[I CONTEST FL VOLUME 99 - NUMBER 55 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1975 20 PAGES - FIFTEEN CENTS THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGIOlS I S INCE 1875 Present New High School Education Plan Guided strongly by recom mendations made by a 2-2 year Citizens' Planning committee for Hjgh School District 156, Supt. Richard Swantz last week outlined plans for a proposed new program of education. The plan, he_ noted, represents a "pioneer" effort in a direction which a recent nation-wide study of secondary education called "critical." The proposal includes a combination of the more traditional method of teaching and the progressive, flexible approach -- all within one four- year high school operating in two buildings. Although no specific options have been identified, these are examples of programs which may be included in the new thrust. Supt Swantz appeared before the district 's Long Range Citizens Task Force to review the proposal. He pointed out to members two recom mendations of the 2-2 com mittee which the district 's administrative 6team took into consideration. The first of these was to in troduce a four year (grades 9- 12) uninterrupted educational experience for high school students The second recom mendation was that this should be done by providing two four- year high school programs with nearly equal facilities and offerings. Swantz noted that a thorough review of the local situation bv the district 's administrative team suggested certain barriers which would prevent acceptance of the plan as a whole One of the most important is the limited district bonding power Another is a consensus among many that it is not prudent to invest large sums of money to make East campus into a comprehensive high school. * The superintendent also reminded the committee that efforts to sell the East campus building at a reasonable price had failed. Swantz said the plan that resulted was developed as administrators kept in mind the barriers, at the same time working toward the goal of the committee for a four-year high school program that would avoid largeness. The new concept is described as "schools within schools", to be operated on both East and West campuses. It calls for the limited amount of facilities expansion necessary to provide more learning space to be concentrated on West campus. There will be only modifications of the interior at the East building One of the advantages, ac cording to administrators, is the ability to provide an educational program that is not too impersonal Supt. Swantz noted that some parents are completely satisfied with the flexible program that exists at this time. Others, he observed, feel their children would learn better under a more traditional system The "schools within schools" approach was designed to accommodate both as far as possible Where it is feasible, there w ill be a duplication of courses, one allowing more student responsibility, the other .con ducted under stricter teacher guidance. Although the freedom of the modular program would be practiced, the flexible time scheduling of classes would need to be relinquished The program calls for more movement between buildings as students and parents are allowed to select the type of program lor which the young people are better suited In summing up details of the plan, Swantz said he felt parents and students have a right to expect that the high school will provide an ex perience designed to meet the needs of the individual student, "providing both need cost no more, but will only require different ways of organizing the school". An important point was made that a critical need exists to involve faculty in designing the (Continued on page 19) HEAD HOSPITAL AUXILIARY- Mrs. Therese Van Buren, right, McHenry, is the new president of the Auxiliary to McHenry Hospital. She succeeds Mrs. Dorothy Kelsey as head of the volunteer organization of men and women serving patients at McHenry Hospital. (DON PEASLEY PHOTOGRAPHY) SMILE - IT'S FOR YOUR HEART - There is no more appropriate theme for Valentine's day than this appeal in behalf of the Heart fund. February is Heart month, and Bill Werner, left, displays a big smile as he accepts first donation from Anthony Corcoran, administrator of McHenry hospital, who places money in the canister at the hospital. Werner is Heart fund chairman for McHenry. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Transfer Injured Driver By Helicopter Following Crash Spirited Races Promised In Two McHenry Wards David E. Maggio of 8506 Elm street, Wonder Lake, was transferred to Evanston hospital from McHenry hospital by the trauma helicopter Saturday morning about 2 o'clock after he was injured in a one-car accident Friday night about 11 o'clock. The accident took place at 7204 W. Route 120, east of Wonder Lake road. No statement was taken from Maggio due to his condition. He was the only occupant of the car. According to county police, it appeared the Maggio car was east-bound on the highway when for some unknown reason, it left the north edge of the roadway and hit a driveway embankment. There was no evidence another vehicle was involved. The exact cause of the crash has not been deter mined. Evanston hospital reported Maggio in fair condition Tuesday morning Donald and Larry Bockhorst of 715 Center street, McHenry, were admitted to McHenry hospital Saturday night after a one-vehicle accident at 512 W Route 120, Lakemoor. They were taken to the hospital by the McHenry Rescue squad The driver, Donald Bockhorst, told deputies he could remember nothing about the accident. His brother, Larry, who was a passenger, said an unknown vehicle en tered their lane of traffic and forced their vehicle onto the shoulder of the road, where it hit a tree. Physical evidence at the scene indicated Bockhorst, driving a pickup truck west, began braking in the east- bound lane, crossed back into the west-bound lane, went off the road and took down 48 feet of fencing before hitting a tree. The 1975 pickup truck was demolished in the mishap. A two-car collision at the GAiincr of Route 120 and Thompson road last Thursday afternoon resulted in a ticket for failure to yield turning left for Kenneth F. Teuscher of 8705 Ramble road, Wonder Lake. The other driver, Sarah P Lessman of 508 W Roosevelt, Harvard, was slightly injured in the accident and was taken to McHenry hospital by a passing motorist. According to deputies, Teuscher was making a left turn onto Thompson road and failed to see the west-bound car driven by Ms. Lessman. Teuscher said he was watching another car on Thompson road to determine which way the auto was going to turn and was struck by the Lessman auto Ms. Lessman said she ap plied her brakes when she saw the other car make a left turn into her lane of traffic but was unable to avoid impact. Susan L. Simmons of 207 S. Highland, McHenry, was ticketed for failure to give information after striking an (Continued on page 19) Spirited'races are promised m two of Mcllenry's four wards in the April 15 aldermanic election. With the deadline for filing this week, two had filed in Ward 3, Raymond L. Smith, a former alderman in that ward, and Robert .J Mortell The present alderman, Donald Howard, is not seeking reelection. In Ward 4, it will be Ronald 11 Meurer and Walther E.I Schaedel bidding for the favor of voters. Jerome Rogers, who presently holds the aldermanic seat in that ward, will not run for office this year. There are no contests in Ward I, where William J. Bolger seeks another term, or Ward 2, where George L. Marker is the office holder. Both seek reelection. Two Escape Death In Pistakee After Snowmobile Mishap Two McHenry teen-agers narrowly escaped drowning Sunday when their snowmobile went into the icy water on Pistakee Lake off Eagle Point road, near Fox Lake. Last month, Richard Doneto of DesPlaines drowned near the same location. According to reports, four teen-year-old Erich P. Meissner, Jr., of 2912 Woodland lane. McHenry, was credited with saving the life of Sandra K Johnson, 13, of 2807 N. Magellan avenue, also of McHenry. when he pulled her out of the water. They were taken to McHenry hospital by the Fox Lake Rescue squad, where they were treated for exposure. Pre-School Screening Held In District 15 Through recent Illinois legislation, children 3 years of age or older who have special needs may be screened by the local school system. In order to identify , these children, McHenry is holding registration for all pre-school children who will be 3 by Dec. 1, 1975. Anyone who lives in School District 15 and has a young child may contact the elementary school nearest their home and registration forms will be sent. The parent will be asked to complete an information card, a brief medical questionnaire, and social history of the child After the registration of all 3 and 4-year-old children, follow- up screening will be provided for some. This will help to detect any special needs or problems of the pre-school child. Many children who are screened show no problems, and this is reassuring to parents. Other children may exhibit problems in talking behaving, seeing, hearing or moving, or in learning as fast as they should Since the registration is also a pre-school census, District 15 asks that parents of each three- and-four-year-old child register at their schools. The schools to call for registration are Landmark, Hilltop. Edgebrook or Valley View. Each is listed in the telephone directory under "Schools". Memories Of Year In Brazil Barbara Krebs returned home recently from Santos, Bra/il, where she had spent a year as a student under the American Field Service program. In the traditional custom of tourists, she brought back a variety of interesting items, including the black straw doll shown here. The demitasse cups are a particular favorite for they are a reminder of the delicious coffee for which Brazil is known. Miss Krebs said the coffee beanS grown there are, more often than not, ground in the store where the coffee is sold. Only demitasse cups are used because the coffee is served so strong. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Memories of a year spent as a student in Santos, Brazil, under the A.F.S. program are un folding each day for the family and friends of Barbara Krebs For most of her time away from McHenry, Miss Krebs lived with the Mario da Costa Cardosa family, which includes two girls and a boy, all older than herself Santos came into existence about the year 1535, and now has 345,456 inhabitants for the distinction of being the biggest port in South America. It is a popular tourist attraction, especially during the summer0 months, which in Brazil are in January, February and March Although Christmas is ob served much differently, Barbara had been in the country so long she was able to accustom herself to the change. There are few trees during the holiday season, most of them artificial, and they are seldom the center of attraction as they are in U S homes. Although the New Year observance is more important. (Contirftied on page 19) Hold Gravel Pit Hearing Feb. 13 A hearing will be held Thursday, Feb. 13, at 2 p.m. before the McHenry Coun ty Zoning Board of Appeals in the McHenry City Council chambers. The hearing in volves the application of Leo and Evelyn Diedrich and Material Service corporation to change the zoning on 121 acres of land from "F" farming to a Conditional Use permit for a gravel pit operation. The property in question is one mile north of the in tersection of Lincoln and Chapel Hill roads, fronting on the east side of Chapel Hill road across from Chapel Hill golf course. Persons wishing to be heard on this matter should attend this meeting. Third Fire At Steak House Is Extinguished Just one week after a fire started in the already gutted Miller Steak House, another fire brought firemen to the scene last Monday afternoon. Fire Chief Glenn Peterson said no further damage could be done to the building, which was to a great extent destroyed by flames Christmas day. Prints in the snow indicated someone had recently entered the building before rubbish in the basement was set afire. A passerby noticed Monday's fire about 4:30 and turned in the alarm. $1,900 An Acre Set For Volo Bog Property A jury has acted in setting a price for one of the last portions of the Volo Bog remaining under private ownership. The Illinois Department of Conservation will pay $152,000, or $1,900 an acre, for a 80-acre tract of rolling farm land and part of the Volo Bog in Grant township. That sum was a jury verdict at a condemnation hearing before Circuit Judge Lloyd Van Deusen. About a third of the rec tangular tract owned by Leonard Aldridge of Lake Forest, president of Aldridge Electric, Inc., contains part of the bogs. This does not include the tamarack area. The property fronts on Lake Sullivan road, west of Highway 12. This land at one time belonged to the Win n Fin Hunt club on the other side of Sullivan Lake road and recently had been used for hunting. The established price of the land to the state was $24,000 over its offer of $128,000 and $88,000 under the owner s asking price of $245,000. Real estate appraisers testifying for the owner said they based their valuation on the highest and best use of the land, which was future development of single family * residences with recreational facilities. An appraiser for the Con servation department had placed the fair cash value at $1,600 an acre on the same date, October, 1973, when the state started its negotiations. little one, had it all figured out before she spoke. "My parents were divorced but now they're back together. Maybe they'll make it this time". On another occasion a McHenry teacher returned to class after a brief stay in the hospital. They asked her many questions, and in answer she mentioned having passed the time by walking down the hall to see the new babies. \ "Did you get to hold any of them"? one little girl asked. \ The teacher started to ex plain that the hospital doesn't allow anyone to hold babies, but she was never able to finish. A little girl did that for her. Bubbling over the op portunity to dispense her knowledge of the subject, the child sputtered, "I know you can't hold them, because if you do you have to take home the one you touch. My mother touched a girl and she had to bring her home. Now we have three sisters and we wanted a brother". Another time it was a little kindergartner who surprised the teacher with his ob servation. When she came to school one morning the alert little fellow noticed her hair was a darker color and he asked her why. She explained that she had just had her hair "done". To this, the youngster asked if she had painted it and the teacher replied that "it is something like hair paint". The matter dropped until it was time to catch the bus. It was raining and the teacher (Continued on page 19) These are Lincoln and Washington memorial days, and no remembrance would be complete without a story about each. They are true stories that unfolded in the classroom of one McHenry teacher this past week. Talking to her second grade class about the famous presidents, the teacher told of her trip to Gettysburg. Then she added that perhaps she could bring some slide pictures to school for them to see. One little second grader, unbelieving, sputtered, "You mean you snuck in the woods and took pictures where they were fighting?" After recovering her com posure, the teacher continued to recount her experiences when she visited Washington's home and sat on the front porch. Highly impressed, one youngster needed reassurance that he had heard correctly. "You mean you were at Washington's home?" he stammered. "You must be awful special to know Lincoln and Washington". A sign-of-the-times came to light at a local school last week where one of the teachers was telling her young students that this was the day she and her husband were celebrating their twenty-seventh wedding an niversary. Unbelieving, one little girl looked at her with wide eyes and observed, "My mother never lived with one husband that long". Another, more philosophical