The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 120

J2 THURSDAY, APRIL II, 1991 LOS ANGELES TIMES AROUND THE FOOTHILLS BY DOUG SMITH Persuading 1 Worker at a Time to Cease Solo Car Commutes each day and a 10 discount certificate for 10 days in any calendar month. Carpenter can use her own ingenuity in recruiting. First she stapled a list of the incentives to the paychecks of Sears' 248 employees. "It took me about an hour and half to get it done, but I thought it would be a good way to get it to them," she said. She also stations herself twice a week at the counter where employees pick up their paychecks to lobby in person.

Last week, she held a transportation workshop in the employee lounge. With her was Howard Quinn of Computer Transportation Services, who handed out forms for a ride-sharing database. That day, 50 employees signed up for the database. Each will receive a computer-match list of others who live and work nearby. It is then up to them to work out ride-sharing arrangements.

Further incentives were offered by the Glendale Transportation Management a business collective formed to pursue the goals of Regulation XV. Jeanne Olwin, executive director of the association, told the Sears staff that any of the 15,000 employees of its 25 members are eligible for free cab or rental car vouchers if they join a ride pool and miss their ride home. Also, Olwin said, she can log on to the Computer Transportation Services database from her office computer and find a match for someone who needs a ride right away. "We get faxed requests," she said. "We can fax back or give them information over the phone." All this amounts to Sears' first steps in a long road to transportation economy.

The company began with an average vehicle ridership ratio of 1.1. It has now improved to 1.2, Carpenter said. Her goal for the coming year is 1.3. "This is the first year when there is monetary incentives in the plan, so maybe it will be a little bit better." Carpenter sees progress already. "I have one person that qualified for the extra 10 off," Carpenter said.

"By the end of this week, I'll have two more people. "Right now, I sold eight bus passes. Last year, we only had three people taking the bus. That's five extra. Walking, I had five people walking.

I have now seven people walking. Car pooling I have the same number as last year." Carpenter herself lives in Diamond Bar, so there isn't much chance she'll walk, bicycle or catch the shuttle. She hopes that that won't keep her from setting a good example and also qualifying for the 10 discount. "I'm waiting for my computer matching list to come back." At Sears Roebuck on Central Avenue, the block captain is Claudia Carpenter, a young, effervescent assistant manager who was in charge of displays when higher management selected her for the additional duty of employee transportation coordinator. Every company with 100 or more employees must appoint someone to that position.

It's required by Regulation XV, a rule promulgated by the South Coast Air Quality Management District to reduce smog by reducing car trips between 6 and 10 a.m. Under the AQMD plan, the Employee Transportation Coordinator is personally responsible for implementing the company's Trip Reduction Plan. The plans are aimed at raising each company's Average Vehicle Ridership to 1.5. That's a bundle of proper nouns whose meaning is that Carpenter must persuade 30 or so fellow employees over the next year or two to walk, bicycle, car pool or bus to work or her company will face fines. To help her, Sears is offering a list of incentives; $15 off on a bus pass, preferential parking, a monthly drawing for a $20 gift certificate, theater discounts and an additional 10 on purchases above the company's standard 10 employee discount.

To qualify, an employee asks Carpenter for a tally card the same used to track weekly commission sales and returns it with a record of days on the job without the use of a car. She issues a raffle ticket for At the beginning of this year, the management of 25 Glendale companies conducted a survey that showed that their employees got to work in the following way: Seventy-seven percent drove alone, 14 came in car pools, 5 walked or bicycled, 2 took the bus, and fewer than 2 rode motorcycles or commuter vans. Those percentages will change in the years ahead. The 77 will drop and all the others will rise, with the possible exception of motorcycles, for no one in this story is promoting the motorcycle as the best way to get to work. The point here is that mass transit is coming to Glendale.

In the vision of planners, it will come by light rail, by electric trolley and by Beeline shuttle, by van, by human power, by anything else that reduces the number of cars it takes to fill the city's buildings with workers. More realistically, though, it will come one worker at a time as each, under some inducement, gives up the treasured symbol of independence and personal ease. The job of management is to find the right inducement for each employee. This work has no resemblance to the heavy industry and high technology of transportation systems. It's being done by handshake and eye contact, over coffee in employee lounges.

It's a variant of grass-roots politics in the corporate precincts. HERO: Historian Is Selected as Editor of Will Rogers' Writings to Rogers because of the diverse life that he led and his embodiment of American folk culture. "Rogers' career reflects both the history of American popular entertainment and the passing of the American frontier," Wertheim-said. "From Wild West shows to vaudeville, to the Ziegfeld Follies, radio and film, Rogers was always seeking new and exciting opportunities." Wertheim said Rogers' love of the frontier also cost him his life. In 1935, Rogers was killed when his plane crashed near Point Barrow, Alaska, during a flight to establish a polar air route to the Far East.

"I think he viewed aviation as a last frontier of sorts," Wertheim said. After finishing high school, Rogers embarked on a series of treks around the world. His first stop was Argentina where he worked as a cowhand. From there he traveled to South Africa, New Zealand and Australia where he starred in Wild West shows performing rope tricks that he had learned as a boy on his father's cattle ranch in Oklahoma. "Each of these countries had their own frontiers in the early 1900s," Wertheim said, describing Rogers as a restless person who was always seeking new experiences.

The first volume of writings will begin with letters penned by Rogers in 1893 as a 14-year-old, Wertheim said. Future volumes will feature letters written to friends and family during Rogers' travels abroad, including articles that he wrote for Oklahoma papers from places such as Auckland, New 'Continued from Jl nationwide for the prestigious position. "We struck academic gold getting him," said Joe Carter, commission director. "He was the brightest applicant in a sea of jewels. I thought this might be an impossible task until I met Arthur." Wertheim accepts the enormous challenge the project poses.

When finished, the volumes will provide a chronological look at Will Rogers' life through his writings, illustrating the growth and development of one of America's most famous social commentators, adventurers and armchair philosophers, Wertheim said. "What made Rogers so tremendously popular was his ability to put complex issues into simple terms," Wertheim said. "Rogers can still be read today because his writings reflect the constants in American society human values and traditional American values like honesty, integrity and neigh-borliness." Wertheim is now compiling a separate, one-volume anthology of writings by Rogers also to be published by the University of Oklahoma Press within the next year. Carter said both the anthology and comprehensive project will capitalize on a recent resurgence of interest in Rogers' life. He cited the scheduled May 1 premiere of "The Will Rogers Follies" at the Palace Theater in New York City and the recent video release of four Rogers films as examples.

As a result of his studies in early 20th-century America, Wertheim said, he was immediately attracted HI KAN KHAN KorThcTiiw Arthur Wertheim, 55, of Silver Lake, a UCLA writer selected to edit Will Rogers' writings, stands outside the humorist's Pacific Palisades home. The commission hopes to compile a complete database using computer scanners and data entry that will help facilitate the editing process that Wertheim hopes to do at UCLA. "Fortunately, we live in the ago of computers, which will help me do this more quickly," Wertheim said. Wertheim received his Ph.D. from New York University and has already published three books.

His book "Radio Comedy," also published by the University of Oklaho Zealand, and Durban, South Africa. A majority of the written works, however, come from syndicated columns Rogers wrote for American newspapers on a weekly basis from 1922 to 1926 and his Daily Telegram column written from 1926 to 1935, the last of which he wrote the day before his death. Carter estimates that there are more than 2 million words of written material that Wertheim and commission staff members will pore over during the next few years. standing set of books that will be very much respected in both the literary and academic communities. "We were fortunate to find this man," Carter said.

"He can look proudly at what he's about to do and what he will give to the memory of Will Rogers." Wertheim is more modest about his role in chronicling the history of one of America's great personalities. "I'm just one of the many people who love Will Rogers," he said. ma Press, features a chapter on Rogers' early work in radio. Wertheim and his wife Carol, a social science teacher at Glendale's Roosevelt Junior High School, have a son and have lived in Silver Lake since 1975. He credits his selection for the project to past work on Rogers and his knowledge of early 20th-century America.

Through this project, Wertheim will undoubtodly become one of the foremost authorities on the life of Will Rogers. Carter expects that Wertheim will produce an out CALENDAR OF EVENTS rummage sales; 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday; 2911 San Fernando Road (free; information 213-254-2576).

Health Fair The Echo Park Community Coordinating Council will sponsor a health fair with free health screening and immunizations; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; Echo Park Recreation Center, 1632 Bellevue Los Angeles (free; information 213-413-1050). Rabies Clinic The Southern California Veterinary Medical Assn. will vaccinate dogs for rabies and other canine diseases; 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Saturday; Glassell Park llccreation Center, Eagle Rock lilvd. and Verdugo Road, Glassel! Park information 213-723-1746). Opera Auditions The Hillside Repertory Co. will hold auditions for Gilbert Sullivan's "Yeoman of the Guard" 10 a.m. Saturday; Occidental College's Keck Theater, 1600 Campus Road free; information 213-259-2771).

Eskimo Jewelry Aleut jewelry maker Denise Wallace will demonstrate the art of scrimshaw at the opening of her sculpture and cast silver show; 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday; the Southwest Museum, corner of Marmion Way and Museum Drive, Highland Park (adults S4, students and seniors $2, children information 213-221-2163). Benefit Play The Occidental College Women's Club will present Knox T. Bud Long as Ben Franklin in the two-act play "Kites, Candles and Kisses" to benefit the club's scholarship fund; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, the college's Keck Theater, 1600 Campus Road information 818-351-9703).

Items for Calendar of Events may be mailed to 109 E. Harvard Suite 300, Glendale 91205. Events must be open to the public. Publicity notices must list time, day, date, place, name of sponsoring organization and a phone number where someone can be reached for additional information. Materials should be mailed at least 10 days in advance.

Glendale Art of Pain "Window of Life," a collection of self-studies depicting the struggle with leukemia of 20-year-old Toronto artist Karin Hacobian, will be on exhibit; 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Mike's Banquet Room, 1010 Glendale Ave. (free; information 818-989-5555).

Book Sale "The Biggest Book Sale Ever" will be held in conjunction with National Library Week; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; Glendale Central Library auditorium, 222 E. Harvard St. (free; information 818-548-2023).

Health Fair Verdugo Hills Hospital will hold its annual Health Fair Expo offering basic health screening; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; 1812 Verdugo Blvd. (free; information 818-952-2242). Retiree Meeting The Hoover High School A Cappella Choir will entertain for the monthly meeting of American Assn.

of Retired Persons, Chapter 3203; 1 p.m. Monday; First United Methodist Church, 130 N. Kenwood St. (free; information 818-246-0290). Play Opening Rodgers Hammerstein's "Oklahoma" will open at the Glendale Center Theatre; 8 p.m.

Monday, continues Tuesday to Saturday through June 324 N. Orange St. (opening night Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, $10; Friday and Saturday $13; information 818-244-8481). Travel Photos Harry Farrar will show a photo essay on a South African vacation; 8 p.m. Tuesday; First United Methodist Church, education building, 130 N.

Kenwood St. free; information 818-352-2343). Late Pregnancy The risks of late pregnancy and the proper precautions will be discussed by the staff of Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center in "Pregnancy Over 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Room 242 of the hospital, Central Ave. and Los Fcliz Road (free; information 818-502-2229).

Films of England Films on the history of British gardens, Yorkshire County and the links of George Washington to Britain will be shown; 2 p.m. Tuesday; Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvars St. (free; information 818-548-2030). La Crescenta-La Canada Singles' Social The Together Singles of the La Crcscenta Church of Religious Science will have a potluck supper, games and prizes at its "Spring 7:30 p.m.

Friday, 4845 Dunsmore Ave. ($5, members information 818-956-0645). Pop Concert Soprano Kathy Knight, principal soloist for the Chevron Community Concerts, will sing Broadway, pop, light opera and religious songs; 1:30 p.m. Sunday; La Crescenta Presbyterian Church, 2902 Montrose Ave. (free; information 818-249-6137).

Northeast L.A. Toastmaster Anniversary The Glendale Executive Toastmasters Club 3622 will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a dinnerdance; cocktails 6:45 p.m., dinner 7:30 Friday; Michael's Restaurant, 4500 Los Feliz Los Feliz information and reservations; 818-240-1422 or 818-845-0330). Baseball Culture Los Angeles Times staff writer David Lamb will talk on "Baseball: The Culture of the American 7:30 p.m. today; Occidental College's Mbsher Hall (free; information 213-259-2539). Ancient Secrets Art Kunkin will lecture on "The Ancient Mysteries and Secret 7:30 p.m.

Friday; the Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Los Feliz information 213-663-2167). School Camlval Pater Noster High School will hold Its annual carnival with rides, food, bingo and NEW RESORT-STYLE APARTMENTS FOR ACTIVE SENIORS 55 Sensational new gated community, centrally located 00 EACH of WINDOW! FATHER'S DAY BOUDOIR PORTRAITS Miles Patrick (CALIFORNIA I WHtlE of Beverly Hills Jm A in tagie kock. Community center with game, music, TV rooms, fireplace, full service kitchen for special events. Fitness center, spa, saunas. Lovely landscaped courtyard patio area.

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