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? SECTION 2 PAGE 2 - PLAINDEALER WEDNESDAY. JANUARY. 12.197" EDITORIALS The Electoral College In mid December tljere were once again calls for abolition of the electoral college, some by electors themselves, as they named Jimmy Carter the new chief executive of the nation It 's true the college is obsolete Electors no longer perform the function envisioned for them by the foundere of the country But the electoral svstem. though thwarting the process of pure democracy, still has its meaning To insure against big states dominating the federal government excessively, the fathers of this country established a Senate with equal representation among the states and a House with proportional representation based on population. The selection of a President was too serious to leave to the masses, who might then not even have known what the candidates stood for So electors were to elect Presidents They were chosen by the states That process evolved into people choosing electors ' state legislators at one time did), so that presidential elections in America are really indirect affairs Tw o features of the system are often criticized First, since each state has as many electors as it has Senators and Congressmen combined, lesser populated states are slightly favored Second, since electors from a state cast all that state's votes for the winning candidate < in that state), the votes of the losing candidate count for nothing l»ure democracy would be a popular nationwide vote with all votes counting, the winner being the candidate with the greatest number of popular votes That would end the need for electors, and make it impossible for a candidate to win with fewer votes than his opponent / There are some safeguards in the old system, which is a republic or confederacy of states system, in reality Small states are protected against steamroller rule and candidates are required to receive a broafiTvote from many states to win, not just smashing majorities in the big. key states Congress, for these reasons, has rightly been slow to initiate a constitutional amendment to change it 4 £ Debunking Heroes The fashion today is. to demean the heroes of yesterday's wars. It's a natural reaction in time of peace, when so many abhor war and when some even suspect anyone successful at it must have been slightly mad or cruel The point to keep in mind in assessing the performances of military heroes like'Dwight Eisenhower, George Patton, Bill Halsey. and other colorful leaders of World War II. is that they, too were human They had their faults. But. in general, war requires different attributes from peacetime living and it is unfair to retrospectively judge an individual's hardness, or even ruthlessnesss, by standards and conditions existing in peace. An individual who might contribute critically to his country's struggle for suvival in war, with cold resolution and sometimes cruel determination, might seem less than loveable a few decades later-by peacetime, post-war babies, who never knew the desperation of all-out war, the mood of the nation at that time, the alternatives of battle, etc. Senseless, exaggerated hero worship has no place in peacetime among serious students of history, though hero images are worthwhile in wartime. Yet highly critical, retrospective views of outstandingly successful military heroes, while sensational and appealing to all who hate war. are to be very carefully analyzed, and can be very misleading Building Permits CI TV' OF McHENRY The following building permits were issued by the city of McHenry during the month of December: Joseph Leopold, 1617 N. Park lane, single family dwelling. March Builders. Inc., 5310 Home avenue, fence. R E May. Inc., 3428 W. Elm street, sign. Brian G Cunat, 1907 Flower, single family dwelling James Patzke. 4419 Clearview drive, single family dwelling. James Patzke, 4421 Clearview drive, single family dwelling. Robino-Ladd company, 4902 W. Dartmoor, single family dwelling Carl D Bush, 3011 Charlotte avenue, alteration. Robino-Ladd company, 5005 W. Pyndale, single family dwelling. Joseph McEwen. 503 W Bromley, single family dwelling. Valentino Priso. 5112 Home avenue, sewer. ° Lee J. Cooney, 804 N. Front street, sign. Melvin Gehrke, Shepherd Hill road, jingle family dwelling. Robert Young, 4812 Bonner, brick front. R Biestek. 1902 Meadow lane, single family dwelling. Robert E. Lee The passage of time has been kind to Robert E. Lee, the great military leader of the Confederacy. He was born in Stratford, Westmoreland County, Va:, January 19. 1807. This is probably because Lee had freed his slaves before the war, was a gentle man of aristocratic bear­ ing and heritage, and always desired to avoid the con­ flict of 1861-65. When it came he dec lined the offered command of the L'nion army because he could notdraw his. sword, as he said, against his native state. He opposed secession but also opposed the raising of a federal army to invade the south. Lee probably was right in his hope that if war could be avoided over the states' rights or secession issue the^tates would re­ unite at a later date, though no one can know, of course. H i s c o n d u c t at the end of the war did much to prevent guerrilla warfare in the South, to heal the nation's wounds. Like Lincoln, his goal after April, 1865, was reunification of thenation. History, of course, or fate, or destiny, whatever it is •called, plays strange tricks on leaders and nations. Had the South won its independence, Lee would have Ix-en the George Washington of the new nation. That he survived defeat in honor and has emerged as'one of the nation's great men is an even greater tribute to his character and wisdom. For Your Information Dear friends. The sharing of grief is vital to the recovery from grief Those who come to a funeral visitation carry away with them a portion of the bereaved s grief, as well as depositing some of their own grief Mental health requires that humans share each other's grief Respectfully, y*-v_ PETER At JUSTEN & SON FUNERAL HOME 1307 W. Elm St. McHenry, 111. 385-0063 Attitudes Of Youth (by Stephanie Allen) My name is Stephanie Allen, and I am part of Mr Cesaroni's ' eighth grade fourth period social studies crass. On Friday, D«c. 3, 1976, we surveyed the entire seventh grade (136 students) at McHenry Junior high, using the second Niso poll from Search magazine. • J* / We took the survey to find out the attitudes of the seventh graders on a multitude of things. The questions covered parents, morals, juvenile delinquency, smoking, opportunity, and life in outer spaqib. On£ thing that I found out that's new to me is that * when given a choice, most seventh graders chose family members for their personal heroes. I would have thought that thev'd choose television characters 1 feel the survey was entirely valid and well worthwhile Most seventh graders replied that the major cause for juvenile « delinquency is unhappy homes. This gives me the idea that tftey -must appreciate the family institution Perhaps they feel that the happy child comes from the balanced home. Only 3 percent answered that they are bored by life. To me, this is a good sign, because I feel boredom is a sign of ignorance. If you have time on your hands, and nothing else to^o. think. I wish I had more time to just sit and think * On the whole, I feel that this survey has been a success We received the seventh grader's full cooperation and 1 think they were truly honest. ' - RESULTS 1. Is there any man or woman alive today whom you consider your personal hero? \ ̂ 1 Family members 2 T V personalities \ . 3 Sports figures 2 Your Choice: If you could choose, how would your parents treat you? They would: A percent -- Be very strict ' B 63 percent - Be somewhat strict • -- - C. 28 percent -- Leave you alone most of the time D 1 percent - Leave you alone always 3 Your Independence: Which statement best describes the amount of freedom your parents let you have when it comes to traveling, staving out late, etc.0 A 8 percent - My parents let me have very little freedom B 79 percent - My parents let me have some freedom C. 7 percent - My parents let me do as I please. 4. Moral Standards: How do you feel your moral standards (ideas of right and wrong) compare with those of your parents and other adults0 A. 8 percent - Ours are higher t _ _• B. 60 percent - They're about the same C. 23 percent - Ours don't seem as high 5. Morality and Public Officials: How do you think a public official such as a member of Congress should act? Should he or she behave better in private than the average citizen? A. 29 percent - Yes B. 27 percent - No * C. 37 percent - Not sure 6. Juvenile Delinquency: Which three of the following do you consider the most important cause of teenage misbehavior -- juvenile delinquency? Check 3. A. 38 percent - Unhappy conditions at home B. 34 percent - Not enough, or the wrong kind of guidance by parents C. 29 percent - Personal weakness and lack of self-discipline D 6 percent - Non-attendance at churcfrfcf Sunday school ' E. 6 percent - Lack of community centers F. 24 percent Staying out too late at night G. 23 percent - Lack of interest in school H. 13 percent - Watch too many crime shows I. 7 percent - Reading too many sensational books and magazines J./9 percent - Not enough or the wrong kind of guidance by the school 13 percent-Fair ure of the police to enforce the law (I.. 37 percent - Othef^ 7. Smoking: Do you smoke cigarettes? A. 8 percent - Yes B. 79 percent - No 8. Health Hazards: U.S. Government has warned cigarette smoking is dangerous. How has this changed your feelings about smoking? A. 10 percent - It hasn't changed them at all B. 7 percent - It made me cut down. C. 7 percent - It made me quit D. 67 percent - It's keeping me from starting 9. Amounts: If you smoke how much do you smoke on the average? A. 1 percent - One or more packs a day B. 2 percent - One or two packs a week C. 9 percent - Less than a pack a week * D. 82 percent -1 don't smoke at all. 10. When did you start: At what age did you start to smoke on a regular basis? A. 74 percent - I haven't started. B. 14 percent - 12 or younger C. 1 percent - 13 to 14 11. Life in Outer Space: What kind of life if any do you believe exists beyond earth? A. 11 percent - People like us B. 22 percent - Thinking beings Afferent from us physically C. 7 percent - Non-intelligent life D. 23 percent - Beings more intelligent than humans E. 7 percent - Beings less intelligent than humans F. 23 percent - There is no life intelligent or not, beyond earth. 12. Opportunity in U,S.: Do you think a young person has more chance of reaching his or her life's goals in the U.S. than in any other country? These goals may include a good steady job, a place to live, and a good place in which to raise a family. A. 57 percent - YEs B. 10 percent - No v C. 23 percent - Not sure 13. Your Life: do you consider your life for the most part is: A. 51 percent - Pleasant, with periods of real fun B. 34 percent - O.K., but nothing special C. 3 percent - Boring D. 4 percent - Full of worries The average American eats one-half ton of cheese during a lifetime. Are You New In McHenry Area ? > *********** Do You Know Someone New? WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A J ******************************** * * * * * * * * * * * * * / * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * e * t * * * * * * * * } ROYAL WELCOME TO EVERY NEWCOMER TO O U R A R E A ! ! ! ! ! ! CALL MARY ANN BELLACK 1-923-2442 Marengo i / i / J t / tH i / i PUBLIC PULSE (The Plaindealer invites,. the public to use this co­ lumn as an expression of their views on subjects of general interest in our co­ mmunity. Our only request is that the writers give - signature, full address and phone number. We ask too, that one individual not write on the same subject more than once each month. We reserve the right to delete material which we con­ sider libelous or in objec­ tions! taste.) GOODWILL? "Dear Editor: "I am having trouble believing in "Peace on Earth. Goodwill to Men" this year . "We own a lot on Barnard Mill road in Ringwood, and recently planted some trees on it One was a 7-foot evergreen that had been in our family for,, years and was passed on to us as a gift "Last weekend we went out to check if any of the trees had been uprooted by wind or weather Our Christmas tree had been cut down. "Can you imagine someone stealing a tree that still had the ropes and stakes on it from recently being planted? There are plenty of farms that grow trees specially to be cut down at Christmas--why take one that was obviously planted there for a purpose"' "Silly or not. our whole family was hurt, not only by the loss of a tree we grew up with, but by the idea Locking our car and house doors is a necessity, but now we even have to en­ close a piece of property, with nothing on it but a few trees, like a fortress. And just to keep our fellow man from ripping off' a poor tree "Please print my letter in hopes that the person who spoiled our tree will read it (That is, after he or she swipes someone's Plaindealer) Perhaps one day that person will also suffer an ignorant and needless loss "Deborah S. Wartell" ~ '"f, e*)T AMP JtAPAN,.. TFteyte coins ok! Ibah-thev'P KNOCK CDWN CUR WeATHCR. ANP GOMMUNlOCTkftl &wrrH u&eK 0EAM£ in desp itouetE ,..£0'* "SOME artee. aiubo camn&u UKB ITW-V! Tbl INK CAslAPA ANP M£*lCO TROUBLE SfOTSJ. AMP OUR 0OKO0&L BARBER SHOP POLITICS know{<? fAMsalfier Do farmers believe that a mild winter will nfl^an bumper crops in the summer and fall ahead0 No. A mild winter, con­ trary to what some people believe, isn't necessarily best for trees and plants, which produce salable products. Some trees and plants require many cold nights during the winter. If they do not receive this cooling period which controls the dormant period, they may produce little or bear too early, or both. This is es­ pecially true of peach trees. Thus an average winter is better than an extreme­ l y c o l d o r a n e x t r e m e l y warm one. And there has been^little change in our average winter weather over the years--despite the fact that elderly fieople usually think the weather was cold­ er ip their childhood. It was slightly colder but the difference in the average winter at the turn of the century and today is rela­ tively minor. Suicide Is Dangerous An average of 650 Ameri­ cans kill themselves each week Suicide has increased from about 10 per 100.000 population in the early 1950 s to 12 5 in the 1970 s Within the last two decades, suicides among the 15 to 19-year age group have increased almost 300 per cent The incidence of suicide in the United States has reached some 35.000 a year, ranking it among the ten lead­ ing causes of death The Honeymooners c s * s Ji i l A: 'i t? •«£ yt - -v- < I v \S| J* i to yfc ilf xt I i to yfc ilf xt if I i \ I LET S GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT LOW-COST ' AUTO INSURANCE. GIVE ME A CALL FOR THE FACTS ON LOW-COST HEALTH INSURANCE. I'D LIKE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ON LOW-COST HOME­ OWNERS INSURANCE. I D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THE FACTS ON LOW-COST LIFE INSURANCE. AMERICAN FAMILY I N S U R A N C E AUTO HOME HEALTH LIFE AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY • MADISON, WIS. S3701 V, KNOW YOUR AREA-ROYAL WELCOME DOES IT BEST ********************************* for Details CHUCK LEWAND0WSKI 1108 Violet St. McHenry Phone 385-2304 Ser«'cC & , prof«s,on Pirec'9^ EARL R. WALSH & JACK WALSH INS. Fire, Auto, Farm, Life Representing RELIABLE COMPANIES 4410 W. Rte. 120, McHenry 3U-3300 DENNIS CONWAY AUTO-LIFE-FIRE State Farm Ins. Co. Ml* W. Elm St. McHenry, ill. 3(5-7111 DR. LEONARD B0TTARI Eyetfumin Ifmond Rd , McHenry •mined - Contact Leniet Glasses fitted Mon , Toes , Ttiurs., Fri.,4-4p.m Tues., Thurs., Fri., 1-1 p.m Sat, *10 to) 00 Ph MS 41S1 or MS-2242 McHENRY COUNTY OFFICE MACHINES SALES-SERVICE A RENTALS Mon-Sat t-S:30 Friday til *:00 *3 Grant St., Crystal Lake Ptv 45*-1224-- McHenry Telephone Answering & Letter Service • Answering Service • Car, Telephone & Paging Service • Complete Mimeographing & Printing Service • Typing & Photocopying » Ph. 385-0258 l9^T^TT20^fcHen^ "GATEWAY TO YOUR FUTURE" CALL US (815) 385-4810 realtors Farm Equipment George P. Freund, Inc. Case - New Holland 4102 W. Crystal Lake Rd. McHENRY Bus. 385-0420 Res. 385-0227 CALL The Plaindealer NOW This space is available and could bring new business to you.- 385-0170 II R E L IT RADIAL TIRES 4 FOR ALL CARS Europe Motors, Inc, 2318 Rte. 120 815-385-0700 ED'S JL STANDARD SERVICE STANDARD EXPERT TUNE-UP ATLAS Tires. Batteries, Accessories QUALITY American Oil Products « PH. 385-0720 3817 W. ELM STREET * ConuHl JM. fLW at our quick quick-action copy center. FINEST QUALITY COPIES MADE ON XEROX EQUIPMENT See us, also, for every kind of Printing Need!! 3909 W. MAIN 385-7600 4 NEW TRAILERS used HILLSBORO & OWENS DUMP-FLATBEDS-CAR HAULERS s a Stidham Horse & Cattle Trailers r ^ Plus A Complete Line Of Braden Winches jj\ ADAMS ENTERPRISES £ 3017 W. Rte. 120 McHENRY, ILL. 815-385-5970