Los Banos Rotary Club History
Local Program At Rotary Luncheon

Proving that it is not necessary to import out-of-town talent to provide an interesting and educational program, Rotary program chairman F. E. Buck Tuesday noon provided a vocational program, with three local speakers, that was enjoyed by all.

M. D. Wheat, local power company manager, spoke briefly concerning the present power emergency throughout the state. The acute shortage of power, Wheat said, has been created by the drought, which has not only reduced the available water supply for power output, but has necessitated a big increase in the agricultural load as farmers throughout the state have turned to deep well pumping to irrigate their parched lands.

Wheat explained that even electric clocks are affected and are running show now, because the heavy load on the generators has reduced the customary 60 cycle speed to 50 ½ cycles for about 12 hours of each day. Wheat urged that all power consumers reduce their requirements as much as possible, especially during the critical period from 4 to 8 p.m. Large illuminated signs, window lighting and all unnecessary lighting should be eliminated temporarily, Wheat said. As an example of such cooperation, he pointed out that if each of P. G. & E.'s customers reduced their requirements by a single 100 watt lamp, it would effect a total power saving of 90,000 watts.

Wheat said the situation would be eased somewhat early in April with completion of the new 100,000 k.w. steam plant at Bakersfield, which has been under construction since 1945. Another 100,000 k.w. unit is expected to be ready in June, and a new 225,000 k.w. plant in August.

Thomas Kaljian, called on to talk on present automotive trends, instead rambled back through the years to the days when he was one of a dozen mechanics and repairmen employed by the Fresno-Madera county Ford agency in Fresno. Flimsy fabric tops, side curtains, acetylene and Presto lights, clincher type tires, and hand cranks were all a part of early day motoring and instead of the easily cleaned and polished chrome of today. Kaljian remembered the "good old days" when he spent hours polishing brass trim on his customers' more fancy automobiles. Possibly most interesting was his description of the numerous mechanisms which preceded the present-day self starter.

L. J. Spindt, called on to discuss school athletics in their relationship to the school, explained the principles and purposes of the California Interscholastical Federation, an organization of high school principals set up to guide and control all high school athletics, establishing age limits, scholastic requirements, amateur ratings, and such. In recent years the Federation has also provided a mutual insurance plan to protect both schools and players. Operational costs of this plan, Spindt said, increased so much last year that considerably higher rates will have to be charged this season if the plan is to be continued.

February 10, 1948

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