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/ MCHENRY "Serving The Chain-O-Lakes Region Since 1875 Volume 85 -- No. 43 -- 2 Sections McHENRY. ILLINOIS. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25. I960 18 Pages -- 10c Per Copy McHenry area churches are preparing for the Lenten seasop, which begins on Ash Wednesday, March? 2. Some churches are planning for special rites that day, and all have scheduled extra services during the forty-day penitential period preceding Easter Sunday on Agjil 17. The very finest bit of snow sculpture to come to our attention occupies a prominent place in the front yard of the Richard Wilheim residence on Main street. A very realistic looking orgqn grinder and his monkey, lifef-size, have attractedmany adjuring glances from passersby. ™ur congratulations to Mrs. Lena Bohr, who today, Feb. 25, is observing her eighty-seventh birthday anniversary. In quite -good health, Mrs. Bohr lives alone at.211 Court street, enjoying the frequent visits of her friends and the many games of cards which provide diversion. £he deadline for display of 1960 license plates has passed, and for the most part we have a law abiding driving public. As we looked over our own envelope filled with information accompanying the plates, We wondered how many of the thousands receiving licenses would take the time to read any of it. We also wonder how nrmy who do will remember tlw important information all of us should know. Some of the more common warning signs are listed, along with their meanings, as well as simple rujes to observe to avoid highway accidents. Also iricluded is an informative listing of traffic violations and their point values. It is interesting to note that there aw eighty-four separate traffic Iri^v. violations which have been assigned pojnt values. The more frequent include reckless driving and speeding. Licenses are revoked after 110 points or more are accumulated and there is a twelve-month sus- 'pension for 100 to 109 points. Also 0f interest is the fact that except for such offenses asudrivjng while intoxicated, le^ing the scene of an accident or other serious charge, there must be three convictions within one year to bring suspension or revocation, regardless 6f the number of points accumulated. This sounds fair enough to usf: and means that having nifr Uceiise taken away is don^ In the best interest, of the millions of safe drivers Who have a right to expert tb be able to drive and stay alive on our high- W8 , The lkrge membership in P.TiA. work in McHenry will join with other local associations of the Illinois Congress of Parents and Teachers in commflRiorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State organization this month. Nationally, this is the largest volunteer organization in the world, including thousands devoted to programs of action ir support of educational opportunity, moral and spiritual values and civic responsibility. W i t h M c H e n r y ' s g r o w i n g sdral enrollment, there is increased importance in the work of the P.T.A. each year. 'Tis Leap year week cominp up, and for a few 4-year-old youngsters, next Monday may be their first birthday party. But this isn't the main reas o n f o r e x c i t e m e n t . M a i n l y Leap year is anticipated as the traditional tihve for young n0dens to propose marriage-- a tradition which some say started back in Scotland in 1288. If a man refused the offer, he was fined as much as one pound, but the ladies had to give fair warning that they were out to catch a man. If the edge of a scarlet flanne) petticoat wasn't clearly visible, a^nan was absolved from paying ttoe forfeit. The custom spread through Europe and followed Columbus (Continued on Page 8) REGISTRATION DRIVE PUNNED IN THISAREA Women Voters' League Urges Public Support The League of Women Voters of Woodstock and McHenry is sponsoring a registration driven early in March, rhe League has prepared printed cards with detailed registration information. Three thousand of these cards will be hung on doorknobs in the McHenry. and Woodstock area. In McHenry, the Girl Scouts and the eighth grade civics class at the Junior high, school will help to distribute the cards during the registration drive. The League wishes to remind all eligible voters that in order to vote ypu must be a citizen, 21 years old, and registered. March 14 is the final day of registration for the April 12 primary election. List Qualifications You are eligible to register if you have resided in your precinct thirty days, in the county ninety days and in the state one year. You can be registered by County Clerk Vernon Kays. City Clerk Earl Ft. Walsh or the deputy registration officer in your area. You must re-register if you have changed your name through marriage since your last registration. If you have moved from one precinct to another since your last registration you must sign an application for change of residence with a registration officer.. If you are now properly registered and have'Voted within the last four years, you need not re-register. ANNIVERSARY OF FIRE File Early For School Election This spectatcular photo was taken just sixty years ago this month, when St. John's Catholic church burned to the ground as parishioners hurried out during Sunday morning Mass. Only the bare walls of the beautiful structure were left. The picture was given to the Plaindealer by a reader recently, showing the dramatic blaze which was believed to have started from a defective flue. According to the Plaindealer files of sixty years ago, "the church was filled •with many worshippers when the chandeliers were noticed to swing arounld in a peculiar manner and then drop to the floor, and through the opening produced curled a thin cloud of smoke." It continued: "Fr. Mehring gave the signal to pass out and all did so in orderly fashion. All escaped unhurt except Joseph Heimer, who in his excitement jumped through a window and sustained painful but not serious injuries." The Johnsburg Church was said to have been one of the most beautiful in the country, costing $100,000 when it was erected in 1867. Construction on a new church started at once after the fire. Wednesday, Feb. 24, was the first day for filing for positions on' local school boards, and even at this early date tfiere is interest in this important work. In District 156 (high school), the three-yea^ terms of Vale Adams and Francis Wirtz will expire. Adams will be a candidate for re-election, but Wirtz has/announced that he does not ii\tend to run for a second term. On the first day of filing. Donald Weingart filed his petition for the office to be left vacant. In District 15 (grade school), the terms of Mrs. Naomi Meyer and Dr. S. H. Fike expire. Dr. Fike will not be a candidate for re-election, but Mrs. Meyer intends to run again. "Hie last day for filing petitions with the board secretaries is March 19. McHENRY COUNTY PAYS HIGHLY IN OCCUPATIONAL TAX NEW COMMITTEE TO PROMOTE-MORE INDUSTRY LOCALLY CONDUCT HOUSE TO HOUSE DRIVE HEART SUNDAY. FEB. 28, TO SWELL LOCAL CAMPAI6N RIND George Pedersen of McHenry and Mrs. Elmer Schneider of Woodstock, co-chairmen for the 1960 heart fund drive in McHenry county, are anxiously awaiting the outcome of next Sunday's house to house campaign. All money collected will be used to assist in the fight against heart disease. In charge of Heart Sunday will be the Women of the Moose, with Hazel Struwe, regent. as chairman. She will be assisted by Mabel Thomas, Marge Fernstrom, Olga Johnson. Jane Roewer, Ethel Bruce, Lona Brever, Alice Kowal. Eunice Tobey and Shirley Ozog. Lauretta Homo is chairman of the McCullom Lake area; Lorraine Johnson. West Shore Reach; Betty Tabor, Lakeland; Irene Sales, village of McCullom Lake; June Bucaro, Lakeland Park, assisted by Mrs. A. Guetteon and Leona Freund. Goal Is $9,000 Mr. Pedersen said they hope to reach a goal of $9,000 in the county. No goal for the McHenry community has been set. In rural areas, a new procedure is being carried out. Those desiring to help the drive are asked to put their donation, however small or large, into one of the small contribution envelopes These are to be sealed and the name placed on the outside. They are then put into large envelopes and taken to the next door neighbor. Collection of the envelopes will be made at the end of the road. Bowling tournaments held throughout the county -- several in our own community - have met with enthusiasm, and good sized amounts have been collected in this wa3r for the heart fund campaign. CITY PTA GROUPS . TO SPONSOR POOL COLORING CONTEST The P.T.A. groups of McHenry's public and parochial schools have taken over sponsorship of the poster coloring contest held in conjunction with the swimming pool fund. The large posters, identical to those which have served as a background for canisters in local stores, have been sent to the various schools and will be distributed on March 1. There will be four classifications fot the different age classes, with cash prizes and season passes for the pool to be given the winners. The P.T.A. organizations will also act as judges for the contest. The purpose of the contest is to better acquaint more local residents with the pool fund program, which is described on the posters. HOLD RITES FOR E. J. BUSS. MANY YEARS IN BUSINESS DEMOCRATS SELECT ROCKFORD AS SITE FOR CONVENTION Edward J. Buss, Sr., 59, a (• McHenry business man for many years, died unexpectedly at his home on Main street early Friday morning, Feb. 19. He was a native of McHenry, where he was born June 26, 1900. Before his retirement in 1953 he successfully operated | the Buss Motor Sales since i World War II. He also was as- | sociated with the late Lester Page in Buss-Page Motor Sales j for a number of years. During ! these many years in business i he acquired numerous friends • who mourned his passing. Mr. Buss was a member of ; the Foresters and the Knights | of Columbus. Survivors include his widow, : the former Ella Ne\vman; i three daughters, Mrs. William I (Betty) O'Brien of McHenry. | Mrs. Robert (Mary Margaret) i Reynolds of Burlington, Wis., | and Ella Jean Buss of Washing- 1 ton, D. C.; two sons, Edward . Jr.. of McHenry and Bernard j of Builington, Wis.; three sisj ters. Mrs. Margaret Lavelle of , Streator, Miss Mayme Buss of McHenry and Mrs. George ; (Vera) Kane of McHenry; also j fourteen grandchildren. I The body rested at the | George Justen & Son funeral i home until Monday morning at I 9:30 o'clock, when a funeral The annual report o| the State Revenue department, made this past week, disclosed that 1,379 taxpayers in McHenry county paid $2,206,931.- 50 in retailers occupational tax at a 2M> per cent for a oneyear period. The figure was for all kinds of businesses. Food topped all categories with a total of $612,853.81, followed in second place by automotive with $391,086.54. McHenry was tops in the building and hardware classification with a total of $27,158.- 84. For all classifications, the amounts for the various municipalities were as follows: McHenry, $344,535; Woodstock $399,444; Crystal Lake. $415,- 906; Alden, $3,242; Algonquin. $64,240; Chemung, $2,011; Fox River Grove, $34,134; Harvard, $177,838; Hebron, $22,542; Htfhtley, $52,658; Marengo. Mmmi EUcfrnpnd, $37,$11; Ridgefield, $4,968; Ringwood. $5,655; Spring Grove, $14,484; Union, $10,459; Wonder Lake $20,510; Johnsburg, $8,404;, Island Lake, $3,656; Lakemoor, $6,562. In the municipality retailers' occupation tax during the same period, the collections by municipalities included McHenry with $64,812.47, Woodstock had $75,200.59. The report shows 1958 taxes extended in McHenry county for high schools, $2,283,553; of which $1,160,163 was for educ a t i o n ; $ 2 1 2 , 3 1 2 , b u i l d i n g ; $321,780, bond and interest: and $46,006 for transportation. In the twelve grade school districts, $1,443,774 was extended, and in elementary districts under twelve grades, $3,137,970. At a meeting of the McHenry Plan Commission, held Monday evening of this week, announcement was made of a newly formed industrial development committee. Members are Virgil Pollock, George Krickl, Horace Wagner, Pete Schroeder, David Kent, Donald Johnson. Charles Brown and Royal Bernier. Two others are still to be named. The committee, when completed. will have representatives of the City Council, Plan Commission, utilities, real estate. industry.. transportation, the press and a financial institution. The purpose of the Plan Commission is to do everything possible to make McHenry the best possible place in ^JJiich to live in the future. Since industry is part of any growing community, the Coimx^ission deemed it wise to sent! out questionaires to McHenry business firms, in which they were asked to indicate their feelings on the promotion of industry in the community in the future. The committee, which was created because of almost unanimous feeling in support of more industry locally, will have as its purpose the task of bringing new industry into McHenry? A meeting is planned for the near future. OFFICIALS VISIT HERE Six foreign officials will attend the March 8 meeting of the McHenry county board of superv isors, according to County Clerk Vernon W. Kays. They are in the United States for training in local government administration. SEVEN FROM McHENRY AREA ARE MAMB) TO BOARD OF NEWLY FORMED EASTERN COUNTY PLANNING GROUP RIBBON CUTTING PROGRAM FOR VFW ADDITION FEB. 27 Saturday. Feb. 27, will be an important day for members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 4600, and their auxiliary unit. At 2 o'clock that afternoon, Mayor George P. Freund will officiate at a ribbon cutting ceremony which will open the fourth addition to the clubhouse in the past twelve years. The public is invited to attend this grand opening. Following the ribbon cutting, there will be entertainment in the lounge during the afternoon, and a dance and smorgasbord extending far into the evening. The V.F.W. in the McHenry community has long been known for its outstanding community service. Work undertaken by members has been made even more extensive by the fine cooperation of the auxiliary unit. One recent year, they placed twelfth in the state in this particular field of work. V School Problems To Be Discussed Ai Ringwood The Ringwood Community club will hold its next meeting on Monday, Frt>. 29. at 8:15 o'clock in the Ringwood school. County Superintendent Richard Tazewell and the board of directors will present school problems for discussion. This is a meeting of interest and concern to all residents of District 34. Hospital Committee Members Named For Drive On March 7 TWO INJURED IN CRASH AT INTERSECTION Rockford has been set as the site of the nominating conven- , Mass was Qt g Marv>s t.on for Democrats of_the Sixth , Catho]jc churchi with buriafin LOCAL CENSUS HEADQUARTERS SET UP IN ELGIN The 1960 census of population and housing is drawing near, with seventeen regional offices over the country having been put into operation. Each office is set up to supervise the work in specific areas. The counties of DuPage, Kane and McHenry will be sui pervised by the office in Elgin, ! located at 156 Division street, Ernest C. Waggoner, sup. Supreme Court district com prising twelve counties in i northern Illinois The site and I the date, March 26, were se- ! lected at a meeting of seven of j the twelve county chairman I held in Freeport Monday night^ Among chairmen meeting! that night was Karl DeBaar of Kirkland, who is a candidate j i for the legislature from the 142nd district, which includes \ j the counties of Ogle, DeKalb. | • Boone and McHenry. ! I County groups which still j 1 must hold conventions include i McHenry, Stephenson, Jo Da- 1 viess. Carroll, Whiteside. Ogle. ! Lee. DeKalb. Kane, Kendall ! and Boone. McHenry county j will elect eighteen delegates \ with full vote and one with ! 79-500ths. based on the 9,579 j votes Richard Austin received | in his unsuccessful bid for the governorship in 1956 against , Gov. William G. Stratton. the church cemetery- Local motorists were injured, but none seriously, when icy pavements caused the collision of two cars at the intersection of Rt. 120 and the Ringwood blacktop JSaturday night. ^ Dr. and Mrs. Leonard Bottari of Lakeland Park were approaching the intersection, driving on the blacktop, when (Continued on Page 8) Mr. and Mrs. Dean McCracken and baby daughter, Jeannie, of Bensenville were Sunday guests in the L. J. McCracken home. Initiative, Planning, Work Make State Toumey Possible Next Sunday, Feb. 28, marks the first of three weekends devoted to the annual state Forester basketball tournament in our city. Aside from its significance as a sports event, the very fact that McHenry should have been selected as the site of this state-wide tourney for the twelfth consecutive year is noteworthy in itself. Not only the size of the local Forester court--second largest in the state--is reason for the local high school gym having been chosen. Although many factors enter into the selection, which is made by the high Forester court, the keen interest and willingness to devote a great amount of time to organization of the event are largely responsible. Four classed--Heavies, Seniors, Rangers and Juniors-- will compete for three Sundays, giving area residents an opportunity to witness the type of sports competition not always available in gi comparatively small community. Sports-minded individuals should be grateful that in our midst there are those who have the initiative to bid for such an outstanding event, and then follow through with the planning and work necessary to make it a success. . The McHenry hospital drive to raise $200,000 for an eighteen, hed addition and maternity division will begin Monday, March 7. it was announced this week by McHenry's Mayor George P. Freund. general chairman of the campaign. All phases of the drive are being buttoned up and chairmen in all parts of the county are laying plans for their respective areas. Mayor Freund said. James M. Lennon, president of the McHenry Hospital association, heads the "pattern gifts" committee. Members of other committees were also announced by the various chairmen. James L. Althoff and Homer G. Fitzgerald, co-chairmen of the McHenry area committee, report the acceptance of the McHenry chairmanship by Edwin F Reid. Mrs. Willard Schultz, chairman, announces the appointment of the following team captains in the McCullom Lake area: John Schloffner. Victor Howe. Anne Zahn, Diane Koch and Irene Sales. Mrs Gerald J. Hettermann, Johnsburg chairman, reports the following members: Kathr y n T u s s e y . M r s . B a r n e y S k j a r e s t a d . A l b e r t A d a m s , Dorothy S t e i n b i s s, Dolly Daughtery, Betty Schmitt, La- Verne Jost, Lois Anderson. Chris Williams, Esther Knapp. Marilyn Wiggerman. Tom Huemann and Elmer Meyers. W o n d e r L a k e C h a i r m a n Frank Wiedemann reports the addition of committee members Mrs. Steve Simon and Frank Hnilo. Woodstock members announced by Chairman Walter Zahray are Mrs. Jeanne Hendrickson, Mrs. James W. Mc- Culloch, and Carl Mitchell. Special Events Chairman John (Jack) Sheehy reports Mrs. Grace Goffo, Francis Higgins. T. P. Mathews, Jess Seeman, and Tiny Goble as committee members. NATIONAL FFA WEEK OBSERVED BY LOCAL CHAPTER Sixteen members of the Mci Henry high school Future Farmers of America chapter are this week observing National F.F.A. Week, which continues through Feb. 27. In this observance they join high school boys in over 8.000 chap- (Continued on Page 8) SOLIFSBURG WINS ENDORSEMENT OF GOP COMMITTEE Circuit Cburt Judge Roy V. Solfisburg was unanimously endorsed by the McHenry County Republican Central Committee which met at the county court house in Woodstock last week Wednesday evening. The delegates were instructed to cast their ballots for him under the unit rule as nominee for judge of the Sixth Supreme Court district. Thus he was assured of the 42 and 117-500ths votes of delegates named that night. The convention will be held at the Scottish Rite auditorium in Freeport on March 21. Selection of delegates and alternates was made by a committee appointed by Chairman Charles "Chuck" Miller of McHenry. The committee was headed by Ed. Dowd, with Raymond Murphy, Joseph Frett and Eugene Hoppe serving. Selected as delegates were Charles J. Miller. Joseph Frett, Harry Kinne. Elmer Granso, Anthony Varese, J. R. Levesque. John Bonder, Albert Stilling. Steve Vacula and Joe Cina of this area. Several men from this area have been named to the board of the newly formed Eastern McHenry County Plan association, a not-for-profit corporation organized for the purpose of cooperation with public officials and other interested- citizens in the planning and development of the unincorporated areas of Dorr, Nunda, McHenry and part Of Algonquin townships. About fifty persons who are concerned with the need for sound and careful planning outside cities and Villages belong to the organization. They feel that the demand for land extending out from the Chicago metropolitan area calls for extensive planning in the county. The first project of the organization will be a complete survey of land use in the uif^ incorporated areas. The program calls for $4,000 to be raised by contributions to defray the costs of a survey and for expert advice. Give County Information The association intends to turn over to the county its findings and recommendations of experts so that any action deemed advisable may be taken. According to President Harold Bacon, any action must come from the county board of supervisors, and it is only the purpose of the new organization to furnish them with information which is not now available. The association has been assured of the cooperation of the Northeastern Illinois Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, of which Paul Opperman is executive director. Mr. Oppermann has appeared in McHenry in the past to speak on planning for the future. The board of directors includes Dr. Lee Gladstone, John E. Looze, LeRoy E. Olsen, Mrs. Charles Peterson and LeRoy Smith of McHenry; Walter Dean and Dr. Santo Ruggero of Wonder Lake. Plan Dinner The newly organized association will hold a 7 o'clock dinner meeting for members and guests next Tuesday evening, March 1, at the Czecho Lodge on Route 14 in Crystal Lake. Mr. Oppermann will talk on the importance of planning in McHenry county. Also present will be Robert Morris of Waukegan, director of the Lake County Regional Plan commission, who will describe the work being done in western Lake county and will outline the possibilities of cooperation between the two county groups. The dinner next Tuesday evening will be the kick-off of the Plan association's program. Bacon said this week thatoarrangements are being made wi th Northwestern university to make such a jfcjfyfiy next summer. . "Any resident of this area who is interested in its future will want to attend this dinner". said Bacon. "Mr. Oppermann and Mr. Morris )are not only recognized planning ex- (Continued on Page 8) WINS G.O.P. BACKING Circuit Judge Roy J. Solifsburg, Aurora, shows his pleasure after he had been notified by officers of the McHenry County Central Committee, Charles "Chuck" Miller, left, chairman and Harold F. Gillis. right, secretary, that he will receive full support from the committee in his bid for nomination for the Supreme Court bench post for the 12th district. Unit rule was voted on, and the entire 42 and 117/500ths votes were pledged to his candidacy at the 6th district judicial convention in Freeport on March 21. CITY HEART FUND DRIVE Feb. i