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Show CLIFF MEMMOTT, Ediior NEW TELEPHONE SERVICE FOR UINTAH BASIN COMMUNITIES .... Last Monday marked another great day in the history of the Uintah Basin when approximately 900 rural farm and ranch homes realized a dream come true when they could converse with their neighbors several miles away by telephone. . . It was "Cut-Over" day for the Uintah Basin Telephone Association. It was nearly five years ago when the idea of rural telephones first was born, and since that time, through the efforts of men with vision and the will to' achieve, who. would not become discouraged, the project is nearing completion. com-pletion. . . Three of the exchanges have literally been cut-over cut-over and the people are using their phones, and by approx-' approx-' imately July 1st, the other four will be connected up with the newest telephone system in America. At the Monday ceremonies encouragement was given the farmer to "keep the faith and not become1 discouraged at the reverses that have plagued him the past few months faith and works will be he winner," one speaker said. Considerable progress had been made on the rural telephone tele-phone project when I came to the Basin in the fall of 1950 . . . However, it has been my pleasure to watch the earnest efforts of E. Floyd Ross and his able board of directors, who kept plugging and working to get a loan application approved Then later bids let and contracts awarded. . . This newspaper is happy that it has been able to offer some assistance in promoting the project that will mean so much to the people of the Uintah Basin, and hasten to congratulate those far-sighted and ambitious men who steered the project to the final stages of completion. v E v THE GOVERNOR . . . THE SCHOOL SURVEY COMMISSION AND THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE . . . I read, with considerable interest and concern, Governor Gover-nor Lee's reaction to Utah's school financing problems, as expressed before the Salt Lake Kiwanis club a few days ago. I had expected the governor to condemn the educators of the state for the program of informing the people of the state concerning their problems, but was disappointed that he brought the newspapers into the category of "pressuring" "pres-suring" him to call a special session of the legislature. It's true, newspapers have suggested that if there are problems that need to be studied by our legislators, and are of such proportions that a special legislative session be called, then that is what the governor should do. I'm sure Governor Lee will agree that the newspapers of the state have been pretty much in his corner as he has fought to cut the cost of government and the reduction of taxes. . . I'm also sure he will agree that very little agitation was begun by the press for a special session until his own inspired in-spired "School Survey Commission," and his own "Legislative "Legis-lative Council," recommended, or at least inferred very strongly tht the onl way the school financing problem could be solved was by calling the legislators together and studying the problems.'- . ' . ' I have no desire to quarrel with Governor Lee about this particular question, but I feel that perhaps my newspapers news-papers have been unjustly placed in the category of a "pressure group," where they do not belong. . . I have said before that I thought a special session of the legislature should be called, and since reading the recommendations , of the Survey Commission ,and Legislative Committee, I ' am more convinced than ever of the need. I can't quite agree that Utah's school financing problem prob-lem is not crucial and that it is simply a "man-made" crisis ... Or that if the governor is "forced through pressure of propaganda from the papers and the school people to call a special session," that he should "blow the lid off his economy program and call for tax increases and more i spending not only for schools, but for highways, state parks i and a state health program." I I am hopeful, and I'm sure thousands of other Utahns are hopeful, that if and when the governor calls the legislature legis-lature into' session, he will recommend to them that they consider only those problems that are real and worthy of the expense and time it will involve to bring men and women wo-men to the state capitol to study these problems as an elective elec-tive body politic of the state of Utah. v E v I ANOTHER FINE ACHIEVEMENT FOR M.I.A. ORGANIZATIONS .'" . .. The Regional Dance Festival, which included dancers from four L.D.S. stakes in the Uintah Basin, and which was held at the Union High School last Thursday evening, brought to a fitting climax the past winter's recreational Program of the Mutual Improvement Associations in the various wards which make up the stakes. Approximately two hundred young people and their leaders lead-ers and directors participated in the very colorful presentation. presen-tation. To each must go a word of praise and commendation commenda-tion for the culture that has and will affect the lives of ; those who' joined in the program during the year. I As a culmination to the regional festival will be the I Priviiege of many of the young dancers to participate in the j AU-Church Dance Festival next week in the University of "tah stadium. I 30 |