Plans announced for museum on Riverside Avenue
Have you ever wondered what life was like in Jacksonville half a century ago? It may have been a different era of history, culture and politics but there are often parallels between the kind of stories that made headlines then and today. As interesting as the differences may be, so are the similarities. These are some of the top stories from the week of March 22-28, 1960. The items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library’s periodical archives by Staff Writer Max Marbut.
• Trustees of the DeEtte Holden Cummer Museum Foundation announced plans for a “magnificent new art museum building” to be erected at 829 Riverside Ave. on the property bequeathed to the foundation by the late Ninah M.H. Cummer.
Plans were being drawn by the architecture firm Saxelbye & Powell to include the most modern developments for the display of paintings and other works of art in “beautifully lighted, air-conditioned galleries.” Construction would be under the supervision of the Auchter Company, which, it was noted, had a long association with the Cummer family.
Ninah Cummer was the widow of Arthur Gerrish Cummer. She died in 1958, leaving her home and gardens, a “choice and varied” art collection and the residue of her large estate to establish a museum for the benefit of the people of Jacksonville.
The trustees stated that their decision to erect a new building rather than renovate or add to the old Cummer residence had been arrived at after very careful consideration and with the advice of various museum and building experts who were invited to Jacksonville to study the situation. Building surveys by engineers and architects revealed that the house could not be converted to public museum use.
In addition to numerous structural, building code and safety issues, it was also determined that the home was situated on the lot in such a way that it would infringe upon the gardens Cummer had developed over many years, thus diminishing one of the most beautiful features of the location.
The trustees pointed out in their announcement that a number of long time local residents had indicated they felt it was Cummer’s wish that her home be preserved and it appeared her original intention expressed to friends was to establish a “house museum” to comprise her residence and its contents.
In later years Cummer evidently revised her plans. On March 23, 1957, the day she announced her intention to establish a museum, Cummer stated, “In my Last Will and Testament there is created a Foundation for the building of an art museum of the most modern type.” Further reference to a modern museum was included in her will as was authority for the trustees to act in their discretion regarding the erection of a suitable structure.
While the residence would be demolished, it was noted that the Tudor living room would be preserved and made part of the museum as it was “acknowledged to be the most beautiful and distinguished part of the house which would be preserved as a permanent link to the past.”
The trustees pointed out that with the new museum, Jacksonville would have one of the finest art gallery buildings in the Southeast and one which would “very fully serve the needs of the community both now and in the future.”
• William Barnett, president of the Barnett National Bank of Jacksonville, was elected president of the Florida Bankers Association at its 66th annual convention at the Robert Meyer Hotel. He succeeded Stanley Warner, president of the Peoples Bank of Crescent City.
About 1,000 of the state’s bankers had attended the five-day meeting for meetings, tours of places of interest and to relax at “a wide variety of social events” climaxed by a dance following the annual banquet. Music was provided by Charlie Spivak and his orchestra with Wee Bonnie Baker as vocalist. Other entertainment included an appearance by comedian Frank Fontaine.
• Atomic Energy Commission consultant George Schweitzer said the fundamental defense of the United States in the armament battle with Russia was the moral well-being of the nation instead of military might. He also said patterns of history indicated “civilizations crumble from within” rather than from outside force.
Schweitzer made those remarks at a dinner at the Roosevelt Hotel during the annual conference of 35 Rotary Clubs in North and West Florida.
The day’s session also included a parade of flags from the 42 nations in which Rotary International Clubs were organized. Robert Feagin, president of the Jacksonville club, and William Greiner, president of the club at the Beaches, traced the organization’s history in a narrative titled, “Rotary’s Onward March.”
• Advance report forms for the 1960 census were arriving in mailboxes in Jacksonville. The forms were designed to speed the enumerating task by permitting families to assemble in advance the information sought by the census takers.
Residents were asked to list their age, address, sex, color or race, date of birth, marital status and their relationship to the head of the household.
Inquiries about the dwelling place included the number of rooms, cooking facilities, plumbing and whether rented or owned.
On April 1 census takers would begin going door-to-door collecting the advance forms. At every fourth household they would leave another form which would ask more questions including country of birth, “mother tongue,” schooling, employment, income and related items. Additional housing questions would survey rent or value of dwelling, heating equipment, water supply and other facilities or equipment.
The additional forms were to be filled out and then mailed in a postage-free envelope provided to the district census office within three days.
• An interior decorator from St. Augustine was apprehended by police as he attempted to remove a motor from a boat at 2510 Kings Ave. Gilbert Wade Flynn, 30, was charged with attempted larceny, possession of burglary tools, resisting arrest and possession of a concealed weapon, a pistol.
Patrolman N.E. Woodham said he was patrolling about 3 a.m. when an unidentified citizen told him he had seen a man loitering at Ed’s Boat and Motor Sales. He found Flynn trying to remove a motor from a boat stored in a yard beside the store. Police said Flynn had $170 in his possession when he was booked into the City jail and would be held without bond pending an investigation.
• A 45-year-old pharmacist paid a $500 fine in Criminal Court rather than serve a one-year jail term for illegal sale of paregoric.
The alternative sentence was applied by Judge A. Lloyd Layton on Cannon F. Page, convicted of making an illegal sale of seven ounces of paregoric on Jan. 8 at Page’s Drug Store at 16th and Main streets.
Page was charged with selling the substance to L.H. Vrooman of 419 E. Adams St., thus providing him with more than four grains of opium within 48 consecutive hours. Paregoric was described in the charges as camphorated tincture of opium. Page also was charged with failing to keep records of the sale as prescribed by the Florida State Board of Health.
Det. Sgt. R.K. Rand and Inspector W.H. Finegan of the health board’s Bureau of Narcotics said they asked Paige in December 1959 to stop selling paregoric to Vrooman after they saw records showing almost daily purchases by him.
The agents said Vrooman bought seven ounces on Jan. 8 for $3 and did not sign the register at the drug store. They said a similar purchase was made on Jan. 26 with marked bills and Page’s arrest followed.