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- jlJ ^ ^ a '^n, '* ; ^ % * ' j.7*1 SC^ ^ ^ ^ | Z \V ittt1 Jr ^r': vv; • '"* ••' '- • ."" - 1 1 r+?m< " " ' ,... •'.."^•^'4 <•'" . • "•' .'• "*'Py .••?v-ji,i(<4"vv.',.. • .,. ^'liv;. ?w U1r>W: - "SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE tS75* Volume 82 -- No. 33 • McHENRY, ILLINOIS. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1956 10c Per Copy SSSSSfc f.v^r, ;> - , * i+I One of the most malicious acts of mischief to come to our attention is actually a repeat story, almost word for word, of one told just two years ago. ygkOn Sunday night, some time beween 11 o'clock and midnight, someone stole the life-size Santa Claus which was part of a beautiful decoration on the front lawn of the Robert Lent residence on north Riverside! Drive. Mrs. Lent awakened shortly after midnight to find part pf the decoration gone and on investigation found footprints in the snow. It will be remembered that another holiday decoration, arranged painstakingly in 1954, was also stolen. At that time, Mr. and Mrs. Lent took the trouble and expense to construct an entirely new scene. , It seems that someone is badly fat need of some Christmas spirit, which the Lents seem to have in such abundance. Old friends don't forget -- at yjteest they don't when they are «lr. and Mrs. Gus Moritz. Neighbors of the Plaindealer for a pumber of years, it was with regret that we saw them change Residence a few months ago. s .• There was almost a daily chat Wth one or the other and any sjpfecial day of the year found Mr. Jtforitz calling with a plate of something very delicious which v«as the result of his wife's culinary talent. . Although now many blocks from the office, Tuesday found a familiar occurrence with the arrival of some 6f the fihest holiday cookies ywid fruit cake ©he could ask fof. Wonderful as $hey were, to the tast^, the real treat seemed to lie {Ai^ust being r e m e m b e r e d by such good friends. Families where illness has made it impossible to provide for the Christmas baskets of food and toys for children have been listed with the Red Cross office in Woodstock and some generous county citizens, realizing the need, are accepting the responsibilities for seeing that there is a Christmas. The holiday can give anyone a much warmer glow within if he or she does something to make it happier for those less fortunate. Whether it be through the Red Cross, some other organizations or as an individual, there is no denying that there is no substitute for the pleasure derived by giving. ^ On Dec. 23, Capt. Frank A. Stetson, Jr., of 204 Country Club road, will mark his fifteenth year of service with a leading airlines company. A native of Elyria, Ohio, he attended Ohio State college. He joined the airlines as a student pilot and served as a first officer and carjgo captain before being named to his present post in 1945. <fc The secretary of state this week released the assignments of the first 100 auto numbers for 1957. No. 92 is held by the Huch Leather company of Pistakee Bay, as it has been for a number of years. Anyone who might have had any doubts as to the necessity for the |kw addition to Memorial hospital Tieed only to see the monthly report to be convinced. In October, there were 185 patients admitted and fifty-six babies were born there. A total of 5,472 meals were served. NAME WINNERS IN MERCHANTS' COLORING CONTEST The holiday coloring contest conducted by McHenry merchants came to a close last Saturday, with a record number of excellent entries reported by each store. Winners were as follows: Rainbow Cleaners, Jimmy Meeker; Ace Hardware, Sherry Davidson; Vycital's Hardware, Claudia Yungnickel and Billy Davidson; Schmitt & Conway Insurance, Teddy Soucie and Gary Lockwood; Local Cleaners, Joie De Mar, Billy Davidson and Joanne Feyerer; McHenry Savings and Loan association, Joanne Feyerer and Linda Rae Larson; Fitzgerald's Realty & Insurance, Sherry Davidson, Linda Rae Larson and James Meeker; Main Paint Center, Joanne Feyerer, 1st, Billy Davidson, 2nd, and Donna May Dean, 3rd; Nye Drug store, Linda K. Diederich; Althoff's Hardware, Joyce Pitzen. WE OFFER Y00 CONGRATULATIONS A very young 83 is Peter Freund, Jr., of Johnsburg, who celebrates that birthday anniversary op Saturday, Dec. 22. Although the day is close to Christmas with all its activities, his family and many friends are not forgetting to extend congratulations to one who means so much to them. Mr. Freund retired several years ago from farming. He attends Mass daily, enjoys "K~variety of television programs and maintains an interest in his home community, as well as national news. , He. has five children who will help in the observance of Christmas: Mrs. Arthur Stilling, Sirs. Frances Vogel, Harold, Leo and Joseph; also twelve grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. John Regner One of the community's best liked residents, John Regner, observed his eighty-fifth birthday on Dec. 18 but celebrated the anniversary with a small family gathering at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Elsie Winkel, the following evening. Others present were the Arnold Rauens of Pistakee Bay, with whom he makes his home. Mr. Regner retired from farming in the early 'thirties and now enjoys a well earned rest by doing extensive reading and watching television. He is well and makes almost daily trips to McHenry. Besides the two children mentioned, he has the following sons and daughters, Joseph Regner, Kathryn Frey, Amelia Erskine of Glenview, Carolyn Stratton of Woodstock, Clarence, Arnold of Ohio and Louise Lombardo of Florida. Theresa Horn -Mrs. Theresa Horn of McCullom Lake, and especially members of her family, are looking forward with added enthusiasm to Christmas day, when she will celebrate her eighty-eighth birthday anniversary. Mrs. Horn, born' in Germany, came to this country when she was 18 and has been a local resident for many years. Her family of two sons, Emil and Albert, and five daughters, Frieda Anderson, Emma Lieser, Elsie Horn, Amelia Thomas and Carrie Teschner, are all local residents with the exception of Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Teschner, who live in Chicago. Mrs. Horn is proud of six grandchildren, Mrs. Chuck Miller, Helen Harth, Bud Leiser and Albert Horn, Jr., from this area, Melvin Thomas of Wauconda and Ray Thomas of Chicago. She also has eleven great-grandchildren. Patricia Wood arrived home Wednesday for her holiday vacation from studies at Milwaukee- Downer college in Milwaukee. PLiUMDEALER DEADLINES SET AHEAD FOR TWO WEEKS. Because "the Christmas and New Year holidays fall on Tuesday this year, it is Yiecessary for the Plaindealer to set ahead deadlines those two weeks. All correspondents' copy must be in the office not later than Saturday mornings. General news will be accepted until Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock, which is also the deadline for display advertising. Classified ads will be taken until the usual time, 10 o'clock Wednesday morning. Christmas Services In Local Churches The inspirational spirit of the Christmas season is enhanced each year by the emphasis placed on worship services planned for the churches of all denominations in the McHenry area. Adding to thiat inspiring influence are the messages contained here, written by the pastors of the four largest churches within the city. Other messages, appropriate for the start of the New Year, will be contained in next week's issue, written by pastors of other churches in the immediate vicinity. "I AM THE WAY" "Once again we arrive at Christmas. It is the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, the God- Man, the Saviour of the world. To those who know and love and serve God in this world, the eternal happiness of Heaven is a definite, realizable goal when this life is over. This reality makes life, with all its problems, difficulties, hardships, tragedies and reverses, endurable and acceptable. There is reason for hope and joy in the world because the Saviour has come. "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life our Saviour said. To a confused, bewildered and struggling world, seeking the way to pea^e, Christ is still the Way. To a befuddled world which finds difficulty in knowing and recognizing the truth, Christ is still the Truth. To a world concentrating on life and living, Christ alone is the true Life. In following Him the world can find its way out of difficulties. "Only with Christ and in Christ can the real Christmas spirit be realized. This Christmas spirit and the peace of Christ which surpasses all understanding can be in the hearts and homes of all men of good will. Give your heart and soul to Jesus and ask Him to keep you always as men of good wul. A happy and blessed Christmas." Msgr. C. S. 1 THE NATIVITY SCENE "As we draw near to the birth of our Lord, the following thoughts seem to be uppermost in our minds and hearts. "Thy Nativity, O, Jesus, is the scene from which stem all the good things that I or my fellow men can ever know. I see Your mother and holy spouse Joseph wandering about near Bethlehem seeking a place in which You can be born, t see them rejected by the innkeepers, sighting the barren cave designed to shelter animals, entering within and preparing as well as they can the manger in which newborn animals have lain. I look with •Wondering eyes like those of Mary and Joseph, upon the infant form in which You chose to enter our world. I hear the angels singing, and the shepherds and kings adoring, and I kneel with them to say: b long awaited Saviour, I adore 'You, I love You, I will serve You forever." Rev. Edward C. Coakley " CHRISTMAS GIVING "What are you GIVING for Christmas? Little children ask of their friends, "What are you GETTING for Christmas?" But as we •mature in the Christian life, we begin to realize that the true spirit of Christmas is one of giving rather than getting. We really enjoy Christmas if we enter into the spirit of it by giving. "What are you giving for Christmas? God gave his beloved Son as a gift to humanity. No man in his entire lifetime is capable of paying back God for this gift. Nor can he repay his fellowmen for all they have done for him. - "At this Christmas time let us 'not think of our giving in terms of repaying someone for what we have received. Let us give freely, knowing that no one can pay back all that he owes. And, let us GIVE, with no thought of return, to those who can never pay us back* As we think of God's gift, this is the kind of giving that most befits this holy season." Rev. J. Elliott Corbett A PRAYER "Dear heavenly Father, on Christmas Day we go back in spirit to that lowly manger and kneel before Thy Christmas Gift to the world. We worship Thee, O blessed Christ-Child, for leaving the glories of heaven to be with us here on earth. We praise Thee, O Virgin --born Son of the Highest, for taking on our flesh and blood. We sincerely thank Thee, Thou Babe of Bethlehem, for living a life of humility, sorrow and persecution which ended with Thy death on the cross in order that we might be saved. Thou didst come down from heaven to earth to bring us from earth to heaven. Grant, O Lord, that together with the shepherds and all other believers we shall some day, with all heavenly host sing "Glory to God in the highest," and worship eternally before the throne of Jesus Christ, in whose name w$ offer this prayer." Rev. Carl Lobitz St. Blares The Bethlehem scene, beautifully portrayed at the side altar of St. Mary's Catholic church, will attract all worshippers again this Christmas season. The midnight Mass will be sung by the adult choir, which will offer "Exultate Deo" Mass by Ahrens and the proper by Tozer. „ .. .. r * Other high Masses will be sung at 7, 8:30 and 10 o'clock. The 7 o'clock Mass will be followed by a low Mass and the 10 o'clock by two low Masses. The girls' choir will sing at the 7 and 8:30 Masses and the young people will offer hymns at 7:30 and at the other low Masses. Confessions will be heard Saturday and Monday at 2 p.m. and again at 7 o'clock. St. Patrick's In beautifully decorated St. Patrick's Catholic church, there will be midnight Mass on Christmas, which will be sung by the adult choir. Prior to the "Christmas Carol Mass," the singers will offer "Silent Night" and at the offertory will sing "Adeste Fideles." As the faithful leave in the early hours of Christmas morning, they will do so to the strains of "Angels We Have Heard on High." Another high Mass will be sung at 10 o'clock by the children's choir, under direction of Sister Nicholas. Low Masses will be at 7, 8, 9 and 11:30 o'clock. The children will sing "Mass of the Shepherds" and will offer hymns at the communion time agd "Adeste Fideles" at the offertory. Confession hours will be on Monday from 10 to 11 a.m., 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 in the evening. Community Methodist At the Community Methodist church on Christmas Sunday, Dec. 23, the choir will sing at the second service "Go Tell It On the Mountain," a negro spiritual, arid "While By My Sheep," a Christmas hymn of the 17th century. The first service will find Howard Useman singing "O Holy Night" and the male quartet also participating. College students home for the holidays will take part in both services. Church services and Sunday School will be held at the usual hours of 9:15 and 10:45 a.m. Pastor Corbett will speak on the subject, "Th$ Comings of Christ." * On Christmas eve, two identical^ candlelight services will be heia ari 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Soloists and duets will be included in the special music. Carol singing and "The Story Behind the Carols" will precede the traditional candle-lighting ceremony. The children of the church presented their annual Christmas pageant last Sunday afternoon, Dec. 16. The pageant was entitlled "The- Red Shoes" and centered around the theme of Christmas around the World. Parties for various departments of the Sunday School are being held throughout this week. A Christmas supper party sponsored by the church and Women's Society for Christian Service is being held at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Howard Fike this Sunday evening, with college students and servicemen as special guests. Zion Lutheran The Sunday School Christmas eve program will be presented Sunday evening, Dec. 23, at 7:30 in the McHenry high school auditorium, under the direction of C. F. Kiehl, superintendent. On Christmas day, there will be two services at the usual time, 8 and 10:30 a.m. The junior choir will sing "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "There Were Shepherds", with Mrs. Catherine Svoboda, director,' and Mrs. Maria Guettler, accompanist. On Sunday, Dec. 30, there will be services at 8 and 10:30 a.m. The New Year's Eve service is at 8 p.m. New Year's day services are at 8 and 10:30. Miss Janyce Bonder will sing "Hear Our Prayer" ai the 10:30 service. St John's The Christmas services at St. John's church, Johnsburg, will begin with a high Mass at midnight, during which the adult choir will sing the proper of the Mass as arranged by Tozer and the "Chimes Mass" by Farnsworth, The adult choir will also provide the music for the first of two low Masses immediately following the midnight Mass. *S*La|gr in the morning, there will 'be thr^eM&fher Mlteses7at~1?:30, 9 and 10 o'clock. The combined children's, choirs will sing during the 10 high Mass. Christ The King At Christ the King Catholic church in Wonder Lake, there will be an 8 o'clock high Mass Christmas day, followed by two low masses, and there will be another high Mass at 10, followed by two. low Masses. Beginning at 11:30 Christmas eve, the choir, under direction of John Van Kanegan, will present thirty minutes of caroling. The midnight solemn high Mass will be followed by two low Masses. Confessions will be heard Saturday, Dec. 22, from 4 to 5 in the afternoon and from 7 to 8 in the evening. Also on Christmas eve, Dec. 24, confessions will be heard for children from 4 to 5 in the ^afternoon and for adults from 7' to 8:30 in the evening. Communion for the sick of the parish will be distributed the morning of Dec. 24. Bible Church On Sunday, Dec. 23, at the Bible church in Wonder Lake, the young people's choir will present special music at the 11 o'clock worship service. Organ music played by Wayne Foss will be featured at the 7:30 evening fellowship hour. The young people are planning to go caroling after the service and will welcome all who wish to join them. Nativity Lutheran The pastor at Nativity Lutheran church, Wonder Lake, has selected as his sermon title, "Your Lord Cometh", for the morning worship service Sunday, Dec. 2^*At 7:30 that evening, the Sunday School Christmas program will be presented at Harrison school. Dec. 24,1 the Christmas eve communion service will be held at 7:30, with the senior choir presenting the Christinas anthem. All members of the church are encouraged to receive communion on this blessed night. TTie traditional Christmas, eve midnight candlelight and. carol service will begin at 11:30. „ The pastor will be assisted by the young men of the church and everyone is welcome to this beautiful service. Bible Church On the Saturday preceding Christmas, at 6:30 p.m., the young folks of the McHenry Bible churdh will go carolling through the community. Afterward, refreshments will be served at the Ken Sveen home. On Sunday, there will be Sunday School at 9:45 and regular worship service at 11, the sermon to be on "Christmas Everywhere." That evening at 7:30, a children's program will be presented on the theme, "Three Gifts of Christmas." Church calerfdars will be given to families at this time. Ringwood Methodist At the Ringwood Methodist chbrcH, there will be the usual services on Sunday, at 9:30 for the adults and Sunday School at 10:30. On Christmas, a combined adult worship rite and children's program will be held at 8 in the evening. Thursday night, the Junior Youth Fellowship will go carolling in the community and on Saturday the Senior Youth Fellowship will do the same. St. Peter's Midnight Mass will be sung at St. Peter's Catholic church? Spring Grove, on Christmas day and there Will also ' be a high Mass at 8 and a low Mass at 10. Confessions will be heard Monday afternoon from 2 to 5:30 o'clock and from 7:15 to 9 p.m. DEFEAT® BY 318 VOTES; ONLY ONE PRECINCT FAVORED NEW STRUCTURE JUDGE DECORATED HOMES IN CITY THIS WEEKEND Riding through McHenry in recent nights, there is little doubt but that Christmas is fast approaching. Many new decorations are among those ribted, including a beautiful silver star on a pier which throws a lovely reflection in the river just southeast of the city.v According to the Chamber of Commerce, which is sponsoring the annual decorating contest, judging will take place between 7 and 10 o'clock on Saturday or Sunday night this week. Entries may be made by contacting the secretary, Robert Stueben. Although the judges will try to drive on all streets within the city limits, only those officially entered will be sure of being judged. Three prizes will be given in the non-commercial class and two in the commercial category. Judging will be based on general artistic effect, originality, ingenuity in utilizing surroundings, comforming to the Christmas spirit and size. News About Our Servicemen Second Lieut, and Mrs. Frederick John Pepping celebrated their Christmas early this year. A family party including "Jack's" parents, Mr. arid" Mrs. Fred Pepping, and her mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Engdahl, was held Friday night at the Peppings' new home in Edgebrook Heights. The following day, the young couple left for Carmi, 111., to spend the weekend with her cousins, after which they continued on to --San Antonio, Tex., where he reports tomorrow for duty. They had been making their home in Harvey for the past six months. Pvt. Richard C. Michels, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Miches, Route 1, McHenry, recently was graduated from the basic (9 (Continued on Page 8) Begin Hospital Expansion Program Plans are underway toward the expansion of the McHenry hospital. According to a 1952 survey made by a group of hospital consultants, four and one-half beds are needed per thousand people, necessitating 275 or more" beds „in McHenry county by 1960. When the Memorial Hospital for McHenry County in Woodstock completes the present expansion program, there will be approximately 125 beds available in the county. These hospitals are located at Harvard, Woodstock and McHenry. What will happen in regard to the 150 beds that will still be needed? Future announcements are intended to enlighten the public. A general meeting of interested persons is planned for late in January. At this meeting, committee chairmen will be selected and a drive for funds organized. McHENRY WOMAN RECEIVES IM JURIES TO HEAD IN CRASH Mrs. Robert Fuhler of the McHenry area suffered a severe bump on the head in a traffic accident which occurred on the Johnsburg blacktop road about 11:15 last Thursday night. She was riding in a car driven by her husband when, according to a sheriff's deputy, a truck driven by Floyd Feezeh passed a stop sign and struck the auto. The car skidded into a ditch and struck a fence before stopping in a field. The Fuhler car was damaged to the extent of about $200. KILLED IN ACCIDENT Edward K. Dennis, Jr., 33 of Crystal Lake, a salesman, was killed one day last week when his car skidded into a gas truck near Moberly, Mo., during a snow and sleet storm. Letters To Santa These are more of the letters to Santa which arrived at the Plaindealer office this past week. They are being printed just as received. "Dear Santa: "Please come to my house again this year. I really love you. Would you please bring me a doll house, a doll with high heels and a phonograph and don't forget my mommie and daddy and everybody. Mommie says I'm a real good girl. "Hugs and Kisses "Mary Jo Lucas "Rt. 2, McHenry" "Dear ^Santa: , "I'm printingthis myself. I want a cowboy hat, -a holster a engine set. "Love "Andy" "Dear Santa Cl%us: "I would like a little ironing (Continued on Page 8) TELEPHONE RECORD MAY BE SET IN CITY CHRISTMAS AM the colorful lights- which brighten the yuletide season will not be confined to Christmas trees, according to R. C. Zahn, telephone manager here. "Christmas eve will start the little green, r^d and amber lights on our long-distance switchboards flashing faster and longer than v-ver before," he saia. "We expect the number of toll calls placed and. received by residents of McHenry to hit record holiday heights." A full staff of Illinois Bell telephone operators under Chief Operator RoVena Marshall will be on duty during the Christmas period to handle the heavy volume of calls anticipated. The company also will put into effect special telephone operating procedures and equipment designed to cover the heavy holiday traffic. Manager Zahir indicated, however, that some delays might result, despite company steps taken to expedite calls as speedily as possible. Zahn suggested that telephone users during the Christmas calling rush can save time for themselves by giving the long-distance operator the number they are calling. COUNTY REVENUE A total of 1,410 building permits and ninety-one re-zoning petitions were issued in the office of George Jedlicka, county zoning board officer, during the period from Jan. 1, to Dec. 1 of this year. The revenue from the transactions amounted to $42,910.29 for the county. The public very decisively expressed themselves Saturday at five voting precincts in the McHenry high school district as being opposed to a $290,000 bond issue which would have provided a swimming pool to the new addition to the school. The vote was 542 against the issue and 224 in favor. The bond issue was proposed by the board of education after bids for the erection of the addition, scheduled at first to include the pool, ran too high for original plans. Conferences between the board, architect and administrators resulted in the conclusion that only by omitting a large number of items which were at first felt to be good building procedure' could the total cost of the classroom area be brought within the bond issue. v Ask Public Vote Since many people expressed a strong desire for the pool, the board decided the fairest procedure to follow would be to present the bond issue to the public for their expression before the additioft progressed further. Heaviest voting was in precinct. 4 (city hall) where 452 voters expressed themselves against the pool and 174 were in favor. Voting elsewhere was as follows: Precinct 1 (Island Lake) 27, yes, 5, no; precinct 2 (Lakemoor) 6, yes, 20, no; precinct 3 (McCullom Lake) 13, yes, 16, no; precinct 5 (Sunnyside) 5, yes, 49, no. CANCELLATIONS OF MAIL INCREASED OVER LAST YEAH Both the McHenry post office and station are busy handling the largest volume of mail ever processed in the history of the offices. This is made possible by the twenty- three regular employees, aided! by twenty-nine extra workers hired for the holiday rush. For the first five days, Dec. 13 to 17 cancellations were 198,730, an increase of 27,931 pieces over the same period of last year. The employees are very grateful to those Who responded to the appeal of buying stamps and mailing early, as this tremendous job could. not have been accomplished without the wholehearted support of the public. As a special service to the public, both offices will again be open this coming Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the mailing of parcels and purchasing of stamps. SELECT GRAND JURY Grand jurors were selected last week by the board of supervisors for the January term of court They include William Rothermel and Harvey Biggers of McHenry. On the supplemental panel are A. P. Freund and Mayme Miller of McHenry. Attending the meeting of Delta Kappa Gamma in Crystal Lake recently were Eleanor Foley, Ethel McGee, Lillian Bolger, Dorothy Gibbs, Nellie Doherty, Genevieve Knox and Mary Harvey. BEWARE HOLIDAY "TRAPS" Christmas, the happiest and most inspiring season of the entire year, may carry far less joy than it should if folks are not careful to avoid the many "traps" which could mar the day. Each year, many are caught in one or another of them, and the pleasures which customarily surround the day are gone -- only temporarily for those who are fortunate. Don't risk seeing stars when you try to hang a star on the top of the Christmas tree, warns the National Safety Council, because Christmas accidents contributed greatly to the 14,000 deaths from home falls last year. Each holiday season brings many fall hazards -- placing decorations, toys underfoot, wrappings laid "temporarily" on stairs, slippery walks outside. Another danger is fire. The tree, filled with natural pitch and resin, is one of the most combustible objects known and can burn so quickly it is almost impossible to extinguish the flames by ordinary methods. Highest of the holiday toll is in the highway accident category. Statistics point out that during the Christmas holidays, the most deadly time of the year, 75 per cent of the fatal accidents occurred during the dark hours of 5 to 7 p.m. Besides the hazard of dark, the campaign against accidents places emphasis on speed, drinking drivers and pedestrians and other pedestrian hazards, all of which increase the holiday toll. Beware of these "traps" and enjoy to the fullest extent the - wonderful.season that is Christmas!