 75 years ago Population 2,410 (U.S. Census 1940 and 1950) Rate increase: Beginning Feb. 1, residents of Lincoln can look forward to a raise of 150 percent in their water bills as a result of action taken by the City Council last Tuesday evening. The raise came on the heels of the election, which saw the voters of the city turn down proposed improvement or replacement of a water system, sewage plant and storm sewers. Rates for private residences will be $5.00 beginning the first of next month with rates for businesses and other buildings raised proportionately. This is the highest the water rates have been in the modern history of Lincoln. The City Council voted for the change as an emergency measure to protect the water supply of the city. The money obtained, according to Mayor Hughes, will be used to replace pipe in the old line where it is needed. At the Tuesday meeting, it was also voted to again submit the sewage disposal plant at a special election early in March, this time on a sale of revenue bond basis. It was disclosed that on the sewage disposal plant there is approximately $19,000 available to the city for this project from the state when the city can show it has a like amount to use for this particular project. It is quite probable, Mayor Hughes stated, that if the town does not avail itself of these funds shortly, the money will be reallocated to some other city or purpose. The possibility of submitting the water system to vote again, possibly in July, was also discussed. At the request of the city employees, a petition was submitted to the Director of Finance asking that all city employees be covered by Social Security. The Water Committee was instructed to hold a meeting Tuesday evening, Jan. 23, to adjust the water rates on commercial buildings. Survey: The county industrial survey, which has been underway for the past few weeks, made its first direct contact with Lincoln this week. Stuart Walsh of San Francisco, survey director, and an assistant conducted a frank survey of Lincoln's present condition, its potentialities and its drawbacks. The survey has one purpose in mind, that of discovering just what the conditions of Placer County are with regard to any industrial invasion which might be made by outside interests. The general county picture is to be studied and each individual town will have its own survey. The picture of Lincoln painted at the Tuesday evening meeting was rather interesting. An outside business man present at the meeting pointed out that Lincoln has outstanding potentialities for growth, both industrial and residential. His statements found fertile ground for reflection in that his viewpoint was unprejudiced by the local problems which create obstacles to clear thinking among many of our citizens. It is true that the meeting also brought out the fact that our water and sewerage systems are a hinderance to our growth, that finances for residential construction are not readily available, that our schools are short on classroom space, and that Lincoln is a one-industry town. It would appear from the factors brought out Tuesday evening that the good points about offset the bad, to the point of stalemate. Lacking, seemingly, is a local live-wire group, capable of capitalizing on our assets, so that they would outweigh our disadvantages. And that was the crucial point uncovered during the evening. Lincoln has no active group capable of taking over the leadership of Lincoln promotion. Everything that is done to promote Lincoln is done by individual groups and none of them carry enough weight to do good. Our only group set up for the express purpose of promoting Lincoln is the Chamber of Commerce, which has been inactive for the past several months. The idea was suggested Tuesday evening of organizing a new group under another name, possibly the Business Men's Association. Such a group would have as its primary purpose that of receiving the survey report when it is made in about 30 days. An even more important duty then would be the follow-up of the ideas presented by the survey report. The survey will be of little or no value to Lincoln unless there is such a group. The fact is, of course, that Lincoln has needed such a group all along. We hope this will be the incentive needed to see that such group is organized. Atomic survival: The Placer County Disaster Council reports that it has on hand a limited number of the government pamphlet "Survival Under Atomic Attack." These pamphlets are available to the people in the rural areas if they will write, apply in person or phone. Those people in the municipalities would apply to their local councils. Volunteer sign-up cards are available or they can be obtained through your local Red Cross representative. Every person willing to volunteer for Civil Defense is urged to sign up immediately. 100 years ago Population 1,324 (U.S. Census 1900, 1910 and 1920) Prohibition: America's oncoming generation will be a "race of confirmed drunkards" unless congress liberalizes the Volstead prohibition enforcement law, says Mrs. Florence Kahn, California Republican Congresswoman. Mrs. Kahn said only the legalizing of beer and light wines will remedy the condition and pull America's youth from its floundering in poisonous alcoholic despond. "The real menace of the youth today," Mrs. Kahn declared, "is the hip pocket flask. Prohibition has caused it, and is not the cure for it. By permitting the sale of beer and wines we will soon find the condition of the youth on a much higher plane. "Take away the inhibition," she contends, "and you will find that the youth will stop drinking." More than 90 percent of the young folks carry flasks and drink because they think it is "smart," Mrs. Kahn believes. They all do it in a braggadocio way. If the condition continues, nobody can say where the oncoming generation will wind up. The modification of the dry law, Mrs. Kahn believes, would cause a speedy return to the pre-prohibition days when a "drink wasn't an orgy," and without the saloon. "There would be no hip pocket flasks or drinking at parties. In the days before prohibition, when champagne was served at parties, the ladies seldom drank it. They would usually give their glasses, and you only got one glass in those days, to their male escorts. A boy who became drunk at a party was never invited again. "But nobody knows what's in the stuff that is sold today. The only way to improve the youth, the backbone of the nation, is to permit beer and wine to be sold." Thank you for reading! MBO