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IDMDBB8MNC MOMIIHHBMIICt ed On-the-job training Thick, black smoke rolls from the house as firefighters from the McHenry Township Fire Department keep a careful eye on the fire as it consumes the old building on Barreville road City attorney travels to Dallas as delegate in GOP convention By Kirk Birginal Plaindealer News Service The heat is sweltering, the Illinois delegation is housed a half-hour from the convention site, and tight security entering the Dallas Convention Center makes the wait nearly endless. But Bernard Narusis of Oak- wood Hills says none of these drawbacks is tempering the optimistic mood of delegates at this year's Republican National Convention or their confidence that their expected nominees will mount the victory platform in November. "I didn't think there could be that much enthusiasm given the type of convention we expected, with the outcome already set," Narusis said this week. "But the people here are extremely exuberant." Narusis, attorney for the City of McHenry active in local GOP politics, is a member of the 93- delegate contingent that traveled to Dallas to participate in the nomination of Ronald Reagan and George Bush this week-a coronation planned perhaps even as long as four years ago. Narusis expressed confidence that the GOP standard-bearers will take the November general election. The boost given the Democratic ticket by the vice presidential nomination of Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, D-N.Y., will eventually fade as she faces continued public scrutiny, he said. In fact, the consensus of some delegates is that she may end up hurting the Democratic cam­ paign more than helping. Her nomination, originally sited as a factor in the rise in popularity in public opinion polls of Democratic presidential hopeful Walter Mondale, has been overshadowed in the past two weeks by questions about family finances. Ferraro disclosed Monday that she and her husband, real estate businessman John Zaccaro, owed $53,459 in overdue 1978 income taxes and are looking further into returns for the years of 1979 through 1983. "From my discussion with delegates, most feel from a purely partisan point of view that Ferraro is one of the better things that has happened to the Republican Party in awhile," Narusis said. "Their perception is that this is just the tip of the iceberg and that even more things will come out," he said. It has also been speculated that, dogged by continued in­ vestigation of her personal finances, she may withdraw from the race. Narusis said. Student program hopes to reaffirm interest in learning Plaindealer photo by Anthony Oliver during a practice session last Monday evening. Firemen get to review old skills and practice new ones, particularly on the aerial truck, in exercises like this one. By Carol A. Stevens Plaindealer News Service When the school doors of­ ficially open again next week, for 12 students at Johnsburg Junior High School, it will be the beginning of a new and exciting experience. "Striving to Achieve Practical Lifelong Education" (STAPLE) is the name of a new program which is aimed at helping youngsters who have lost their love for learning somewhere between kindergarten and seventh grade. Rick Kob is the designer of the innovative, one-of-a-kind program. It is something he has been working on for more than two years. He is qualified to handle the program, having been in education for 12 years and with the Johnsburg School District for the last eight years as a counselor at the junior high level. During his many years of teaching, Kob discovered that he wanted to spend more time with certain students. When asked how much more time, he replied, "Give them to me full time." He is careful to explain that the program is not special but "it meets the needs of ~ student The students who will be in­ cluded in the program are not "behavioral problems" but good ldds, says Kob. "All of us struggle with our­ selves, even adults, but these kids do even more. Somewhere along the line, these students got lost in the shuffle. Then they panicked. They would like to learn but got left behind. They began to hate class, hate school and then lost confidence in themselves." His hopes are to get them involved in a practical learning situation, one that teaches at levels they can understand and where they can perform at a 90 percent level and then get their confidence back. Once they do so, he expects they will again enjoy learning. "They are good kids and they have a right to learn." When it came time to decide what students were to be in the STAPLE program, the input of teachers and administration was very important. Thirty names of students were originally offered. Of these, Kob has chosen 11 and has left room for one more in case someone who would benefit by the program transfers to the school. He is certain that spot will be filled very soon after school begins, commenting, "We could have filled several classrooms." Of the original 30 names, only one was a girl. Kob did not in­ clude her in the initial 11 names because he felt that having only one girl would put too much pressure not only on her but on all the other students as well. The classroom will be self- contained, with students being taught all courses except physical education and com­ puter education by Kob. The students will be taught conventional subjects in an unconventional manner, says the program's originator. The list of subjects includes math, language arts, social studies, science, P.E. and computer education. However, also in­ cluded will be group counseling topics, community involvement, hobbies, survival home economics and chores. Their classes will take them more often than not out of the classroom and subjects taught will be "practical". Visits outside the classroom will in­ clude: going to see a hiring manager to find out exactly why it is necessary to receive at least a high school diploma; why it is important to learn such subjects as math and language arts; and why attitudes that are learned in school are important when one enters the job market, regar­ dless of the job taken. Visitors to the classroom will be a common occurrance. For example, one such visitor will be a mother who will bring her infant so that students will learn about child care. Some of the topics of the group counseling sessions will be attitudes, courtesy, self concept, responsibility, authority (youth and the law), death and suicide. Kob said he included those topics after carefully studying what is important to junior high youngsters. Kob hopes to get the students involved in their community through various channels. These include tutoring of elementary schooh-students, assisting with fund raising ef­ forts such as those of the Lion's Club, visiting the elderly and sick, sponsoring a food drive, and beautifying the school through planting flowers, bushes, etc. As the computer age ad­ vances, people are finding they have more and more leisure time. Each student will be encouraged to develop a leisure Continued on page 3 District 156 board gives rokay for computer labs, new program By Marion Olsen Plaindealer News Service By 1988 every McHenry High School junior will be able to pass a proficiency test in the use of microcomputers. That is the goal of a three-year plan ac­ cepted by the District 156 school board Aug. 21. Norb Wolter, assistant superintendent of schools, presented the plan called "Computer Assisted Instruction Capabilities" which would establish two computer labs (one at each high school) at a total cost of $27,674. Part of the cost, $9,525 will come from Chapter Two grant funds. The remainder, $18,145, will be provided ij)y the district. It was emphasized that enrollment in a computer or data processing class will not be required, but students will use computers as a learning tool in regular classes. Currently software packages are available for incorporation in teaching subjects like mathematics, science and language. Wolter anticipates even more course- related software will be available in the future. In addition, many teachers are already familiar with computers to the point of making their own programs. Others will participate in in- service training sessions and will be encouraged to enroll in college-level courses to learn to use computers in the teaching process. Twelve Apple He computers will be used in each computer lab with two students sharing one computer, according to the plan. Individual classes will be given time in the lab to use the computers. The plan was devised in sessions of three committees comprised of district ad­ ministrators, instructors and students. Chuck Haselow whose company, Brake Parts, provides use of its main frame computer for advanced computer in­ struction, and Steve Mansfield, coordinator of Business Data Processing programs at McHenry County College, were also included. In other business, the board: -Approved employment of certified and classified staff for 1984-85 including employment of Vocational Director Diane K. Hefty. -Awarded bids for Building Trade house heating supplies to Althoff Industries at $1,580.59. -Approved a public hearing on Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m. to present the 1984-85 tentative school budget. -Contracted with Ruck, Pate and Associates, Ltd., architects, to act as district architect. -Approved the coaching roster for 84-85. Search intensifies for missing Texas woman A look inside. County Board Regular features Musin' & Meanderin' Helping Paws Twice Told Tales Page 6 Page 2 Section 2, Page 12 Section 2, Page 5 Plaindealer News Service Lake in the Hills village police drained a small pond Tuesday in their continuing search for a woman missing since August 13. However, the search proved futile as police found nothing in the pond that Avould indicate a drowning. All clues so far in the disap­ pearance of Barbara Ericson of Irving, Texas, who disappeared from her parents home in Lake in the Hills, have turned up negative. LITH police said a dam was opened and a small pond was drained near the home of Ericson's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Moede of 369 Council Trail. Ericson, a 42-year-old nurse, left her parents home after telling her mother that she was going to take a short walk before breakfast. She has not been seen or heard from since. Ericson had been visiting her parents at the time of the disappearance. "The later and later it gets, the more you start to worry,)' LITH Police Chief Irv Floress said. He added that if Ericson were, in fact, a drowning victim, the body probably would have been discovered in the search Tuesday. "Everything's been sent out," he said. All area police agencies have been sent a description of Ericson, including the FBI, according to the chief. The FBI is unable to act in such cases until there is some evidence of kidnapping. Leads in Ohio where Ericson's daughter attends medical school and in Florida, where her son is enrolled in a private school, have turned up empty. The reported sightings of Ericson in the Crystal Lake area last week turned out to be a Crystal Lake woman who bore some resemblance to Ericson, Floress said. <P\ Police said they have been sorting through Ericson's personal effects and rein- terviewing friends and family in hopes of finding clues that may have been initially overlooked. Police said there is now not much more they can do in the case except wait, but they will be keeping a constant watch in the area for Ericson. The missing woman is described as five feet, four in­ ches tall, weighing about 135 pounds with dark hair. She was last seen wearing a blue pin­ striped shirt and blue pants. WdfcBry i . : v V Since 1875 aindealer 2 Sections 30 Pages 25e iMKmimii Friday August 24, 1984 Number 1 Volume 109 Rusty Nail wins 12" title Sports ...Page 18