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wp|P Service To Education THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER National Award Presented Author SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875" , VOLUME 104 NUMBER 7 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1979 1 SECTION 24 PAGES 20' Teachers Urge Action On Contract Demands The McHenry Classroom Teachers' Association (MCTA) urged the board of Elementary School District 15 to make an early response to contract demand* at the August meeting last week. Judy Hamilton, association pmident, advised the board that an earlier understanding was that MCTA negotiators would receive a written response to their entire "package" no later than June 26, but it has not been received. She expressed hope that a satisfactory conclusion could be reached before the begin­ ning of the new school year. Tim Althoff, president of the Every once in awhile we're greeted by, "How's the tooth?" Of course, we assume they are talking about the wisdom tooth that took flight from our mouth June 1 with such con­ sequences that its departure became the subject of a newspaper column. The tooth, we are happy to say, probably lies in no pain, well buried beneath many layers of debris in some area land fill. Contributing nothing but misery to our life, it never should have come into being in the first place. refused to budge from its comfortable dwelling place in close proximity to the tooth continues to let us know it resented being disturbed when the tooth was pulled. This is the nerve, we were told by the good doctor as we came out of the anesthetic, that might cause "a little tem­ porary numbness". Now Doc must have known he was fooling around in a sen­ sitive area. What he didn't realize apparently was the wrath of a disturbed nerve. After reading our account of the combat area two weeks after the tooth's removal, Doc called us. He admitted to having done what we suggested--gone to the text book for assurance. The book said we might notice itching, pain, twit­ ching.... "Egad!" we thought, "We're a hypocondriac". We had experienced everyone of those sensations. "These things usually last a couple of months", he told us with all the calm of someone who had experienced it all himself. He had not. "But you will probably not have to wait that long. From all of your symptoms, it looks like that nerve is doing a good job of fighting back and that's en­ couraging". Doc, one thing the text book didn't tell you - never un­ derestimate the big fight in a little nerve. Not only is it fighting, it is also taunting us. One week there is pain, the next itching, but always the same feeling of numbness that permits the spaghetti sauce to run down our chin while we smile at the waitress in total ignorance of the chuckle our drizzly appearance presents. So if you feel that any escape from the summer doldrums is a necessity, take heed. Choose a molar or a bicuspid that has a close affinity for its nerve. Let the specialist delve deep with his knife and then wait. It may not provide the most pleasurable way to get away from it all, but from first hand experience we can guarantee it's a diversion that will relegate your other misfor­ tunes to a place far down on your totem pole of problems. KAF board, reassured the MCTA representatives of the board's concern. It was later an­ nounced that several negotiating sessions were set for the following week. Ms. Hamilton cited other settlements reached by school districts in this area which included: SEDOM - a two year contract with a first year raise and insurance benefits amounting to over 11 percent; Alden-Hebron - 11.5 percent average increase per teacher; Harrison - 11 percent; Rich­ mond -10 percent; Johnsburg - 10.3 percent and in the second year will receive full cost of living increase; Crystal Lake - District 47 - 10.9 percent and District 155 - 11 percent first year and 13 percent in the second year. In other business, the board met Pete Merkel, park director for McHenry city, who was introduced by Mayor Back In History "Woody" Woodruff, his wife, Pam, and son, Zachary, are shown ai they will appear at the McHenry County Historical museum in > Union next Sunday. Woodruff will take visitors on a Journey back to the time when McHenry, as a county, was not yet in existence. The public is journey far back invited to # in history next Sunday, Aug. 26, at the McHenry County Historical museum In Union - back to the days when McHenry, as a county, didn't even exist. The journey extends back to a time when mountain men or Joseph Stanek. The mayor predicted great things that would be done and the city was on the threshhold of a sharing of facilities and programs with various units in the city. He characterized Merkel as "one of our own (a local resident)" Merkel elaborated on the proposed cooperation that would include agreements between city and schools that would ultimately benefit taxpayers with double use of facilities. He envisioned programs for kids that would involve more use of gyms and classrooms after school hours. There would be special events and activities. For his staffing he wanted to get to know the people in the school systems and to later plug in programs. This could lead to extra income for teachers, Merkel predicted, and would add to programs for those students who don't qualify for the inter-school competitive programs. By next summer he expected to have programs id full operation, but maybe by cold weather limited programs would be func­ tioning. President Althoff agreed with the concept and said he would appoint a committee consisting of a physical ed teacher, a board member and an ad­ ministrative person to work with Merkel. To board member Willis Martin's concern about problems with differences in school district boundaries and city boundaries, the board and the mayor said there was nothing that couldn't be worked out. Mayor Stanek said part time people would be hired to help Merkel, when the programs, begin, and while there were no line items for the Parks department, funds would be taken from other departments (Continued on page 20) Ronald J. Wilkins of McHenry, religious education author, has been awarded the National Catholic Education A s s o c i a t i o n ( N C E A ) Presidential award for out­ standing service to Catholic education. The award was presented at a special dinner in Wilkins' honor held at the Dubuque Golf and Country club. The Most Reverend Francis J. Dunn, auxiliary bishop of Dubuque, presented the award to Wilkins. The NCEA presidential award is given to Wilkins in honor of his To Live Is Christ series, developmental texts for Catholic junior and senior high schools. Ron Wilkins has lived in McHenryfbr 11 years. He was a Substitute teacher in the schools and a teacher in the Religious Education program of St. Patrick parish until the press of business forced him to resign. He is a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals of McHenry. He was recently included in the American Catholic Who's Who and the international edition of Men of Distinction. He will be included in the 1980 edition of Contemporary Authors. Ron Wilkins is the author of some sixty books. He was-the principal author for the English Arts and Skills textbooks, a co­ author of the Living With Christ books published by St. Mary's College Press, Winona, Minn., and author of Teaching in the CCD High School, in addition to his work as author of the To Live Is Christ series. His books are used in every English speaking country in the world and have been translated for use in many non-English speaking countries. Seeks Legislature~Seat Rose Lillegard, former commissioner on the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) and past president of the McHenry County Mayors association, is the third known local resident actively seeking the R e p u b l i c a n p a r t y ' s appointment to the state legislature to fill the vacancy left by the death of R. Bruce Waddell of the 33rd district. Ms. Lillegard is well known not only by area elected and appointed (Continued on page 20) RONALD J. WILKINS Rescue Squad In Fall Project With the cooperation of the public, McHenry's highly rated Rescue squad will be able to add to its coffer through an activity planned for mid- September. The squad will hold a large rummage sale and flea market in the Pearl street park, Saturday, Sept. 15. Proceeds will be used for incidentals so badly needed by members and for the improvement of the squad building in McHenry and the newly acquired structure in Holiday Hills, which is in need of repairs. The public is asked to assist with donations of clothing, furniture, toys, appliances -- almost any kind of item in good condition --for sale. There will be only a limited number of pickups on these articles and all money from the sale will remain with the squad. Items can be dropped off at the Rescue squad building, Court and Venice streets, off Elm street, Wednesday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Someone will be available to accept the items starting Saturday, Aug. 25. For the flea market, there will be a limited number of spaces available for the sale of goods. An initial charge will be made to those desiring space, and a percentage of the receipts must be made to the squad. Arrangements may be made during the hours stated above by calling the squad building, 385-0022. Assistance in carrying out this project is needed from individuals and organizations on the day of the sale, Also, storage space may be needed in advance. Anyone willing to help at the sale, or to offer storage space, should call 385-4082 any day. There will be food and beer available for purchase by those attending the sale. School Tackles Truancy Truancy, a problem of much concern in the local school system, has become increasingly difficult to monitor, according to administrators. At East campus, at least part of the reason is blamed on the fact that during the past three years there has been a noticeable decline in the number of parents calling the school to verify student absences. These same administrators say they must have the cooperation of parents and guardians to combat the growing problem. As a first step, East campus administrators are asking parents to commit themselves to calling school the morning of each of their son's or daughter's absences. Each such call will insure that the school will be able to account for a particular student's absence from school. Parent cooperation in this matter will save valuable time for school personnel to devote to other school matters. Commitment forms have been mailed to each parent and will be collected during student registration. The administrators' hope is that at least 95 percent of all parents and guardians will agree to call in absence verification to the school. In addition, a school social worker has been employed for the 1979-80 school year by McHenry , High School District 156. Ms. Vicki Osness will be working on truancy problems which develop despite parent and school intervention. Johnsburg_Starts Sept. 4 Most Schools Open Aug. 29 "buckskinners", trapping and trading their way along the rivers and mountains of North America left behind a colorful slice of Americana. Museum visitors will have a chance to glimpse that by-gone era when "Woody" Woodruff of (Continued on page 20) With footballs getting more and more attention, and cheerleaders off their toes and into the air for pre-season practice sessions, all in­ dications point to the start of school. The opening day ranges from an early Aug. 24 at Marian Central Catholic high school to a late Sept. 4 at Johnsburg. Classes for McHenry Elementary School District 15 students will begin Wednesday, Aug. 29. There will be bus service for all students with the exception of those attending kindergarten. Parkland and McHenry Junior high schools will begin their classes at 8:05 a.m. and conclude at 11:40 on that day. The elementary school times for the first day of school are from 8:55 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Although no formal kin­ dergarten classes will be held on the first day, parents are asked to bring their kin­ dergarten children to Land­ mark school to meet their teacher and tour the building. Kindergarten teachers will be available all day Aug. 29. Students are also asked to bring their bus passes with them as there will be a bus available at Landmark to show the children how to board the bus, how to get off the bus, the safety precautions, and the rules and regulations for all bus riders. If a student has been assigned to a morning class, parents are asked to bring them to visit in the morning; if the child will be attending the afternoon session, parents are asked to bring new kin- dergartners after 1 p.m. Aug. 29. Regular kindergarten sessions will begin Thursday, Aug. 30. Parents are reminded that students entering school for the first time and all fifth grade students are required to have physical examinations and up- to-date immunizations. The first day of school for all West campus students will be Wednesday, Aug. 29, when attendance is required for all students. Those with names beginning with A-J will report to the main gymnasium at 7:40 a.m., while those with names K-Z will Report to the auditorium at the same time. < Bus transportation will begin on opening day. Students will attend all classes on a shortened schedule, with dismissal at 10:40 a.m. Beginning Thursday, Aug. 30, classes will be held at the regular times from 7:40 a.m. through 2:55 p.m. There will be no school Labor day, Monday, Sept. 3. The first day of classes at East campus, too, will be Aug. 29, when students will attend classes from 7:30 a.m. until dismissal at 10:30. Freshman through junior students mu?t be in attendance that day. The first full day of classes will be Thursday, Aug. 30. Johnsburg grade and high schools will have a later start, Tuesday, Sept. 4, with an early dismissal. ~ ^ -- The first full day of school v will be Wednesday, Sept. 5. The McHenry Head Start ;> center, located in the First United Methodist church, 3717 W. Main street, will open its doors for fall classes Sept. % They will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Head Start is a pre-school for 3-to-5-year-olds of low income families. It is open to all (Continued on page 20) - Neighbor Thwarts Burglary A neighbor both saw and Walter Stevens was charged heard movement in the rear of with four counts of burglary one of the four model homes in and four counts of criminal Fox Ridge, near West campus, damage to property. Bond was and called the police, according set at $20,000-$2,500 for each of to McHenry Police Chief the eight counts. George Pasenelli. By doing so, RDG employee, Jan Justen, a burglary attempt was said Stevens was caught" thwarted last Thursday night, carrying things out of one of the I This is the second time this model homes. year that a breakin at these "He seemed to know exactly j homes has been attempted, what he wanted," she ob- t Gerstad, president of served. "He was taking only ' Residential Development the good stuff." ; Group, which owns the homes. A hall closet was broken, - It is suspected that whoever apparently trying to get at tried the first break-in was some of the linens, Ms. Justen frightened off. ^ said. "This is the type of in- "He tried to carry a couch out • volvement we need in order to by himself," she noted. stem this type of activity," Entry into the houses was . Pasenelli said. made by breaking the sliding This time, though, a 23-year- glass doors. A little more than old Fox Lake man was ap- $2,000 damage was done to the prehended at the scene by four houses-mostly in the form McHenry police officers. of broken glass. was once a glass porch door. Ms. Justen provided the damage figures for the four houses which totalled more than $2,000. Most of the damage was in the form of broken glass doors. STAFF PHOTOS-ANTHONY OLIVER ~ • ° Cleaning up after the burglary attempt, Scott Shulda lifts the lid of the heavy duty vacuum cleaner to show some of the 180 pounds of glass which has been swept up so far. Shulda later said, as he was vacuuming inside one of the four houses, "I'm going to be picking up glass for the next three weeks." At right, Jan Justen is shown kneeling next to a mound of glass splinters-all that remains of what