-d -vVii'* ^ t" •v#.:.-' * n Atf S E f I N G T H E C H A I N - O - L A K E S R E G I O N S I N C E 1875" Volume 81 --No. 42 McHENRY, ILLINOIS/ THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 23/ 1956 lie f@r Gagf CONDUCT HOME CANVASS HEART SUNDAY Musin1 and S B Meanderin' 1 .... . 5 Information received from the University of Illinois concerning the calibre of students from McHenry attending the state school can be a source of pride to local faculty members. Metropolitan'- newspapers have been giving much publicity of late to the lack of preparation for "college by a large percentage of young people today. The unU •jtarsity itself has deplored the necessity for providing a noncredit rhetoric 100 course to enable matiy freshmen to continue. From the school copies word that of the forty-two students who have gone on to study at the University of Illinois over the past twenty years, only three have required this special course. Basketball players at M.C.H.S. "narill share honors with football players in recognition of their year's activities when the Rotary club sponsors the first basketball banquet on March 21. Ernest Useman is chairman of the event, which will pay tribute to the team of 1955-56. Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Freund and Mr. and Mrs. Ben Just en have returned from a four-week trip through the South. « Three days were spent with Ensign and Mrs. Donald Freund at Athens, Ga., where Ensign Freund is attending school for accounting and supplies. They travelled through Silver Springs, Fla., and at St. Petersburg visited with the Stephen Schmitts, who are spending the winter there. They also spent ^iome time with Mr. and Mrs. George Wirfs. Enroute home by way of Hot Springs, Ark., they encountered heavy floods, with four feet of • water rushing through the main business section. Upon their return, they expressed their opinion that northern Illinois is one of the best places in which to live, taking into consideration climate, the yyiolence of nature and -conditions in general. First Bemester honor roll students at Northern Illinois State college at DeKalb included 4C8 undergraduates. Maintaining a "B" average for the semester were Richard Kirchhoff, Terry Reid and Ruth Schaefer of Mc- Henry. Mr. and Mrs. John W. Lonze ^of Hickory Grange left Los Angeles harbor on Wednesday of this week, sailing for Hawaii. A number of students from the local high school attended "college night" at Woodstock high school last Monday, when twentyfour universities and colleges were represented. The young people were given an opportunity to interview the representatives in their efforts to secure information concerning their favorite schools. Students from Harvard, Huntley and Richmond also attended. Courtesy is aways a paying investment -- because its stock is never watered with tears of regret. ^fcONTINUE PHILLIPS CASE TO ALLOW FOR SPECIAL BRAIN TEST Judge William M. Carroll last Friday morning in circuit court continued the case of Robert Phillips on an indictment charging him with murder. He will be arraigned on Feb. 27, the inter- ^vening time being allowed for the defendent to have an electro encephalogram, or brainwave test. Attorneys for Phillips asked for the continuance, which was Opposed by the state's Attorney on the ground that it would be a big responsibility to transport the prisoner sixty miles, where a laboratory is available for such a test. 4| Judge Carroll decided it would be for the best interest to have him ta«en there. He was given a test in the county jail by an Elgin psychiatrist but it was not complete in that necessary equipment was not available. Phillips is charged with kidnapping and shooting to death Lyle Larson of Harvard, a food store manager, on Dec. 23 of ^last year. OBSERVE NATIONAt F.F.A. WEEK RETIREMENT ENDS TELEPHONE CAREER OF C. G. NACKER Casline G. Nacker of Mineral Springs was retired recently from the Illinois Bell Telephone com- C. |G. NACKER pany and is taking a well earned rest. Mr. Nacker began his telephone career thirty-seven years ago as a switchboardman. He later became a central office installer and switchman. Prior to his retirement, he was a communications maintenanceman in the central division of the company. A native of Detroit, Mich., he is a graduate of Crane Technical high school in Chicago. He lives with his wife, ^sabell, in the subdivision southeast of McHenry and is a .member of the local Masonic lodge. McHENRY GIRL WILL STAR m DRAMATIC ROLE BfARCH 17-18 The ^ Woodstock civic opera house soon will be the scene of Civic Arts' new dramatic production, "Late Arrival." The threeact comedy has been set for Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon performances, March 17 and 18. Encouraged by the success of its production of "Our Town" at Westwood school in December, the new county group want* to see how many persons it can draw to the old 4{ieatre on the Woodstock square, where so many groups in the past have been greeted by sparse audiences. Civic Arts' proceeds are devoted to a scholarship fund for a McHenry county student. "Late Arrival" is being directed by Jim Matthews. The play concerns the erratic behavior of a college girl, played by Louise Luck, and what happens to a doctor's family with the coming of a certain late arrival. A principal part in the play will be taken by 13-year-old Mary Lu Delmonte of McHenry, an eighth grade student at St. Patrick's school. Mary Lu has done considerable professional work on television films, as well as appearing in amateur stage productions. Also appearing in the cast will be Norma Scott, Frances Kuhn, Dick Stolzke, Jasper Mc- Kee, Joanne Miller, Betty Nielsen and Jim Matthews. Reservations may be made by phoning Woodstock 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hester are spending a few weeks in Miami, Fla. SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOCUS PUBLIC ATTENTION ON YEAR ROUND ACTIVITIES OF POPULAR ORGANIZATION FOR YOUTH Future Farmers of America members throughout the nation are scheduling special activities to focus public attention on the work of their organization during National F.F.A. week, Feb. 18-25. Locally, members of the McHenry chapter have assembled a display in the show case in the front hall of the high school; they are putting F.F.A. emblems on the cars of people backing F.F.A.; and are working with the Plaindealer in promoting F.F.A. publicity. Membership in the Future Farmers organization is made up of farm boys who are students of vocational agriculture in high school. The organization's activities are designed primarily to help develop rural leadership and good citizenship and to stimulate the boys to better achievement in their study and work toward successful establishment in farming. •The McHenry chapter has thirty-five members. Officers are Dick Wissell, president; Mark Zimmerman, vice-president; Ted Schaefer, secretary; Harry Dietrich, treasurer; John Hogan, reporter; and Jerry Hogan, sentinel. With the exception of Jerry, all these officers are serving their second year as officers. William Pictor, local vocational agriculture instructor, serves as advisor. Choice of Week -^-Future- - J£armfir&. choose, the week of George Washington's birthday each year for the observance of F.F.A. Week. Although generally recognized chiefly as a revolutionary war general and our first president, Washington's first love was the farm he called Mount Vernon. There, he was one of the first in the nation to practice contour planting, crop rotation, fertilization and other soil conservation and improvement methods. It was more than a century after Washington's death before general use was made of many of the sound agricultural practices he advocated. The local 1956 F.F.A. display is centered around a poster issued by the state F.F.A. association proclaiming this as F.F.A. week. To indicate that the organization opera.tea on a national, state, sectional and chapter basis, a colored map--of'the U.S. was used with the state of Illinois outlined. From this outline, lines lead to a large map of Illinois to show that it has over 17,500 F.F.A. members. The county of McHenry is next expanded to show the seven schools active in agriculture and F.F.A. -- Harvard, Hebron, Richmond, Woodstock, Marengo, Huntley and McHenry. To indicate how well the F.F.A. is organized, a copy of the magazine, the National Future Farmer, is on display. Also displayed is a copy of the nationally used F.F.A. calendar. Proud Achievements The chapter is proud to display its first place banner in parliamentary procedure for 1956. The twelve plaques presented by the Illinois F.F.A. Foundation to Sec- (Continued on Page 8) CORN GROWING CHAMPIONS George P. Thompson, left,' of McHenry, was recently proclaimed county corn growing champion at a banquet held at DeKalb in honor of northern Illinois corn growing champions. His yield of 155.36 bushels per acre was the top yield in McHenry county in a special 1955 contest. Runner-up honors went to Wilfred Freund, center, also of McHenry, with a yield of 143.92 bushels per acre. Arnold C. Wittmus of Harvard won third place with a yield of 136.30 bushels. Unable to attend the banquet was fourth place winner George F. Maclntyre of Marengo, with a yield of 125.51 bushels per acre. $13,013 RECEIVED IN HOLIDAY SALE OF TB ASSOCIATION The executive committed of 'the McHenry County Tuberculosis association met at the office of Berneice Stoneall, county nurse, in the court house last Wednesday, with Dr. H. W. Sandeen, president, presiding^ Others present werjj Miss Zelma Hutson, treasurer; Richard Tazewell, Mrs. Robert Lounsbury, Mrs. William Fyfe, Mrs. Wilmot Sherwin and Miss Stoneall. A financial report for the year was given and April 27, 1966, set as the date of the annual meeting^., of the association. The nomination committee was appointed for the year. Miss Stoneall reported that $13,011.80 had been received to. date from the sale of Christmas seals and that late contributions are still being received at • her office. She also reported that at present there are twelve active tuberculosis cases in the county. In February, 664 x-rays were taken off school personnel by the mobile unit which was secured for the School survey. C.0.F 'OURNET 24 WANNED Local Performers Over PasS Several Decades To Appear Do you remember the folks who have been appearing locally as entertainers for' the past two or three decades ? O.r have you forgotten all except those who still are seen and heard frequently when programs are planned? Fred Meyer, who has been instrumental in planning interesting programs every year since the state Forester basketball tournament has been played in McHenry, hopes to revive your memory next Sunday, Feb. 26. He has planned for a special between-game entertainment at 8 o'clock in the high school gymnasium, featuring a number of singers and instrumentalists who have appeared locally through the years. First tow appear will be Earl "Marty" Conway, who began singing Irish ballads as a school boy back in 1925 and who is still one of McHenry's most popular singers. He will sing one of his favorites. Appearing in the early thirties as the Triple A Trio were Clem and Vince Adams and Evelyn Anderson, who will entertain with guitar and song. Miss Anderson, who since then has become Evelyn Henke, will make an appearance with the Adams brothers for the first time in several years. Other Singers Later in the 'thirties was Adele Froehlich, who will sing a duet with Mary Ann Wegener, the latter a soloist for the past seven years; also a trio composed of Tinky Rothermel Meyer. Isabel Simon Thompson and Helen Kilday Low. Badk in the early 'forties, Betty McKean Smith was singing solos at M.C.H.S., followed several years later by Bob Freund and his trumpet, and since 1950 by Jean and Joan Weber, organ and piano duet team, and the present high school violin quartet, three members of which were in the state winning organization last year. . Accompaniments for the soloists and groups will be provided by the Misses Weber and Bob Freund and his musical aggregation. On Sunday, March 4, Mr. Meyer will present as the betweengame attraction, a "This is your Life" program, and on Sunday, March 11, the Illinois state Moose quartet from Chicago will be featured. CHARLES WEINGART DISTRICT WINNER' IN FARM CONTEST Friends and neighbors experienced great pride this past week in Charles Weingart, who was selected winner, in the local district "four outstanding farmers" contest, sponsored by the state Junior Chamber of Commerce. He was the entry of the Woodstock Junior C. of C. : Mr. and Mrs. Weingart travelled to Pekin on Saturday, where f|ur farmers were selected, and from them one was named to compete in the national finals at Pittsburgh on April ll. Harold Steele of Bureau county was the state winner. ;Mr. Weingart, better known to his friends as "Chuck," won in the northeast district, comprised of Kane, McHenry, Lalie, Cook, DuPage and Will counties. From throughout the state, 194 were chosen at first to compete. Of this number, the list was cut to twenty-five from various districts. At 33, Mr. Weingart is a leader in agricultural circles in thq county. He owns 139 acres and rents an adjacent 250 acres more. Starting with twenty-eight milk cows, he now has thirty-six in his herd. "Chuck" is president of the Farm Bureau, serving his third year, and is the youngest man in Illinois to hold that responsible position. He is vice-president of the Pure Milk association local, vicepresident of the National Farm liban association and serves as a, member of the state policy ^solutions committee of the 1 In announcing his selection as district ,winner, he was commended highly for his continued activity in the field of dairy promotion. Year's Sentence Given To Bad Check Writer A Wonder Lake area man, Frank Closs, has been sentenced to serve a year at the state farm at Vandalia after pleading guilty to issuing three checks to defraud. Closs was charge^ with cashing checks at a McHenry business house, two for $50 and another for $25. Mrs. Gretta Goodell attended the annual national meeting of the American Music Teachers' association in Indianapolis, Ind., a few days last week. Vocal Festival Planned March 5 With memories of the band program of the 1956 McHenry county musical festival still with music lovers in this area, rehearsals go forward in anticipation of the vocal portion of the event, which will be held in the •Woodstock high school on Monday evening, March 5. Whereas the band program had slightly over 400 instrumental musicians participating, the vocal concert will be presented by more than 700 young singers from the eight high schools In McHenry county. Participating will be students from Marengo, Huntley, Crystal Lake, McHenry, Harvard, Richmond, Hebron and Woodstock, who are presently being trained by their individual directors. Similar to the band program, the evening's entertainment will be divided into two parts, one featuring a select chorus of ninety voices and the second a massed group of about 700. In addition, for the first time this year, a boys' chorus of 200 and a girls' chorus of 500 members will be featured. McHenry will be sending 175 students to take part, sixteen of whom will be part of the select chorus. Tickets for the chorus program are now available from student*, in the schools. VAWBALS DESTROY HOME FURNITURE AT WONDER LAKE VOLUNTEERS FROM ORGANZATIONS M McHENRY COMMUNTY T0TOT HOMES STARTING AT IPX FES. K The Heart Sunday army will march in McHenry and surrounding suburbs Feb. 26. Promptly at 1 p.m., which has been designated as "H-Hour," some sixty Heart fund volunteers will start visiting between fifteen and twenty-five neighbors each in behalf of the campaign. A two-hour community- wide collection is to be completed by 3 p.m. when volunteers will check in at the. American Legion home. "Our Heart Sunday army has and doing a job which only * citizen of a Country like the anil we live in has a freedom to do,* said the chairman. Sunday's house-to-house coileq* tion is the climax and windup af a month-long 1956 Heart flmjt drive which began Feb. i. "Living Manorial" may. The Illinois Heart assOclatid|jL designate# Heart Sunday a£ j§ memorial day to a majority of our loved ones who passed awajjf in recent years. They believe thlt - Damage estimated at several hundreds of dollars was reported to have occurred at the Norman Welch home in Wonder Lake, according to the sheriff's office. Vandals were said to have gained entrance and destroyed almost all of the furniture. It was broken and piled in the kitchen. Dishes and mirrors were also broken and pieces scattered throughout the house, and floor boards were torn loose. Most of the furnishings were damaged beyond repair, the only item not completely destroyed being a mattress, which was trampled on and partly ruined. Entrance to the home was gained by tearing off a storm window. It was not determined when the vandalism was committed. Mrs. William Morgan and children of Elkhorn, Wis., spent the weekend with her parents, the Joseph J. Millers. aw sits m lICiNSE; REMINDERS Worwfick Photo|| In charge of the Heart fund drive, which will be ctiirtaxed hy=g a house to house drive on Sunday, Fdb; 2S> are these three Mfe- Henry women. Mrs. Bernard Matchen, treasurer, is in the center|. Co-chairmen Mrs. Joseph X. Waynne, letft, and Mr* Lester Bacon, - join her in reading the proclamation of Mayor Geoi^e P. Freund' on Heart Sunday. a single major objective, namely, support for the crusade against diseases of the heart and blood vessels," said Mrs. Joseph X. Waynne, Heart Sunday general chairman. "These diseases constitute our leading health problem, both nationally and locally. Three Way Attack "Your Heart fund contributions will support a three-way attack against the heart diseases -- through research, through public and professional education, and through community heart programs," the chairman continued. "It is our hope that every citizen of this community will give generously. "We are also hopeful that all homes will extend a warm and hearty welcome to the publicspirited women wfeo are volunteering their services Sunday. They are displaying a profound sense of community responsibility appropriate because diseases of' the heart and Wood vessels responsible for more than 52 cent of ell deaths, and that thenf is no more effective way honor the memory of the depart* ed than by a "living memorial* expressed in terms of a gift; tit the Heart fund. The army of volunteers in Hi* "H-Hour" windup la feade up individual members of such as the Ladies of the of McCullom Lake, with Marie Howe as their chairman; members of the Woman's Societjp for Christian Service, whoip chairman is Mrs. Harry Stin^ spring; the American Legtopr auxiliary, whose past president Mrs. Bernard Matchen, is loe^f Heart fund drive treasurer; the Woman's club, presided over t»|f Mrs. Henry Smith; and other v<o% unteers who will canvass thi city blocks in which they live. Easter Seal Campaign Will 1® Launched In County On Maselti 10 The deadline for purchasing city vehicle licenses is drawing near. Next Wednesday, Feb. 29, is the last day to secure license without penalty. For many years, McHenry has had a penalty system on vehicle tags. The license is due Jan. 1. A two-month period is allowed to give vehicle owners ample time to secure stickers and place them on their windshields. On March 1, a penalty of fifty cents is added. Each month thereafter an additional fifty cents is added as a penalty. The city reports that great headway has been made in the past two years in bringing about the purchase of licenses. In some cases, stickers have been purchased but not placed on windshields. This week, the city clerk's office is sending out 350 courtesy cards reminding car and truck owners of the coming deadline. It is estimated that up to 150 licenses will be issued on the last day of the month. Starting next month, the police department will start a drive, checking all cars that do not have stickers displayed in ac ANNOUNCE 1ETAIL SALES OF 013 STORES IN McHENRY QOUNTY Retail sales in 1954 of 813 stores in McHenry county totaled $76,747,000, according to preliminary 1954 census of business figures announced by the Bureau of the Census, Departent of Commerce. This was an increase of 48.6 per cent over sales in 1948 of 770 stores at $51,658,000. Stores with payroll in 1954 numbered 547, had 2403 paid employees in November, 1954, reported payroll of $6,626,000, and accounted for sales of $70,617,000. Proprietors of unincorporated businesses number 943. The number of stores and their 1954 sales, grouped by major kinds of business, were: Food stores, 125, $18,065,000; eating, drinking places, 203, $7,271,000; general merchandise group, 28, $3,751,000; apparel, accessories stores, 46. $2,345,000; furniture, home furnishings, appliances, 58, $2,875,000; automotive group, 57, $16,299,000; gasoline service stations,- 86, $5,246,000; lumber. building materials, hardware, cordance with ordinance regula- \ farm equipment, 78. $11,464,000; tions. The quality of the stickers I drug store, proprietary stores, 25, is such that they can be applied in cold weather. The best advice seems to be-- purchase your city sticker and put it on your windshield right away. It will save a penalty and possible fine. $2,178,000; other retail stores, 75, $6,168,000; nonstore retailers, 32, $1,085,000. ( Watch for. the Plaindealer's Easter coloring contest, which ^vill be announced soon. An estimated 19,000 letters containing Easter seals will be sent to county residents on and after March 10, the date the ai^ nual campaign is launched. Announcement to this effect was made by Mrs. Richard Pat ton, chairman, at a dinner meeting of the McHenry county chapter of the Illinois Association for the Crippled, held at Crystal Lake last week. A new and novel idea for a street collection on March 24 is to be inaugurated. This includes competition within age groups, starting with the 6- to 8-yearolds selling Easter bunnies, the 9- to 11-year-olds selling plastic Easter lilies and the adult groups selling paper lilies. Captains have been named in the various Communities, each choosing her own workers in the various age groups. It is estimated that about 1,100 persons will be selling seals on March 24. Mrs. Patton's chairmen include Mrs. George Kauss, Jr., of McHenry? Mrs. Frank Harrison of Wonder Lake and Mrs. Marion Harrison of kingwood. It was reported that the endeavor has the sanction of the McHenry County Medical association and that a medical advisory committee will be appointed to work in cooperation with the Crippled Children's organization. In connection with the work of the group, Mrs. Mildred Derr reported that she had contacted speech therapists in an effort to secure services for the speech clinic held this summer in Wood- County Farm An# Home Day March $ • Farm and Home Day for Me* Henry county will be held Friday, March 9, at Clarence Olson school, Woodstock. c.. The annual event, sponsored by the McHenry county extension service, will include educational exhibits, demonstrations and prri* . grams. The morning schedule will in> elude separate sessions on home* making and agricultural subjects. The afternoon schedule is to feas> ture a meat-cutting demonstration by Bruce Peterson, reprti* sentative of the National Uv»> stock and Meat Board. \ McHenry county Home Bureatl will serve a smorgasbord for tfcj§ noon meal. Plans to? the day Include activities for all ages, since children will be out of school due to 4 county teachers' meeting. There <•' will be a recreation session in tk| morning for the younger members of the family. In the after* noon, children of 4-H age whit are 4-H club officers will atten? an officers* training school at Westwood school stock, made possible by Easter seal funds. She asked for enough money to hire three therapist® if they are warranted. Of sixtyt referrals last year, there wer© only twenty accepted, which was all that could be handled by og|f therapist* - *jg.: M*'