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McHenry County Through' Tht Years by Marie SciTttfM •A. HW Pioneer At Hon# ; _ Hie living room in the CttMhfc lMUt by the early settlers in MBBwry county was really a room for complete living. It was practically all there was to the house. This room served as living room, dining, room, bedroom and kitchen. The architectural cycle seems to be completing it* self hi the present day ranch house where, very often, there is little or no separation between living room, dining room and kitchen.. I From the rafters of the pioneers' cabin hung slabs of bacon and strings of dried pumpkins. In our day we hang lamps that look like pumpkins or radishes and roses or anything but the useful article an electric lamp really is. In one corner the large living room was found the "sewing center." It contained no fancy sewing machine disguised trt!| look like a Governor Winthrop desk, but it did cpntain a loom and a spinning wheel. The pots and pans that hung on the walls were probably of pewter or burnished copper. Our modern bride proudly hangs her gleaming stainless steel pots and pans for all to admire. The family wardrobe hung from peg* driven into the wall. Any present day mother of a couple of youngsters will probably think things haven't changed too much and would prefer pegs to chair backs and couches for the family wardrobe. The families in the "upper brackets" boasted a spare room in the' attic which doubled as a lumber room when there were no guests. The o attic or loft was reached via a step ladder. Privacy was achieved siftiply by hanging sheets or quilts from the ceiling in front of the beds. Most people hoped to reach the status in life where they could bring a double-cabin. This was a mark of real wealth. Furniture was mostly "custom-built" right in the home work-shop. Cooking utensils and cooking itself were necessarily simple. The staple article of food was corn' meal. This was made into mush, johnny-cake, ' hoecake, pone and corn-dodger. Venison and ham were among the more luxurious items of diet. T^ame was plentiful, as was honey. There was no "creative cookery" but the pioneer ate well and there was always load and shelter for a stranger. ELM DISEASE- , minoip elms, already decimated by the disease known as phloem necrosis, ' are now confronted with the spreading threat of Dutch elm disease, according to a plant pathologist of the state natural history survey. Dutch elm disease Is said to attack all varieties of elm with the possible exception of the Chinese elm. First discovered in Illinois in a single tree three years ago, the disease has spread to fifteen counties in the southern two-thirds of the state. On elm bark beetle carries Dutch elm disease from infected to healthy trees. The many elms that have been killed by phloem necrosis and left standing are favorable to the beetle. Cutting down and burning dead or diseased trees and use of a special DDT formulation are recommended measures for checking Dutch elm disease. tiftMPANY SALES The consolidated sales of National Tea company for the four weeks ended Nov. 7, amounted to $37,252,097 as compared with $33,617,720 for the corresponding period of 1852, an increase of 10.&1 per cent. Sales for the "ear to date amounted to $389 402,588 as compared with $332,* 586,606 for the corresponding yeriod in 1952, an increase of 17.08 per cent. REPORT MANY , ENTRIES AT LIVt - ' STOCK Exposrno* * With a final count of entries still to be completed, the forthcoming fifty-fourth annual renewal of the International Live Stock Exposition and horse show -- the continent's largest stock show -- has already drawn exhibitors from thirty-seven states and Canada, officials of the show report. Illinois stockmen have the heaviest entry representation of any state. Exhibitors are listed thus far from forty-one Illinois counties. Iowa is a close second with thirty-six counties, and Indiana is third with twenty-eight counties. The six-acre air-conditioned Intei national Amphitheatre and adjoining Stockyard pens are being readied to receive over 10,- 000 head of the country's finest farm animals from Canada to Georgia and from 'New England to California. ^ The eight-day run of the show consists of an entertaining and widely varied program of events featuring the contests of twentysix breeds of cattle, horses, sheep and swine; and the daily International horse shows will bring together the finest riding and driving horses and ponies in the nation. .Fourtee^ horse sAow performances provide the daily entertainment feature program of the Exposition. An evening horse show on Friday, Nov. 27, will officially open ^he Exposition. In addition to the nine evening performances, matinee horse shows will be presented on Sunday. Nov. 29, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and the final Saturday, Dec. 5. BUSIEST % WORKERS or TOWJtr PLAINDEALEk WANT ADS McHENRY PLAINDEAtXy Good Luck Charm Is Ancesta Of Modern Christmas Cards WE MESS YOUR FLOORS S WINDOWS SEE OUR COMPLETE LINE • LINOLEUM - TILE - CARPETING • DRAPES - CURTAINS - RODDING • VENETIAN and VERTICAL SUNOS PHONE 917 for Free EotimateN TONYAN S HOME FURNISHINGS 200 E. ELM STREET MoHENRY, ILL. OUT modern Christmas customs all have a history that seems both fabulous and incredible when traced from their origin to twentieth century America. Yet, few if any among them have changed more in appearance, and less in purpose, then the traditional custom of wishing loved ones a happy holiday season. Even centuries before there was a Christmas, people celebrated the coming of a new year., and favored this season for exchanging friendly greetings -- just as we do with Christmas cards. "Happy New Year"* messages scrawled on papyrus have been, found in Egyptian tombs of the 6th century B.C. But the first ready-made holiday greetings were copper pennies sold "as good luck charms in Rome during the first century A.D. These curious tokens of, friendship and esteem carried Latin inscriptions wishing "A happy and prosperous New Year to me" (the recipient, that is). Usually • they pictured the Roman god, Janus, whose twin laces looked onto< the pasjt and into the future. After Roman times, < there is no record of ready-made holiday greetings until 1450, when woodcut New Year's cards appeared in Germany. Though medieval in style, the design motifs were often similar to modern Christmas cards. Scehes of the Christ Child and giftbearers were especially popular. .Their greetings ranged: from crude German rhymes to elegant Latin verse. Gradually, other European countries adopted the greeting card custom. But another 400 years breezed by before England shifted the emphasis from New Year's Day to Christmas. By 1700, however, English school children were bringing gay "Christmas Pieces" home to delighted parents. The "Christmas Piece" was a lesson in penmanship, with good Wishes carefully inscribed and engraved pictures dramatizing important events of the year. It's quite likely, in fact, that tb« world's first Christmas card was conceived by William Maw Egley, Jr., while performing this scholarly Yuletide chore. A 16 year old engraver's apprentice. Egley printed 100 copies of his card in 1842, one of which has been preserved by the British Museum in London. Like so many today, it was actually a combination Christmas and New Year's card, carrying what was to become the most famous of all holiday greetings -- "A Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year To You." Worldwide interest in Christmas cards blossomed at London's "Second Great International Exhibition" in 1862. Thousands of visitors left talking a' bout the display held there by1 Charles Goodall & Sons, and the firm was quickly swamped with orders. Overseas, in 1875, a Boston lithographer, Louis Prang, published the first American Christmas cards. Other publishing firms followed suit, and with the 20th century a new era began. Designers introduced symbolic motifs still popular today. The Christmas tree, holly wreaths, carolers, church bells and many others. Santa Claus appeared on cards for both young and old. Christmas card craftsmanship, moreover, has continued to improve. Better reproduction processes are available. Color schemes are richer, warmer. But the reasons for sending Christmas cards this year are essentially the same as in Roman days -- when the gift of a lucky penny recalled fond memories and promised futiflre happiness! Fall Special! 82 GALLON TOASTM ASTER ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Model 82 Re2 Regular $164.95 NOW! DEC. {si UNTIL o&ly $139u LEE & RAY ELECTRIC "THE STORE THAT SERVICES EVERYTHING IT SELLS" Slf MAIN STREET PHONE 882 SPEEDY A Y GARAGE NEW OIL POOLS i Drilling activities in the Illinois oil fields during October resulted in the discovery of four new pools and two extensions to pools, according to the monthly report of the state geological survey. The 276 wells completed from Sept, 30 to Nov. 3 make an average of 55 per week, the highest weekly average reported so far this year.' Illinois produced an estimated 5,158,000 barrels of oil during October, an average of 166,000 barrels per day. In September daily average production was 165,000 barrels; total for the month 4,956,000 barrels. On Want Ads BUS RECORD OF SAFETY CITED FOR'£ TWO-YEAR PERIOD ; Buses operating in Illinois have traveled almost 200 million miles and carried 600 million passengers in the past two years without a single passenger fatality. These figures, based on the records of the Illinois Commerce Commission, were released by the Illinois Bus association to point up the safety achievements of certificated motor coach lines in the state. The last accident fatal to a bus passenger occurred ,in October, 1951. Other accidents, fatal to motorists or pedestrians, in which buses were involved declined 43 per cent, from 1951 to 1952, when there were fourteen fatalities. A further decline can be expected for 1953 since tbe Illinois Commerce Commission has reported only three such fatalities during the first six months of the year. On a national basis, records of the National Safety Council, when averaged for the three years from 1950 through 1952, show buses to be the safest form of transportation in terms of fatalities per 100 million passenger miles. In comparison, passenger automobiles had a fatal accident frequency rate that is sixteen times greater. The current two-year record of bus lines in Illinois puts them far above the national average for safety. -- '. • ' "'0 Nickel-plating was •*--'"frt on a commercial iP 1870. V* f A. F. & A. M. 107 N. Court St. Meeting l-3rd Tues. Visitors Welcome Phillip Rick&, Secy. Phone McHenry 417 1 O. E. S. 107 N. Court St Meetings 2nd ic 4th Tues. Visitors Welcome Myrtle Harrison, Secy Tel. Won. Lk. 3641 ¥ PROFEHIQnflL Ajetrtitemmi From where ! sit Joe Marsh The Missus Keeps Posted Ever siaee ear electricity was est off last year on account of forgetting to mail m the payment, the Missus has bee* sort of leery about giving me letters to mail. At first she'd ask if I mailed them, then double-cheek my eoat pocket at night. She stopped that, and I figured she was essvinced I'd learned my lesson. Then yesterday, I got a poetcard at the office in a familiar handwriting. I turned it over and by golly it was from the Missus herself 1 It read: "Thanks, Joe, for mailing my letters." Well! Looks like she needed some checking-up and slipped that postcard in the last batch of letters. From where I sit, an occasional check-up is a good thipg. Checkups oa jast l»ow tolerant we are of ether people's preferences and tastes, for example. I like a glass of beer with supper, you may prefer cider--bat if I ever try to switch yoa to m^ choice, simply "address" me with a reminder ef year rights. ML ARTHUR J. HOWARD Chiropractic Physician 124 8*. Green St., McHenry, fl PhOse McHenry IMS Vlours - Mon. and FrL 10 to 12:80 - 2 to 8 fees. and Thurs. 1 to fl.vr; Sat. By Appointaaeat Only DR. C. R. 8WANSON '7-t ©e*tist 120 8. frees Street Office Hours: i Daily Except Thursday ,7 , ' 9 to 12 -- 1:30 to 5:90 Mw. Wed. and Fri. Eveniaga By Appointment Orty Telephone McHenry 160 VERNON KNOX , ; Attorney At Laur Car. Green and Elm Stredli ^ McHenry, Hi. Tuesday and Friday Aft erase-- Otter pays by Appoint Phone McHenry 48 IOBOI WILLIAM M. CARROLL, Ir. Attorney At Law ^ • 110*2 Benton Street * - Phone Woodstock 1894 * 4 Woodstock, Illinois " Copyright, 1953, United States Brtwtn He'swrernN* ANEW . - sas *J r 8UT WHW X POUND* OUT MCKftlUiK NFNCNKYGMMC. WILLYS-OVERLAND SALES ":V 1, 604 FRONT STREET jqcokd*> tun *M A PHONE 403 JOSEPH X. WATNNE Attorney At Law Wankegan Road (RFD ' Phoae McHenry 488 Wast McHenry, HI. FRANK S. MAT BLACK DIRT ^ - Gravel - DrivewsgW '"Excavating Route 5, Mdlusj, DU - *fcoae: McHeaif M-M-l Jf Sand YERN THELEX :: ^ TnackMf Black febt ' ^Excavating Tel. McHenry 5884*1 or 58S-W-1 Bas tit, Rt 1, SON! j» A. We ArLET, Wt, ALICE J. Twomc, below, have retired on pensions after each had Spent more than half a century in the telephone business. Miss McAuley started as atelephone operator ' in the days when salaries were $10 a month. She has completed 51 years and 2 months of service --tone of the longest periods of service of any woman in the Bell System--and says, "1 loved mry minute of it." , Miss Twohig remembers when operators* telephone headsets weighed 6% pounds. (Today they weigh less than 6 ounces.) She left Illinois Bell. recently after 50 years and has been very active; since in the Telephone Pioneers of America, an x organization of over 170,000 Bell System men and women with more than 21 years of service*' 101 years of telephone service-- and the voice has never lost its smile! WE'O just Hfcft to say "well done** to these two veterans of the switchboard. It's good to see that even after half a century the voice hasaever lost its anile. JUINOIS BELL TCLIPHPNI COMPANY fftMTtimY MEW-THE MOST POWERFUL. WWW PERFORMING, BEST-LOOKING APVAHCE-PESIGN TRUCK EVER BUILT! A. P. FREUND A Excavating Contractors Trucking, Hydraulic andf Crane Service -- ROAD BUILDING -- TeL 204M McHenry, INSURANCE EARL R. WALSH Fin, Aato, Farm £ Life Representing RELIABLE COMPANIES Wben Tan Need Basuraaca a< Any Kind PHONE 43 er 85S Green A Eta McHenry, I saoBOEBBBsaioaOBSss COMPLETE BOOKKEEPING SERVICE ffer the small business asti|t Reasonable Rates Income Tat Return* McHENRY BOOKKEEPING aa TAX SERVICE Professional Bldg. 210 So. Green Street . Phone 7*8 or 265-M A/&* POWER ANt KONOMY Thr-- Msfc-cmnpcaMieN Here's America's greatest truck builder's latest and greatest truck! Here's the brand-new line of Chevrolet trucks for 1954! They're here to do your work for less! They're hare to bring you big Savings on operating and upkeep costs . . . "to do your trucking job faster and more efficiently. You'll find these completely new Chevrolet trucks packed with new advantages you want . . . loaded with great new features you need! So plan now to come in and get all the facts on the biggest truck news in years. See the tri*ck& with the most new Chevrolet trucks for '54! ' C MOfrVWMMfrTmKWMWJOBt g jiiiwiinnniniMiBiimnr ---- ,nnr. V CHEVROLET Afetv AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION* Offered on */i-, %• and 1-ton Mdcli. A/BW CHASSIS RIIGGIDNISf Extra »ti«ngth and stamina in all madalt. A/GV C0MF0RTMASTIR CAR comfort, convantanca and iaf*ty. RIDE CONTRdt SIAT* Tha last ward in driver coafort. I16GIR * l^AD SPACE ftooioiiV pickup and stak* bodies. A/ev ADVANCE-DESIGN STYLING Handsome, rugged new appaaranca. •OptfoMl «t axtr. oo*. Truck Hv*»M.bc Rid. Control Sut i. •UmUrd « C.O.C. mod** «t Mil rfh* models w -Ir. ^ CLARK CHEVROLET • 1 fc.-? t /'•§ i aqoBQi loaoe STOFFEL A REIHANSPERG Insurance agents for all classea al property in the best compaaleo. West McHenry, Illinois Telephone S00 NT Mala Street MeHeary. A SCHROEDER IRON WORKS Ornamental & Structural Sftqf! Visit Our Showrooms S Miles South on Rt. SI* Phone 950 b i n g ' S : Xffel'MBlNG and HEATIMfc. /,'^ : BOB FRISBY, JR. Quality Fixtures-Radiant Heating | Gas Electric Water HtfllHI Water systems - Water jjjnftWMf •.? Repairs - Free EMImatea • "'*v Phone McHenry 289-M "f s 204 W. ELM STREET PHONE 277 McHENRY. tUU FRED W. HKIME