Personal Observation
Originally printed in the Forest Park Review July 6, 1967 page 2
Claude A. Walker, Jr.
Harry Glos saved my life.
It was 20 years ago, and I was just a pimply-faced teenager with a new toy, called a driver’s license. This graduated me from the teddy-bear, tricycle stage and up to “dad’s Car”.
I had a date one night, and I was zipping down Madison street through Oak Park, when I cut a red light a little too close. Harry Glos was a police patrolman at the time and he soon curbed me.
For the next 10 minutes, I received a fiery firm, but sincere, lecture on auto safety-and it has stayed with meal this time. In fact in my 20- some years of driving, I have had only one accident (skidding on ice into another car).
Harry Glos made me aware of what is now called “Defensive driving.” Today, whenever a guy tail-gates me, I give in quickly. He could be a Doctor on the way to an emergency; a Detective on a chase; a father-to-be on his way to the hospital, or someone who has to catch a plane. I gladly yield the right-of-way.
This holiday, 800 plus people were killed on the highways, I wasn’t one of them, and I hope that you and yours were not a statistic (and will not be when Labor Day comes around).
I thank God (and Harry Glos) every time that I pull into my driveway and got out of the car.
***
Here are two radical ideas which should provoke controversy:
Public bodies always have financial problems, so why don’t we transfer the Library over to the Park building, then sell the library property at Des Plaines and Jackson, to a builder or make it a parking lot?
Second: Combine the Village Recreation program with the Park District or vice versa.
The above thoughts might have no effect on your tax bill, and it involves much legality, but I would appreciate your comment.
