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V&W' 16 - PLA1NDKALER-HERALD, WEI»ESDAV, APH1L24.1985 Remembering the library's growing pains many years ago Reading about the McHenry Library reaching the point where expansion is needed sends me back through the years. It all started with the Mothers Gub. Mrs. Goodell was the main cog in the wheel. I can think of many others, but have fear of missing some who did so much. The library used a small room in the high school (now East Campus). When the school needed the space, the school board asked the library to move. It was during a City Council meeting that Mayor Overton delegated me to visit the school board which was meeting the same night. Pleading our case didn't get me very far, so I left with a remark I would report to the council that there was no hurry. That stirred things up. The solution was to have large cabinets made on wheels. They took up half of the meeting room in the old city hall. With full cooperation of the heirs, the Tesch home was purchased at a moderate price. Being the bidder for the library, I dragged it out. With Mrs. Goodeil tugging at one arm and Julia Reinhanspeger on the other, I had a couple of nervous girls on my hands. Of course, the girls didn't know that a little bird told me how high the Tesch family would go on the bidding. For you who may not know, the Tesch home was a quaint little home which stood where the present library now stands. It held great charm for the ladies on the library board. There was no tax money. Ladies made drapes. People donated furniture. Interested people donated hours of time. Various organizations held card parties ana other events to raise funds. The late George P. Freund, then mayor of McHenry, used to laugh when he recalled how the library board sponsored ice cream socials to raise funds. George and I scooped out the ice cream. -- At every meeting, I tried to promote a fund drive. Mrs. Goodell wouldn't listen, ex­ plaining some man had promised to donate a sizeable amount of money. When the money didn't come, Mrs. Goodell got even with me by appointing me chairman of the drive with the responsibility of finding workers. She did it with a smile. That drive brought in 15 hundred dollars, a tidy sum in those days. By contrast, in later years the McHenry Rotary Club decided to raise money for the library. The late John Looze brought forth a lot of doubt when he said he could raise 10 thousand dollars in one week. He did it! While others did more than I did in my 32 years as a library board member, there are many happy memories. One was the pleasure of dedicating the library to the betterment of the community and the enrichment of lives. That was the underlying pur­ pose of all who did so much with so little. Bob Logan, now McHenry's Own, came out with another book. The title to this one is "So You Think You're A Die-Hard Cub Fan." The foreword is by the ever popular Ernie Banks. Young or not so young, you will get a real bang out of Bob's latest. t pie afternoons at the Walsh ranch occured when Arnie and Lillian Larson came a-callin'. Lillian had some old time pictures, some family pictures and some of students in the Prairie, Clemens and Sherman schools. She also brought a tasty plate of goodies. Her mother had the enviable reputation of being the best cook along the line. Makes me think of the old saying, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." ' Someday I woufe like to meet Mrs. Anne Barrow. Word came she is 90 years old and a faithful reader of this column. I have quite a list of those young girls. With this hot weather, men may have to get out their straw hats long before Memorial Day. I notice the stores are featurning fall clothes for the ladies. Tnis must be a cockeyed world. -- 4-16-85 Dear Earl: On our Easter trip, to visit our son Jeff at Kessler Air Force Base, we came upon this little town in Mississippi. Being pressed for time we did not have Warner Robins, Ga. the opportunity to see if a Mr. Earl Walsh resided there. We did inquire and found it was named after a doctor. Enclosed find a post-card with an address so that you know this is not a fabrication. Wishing you the best in health always, John and Beverly Justen That town was named McHenry. Elroy Fitzgerald, veteran athlete and sports official, umpired high school baseball games this year in frigid weather. I got a report he wore a fur coat, stocking cap, felt boots and ski mitts. Unique poultry farm gaining renown So I Hear by Earl Walsh FIFTY YEARS AGO (Taken from the files of April 25, 1935) « Julius Keg of this city is rapidly gaining renown for milk- fed broilers and fresh eggs raised in the modern way. His poultry house is home to 1,000 baby chicks and uses every convenience for their growth, health and comfort. Electric lights burn all night while the clucks are small, but as they grow older the lights are automatically arranged to prolong their day and then at bedtime the house lights go off and small bulbs above the roosters are automatically lighted so that the chicks may find their way to bed without any trouble. An additional double decker house with controlled Ventilation and insulation against cold and heat was recently constructed. Every day a total of 2,500 chickens of varying ages are cared for by Keg, his wife and daughter and assistant, Richard Waterstraat. r lw k i TOLD TALES Edited from our f i les of years gone by Among the students who returned home from colleges at Easter were Lillian and Sylvia Segel, Lowell Nye, Kenneth Boley and Guy Deker, all from the University of Illinois. Mary Althoff, Margaret Larkin, Caroline Bauer, Rita Freund, Mildred Thompson and Eugene Sayler returned home from DeKalb. Floyd Covalt, Jr. who is attending school in Chicago, spent the weekend at his home here. FORTY YEARS AGO (Taken from the files of April 26, 1945) Last Sunday the residents of McCullom Lake welcomed home one of their heroic sons who returned from the Pacific theatre. Lt. Ted Olsen returned home to enjoy a 21-day leave after 11 months service as pilot aboard a B-24 Liberator Bom­ ber. Lily Lake is losing one of its families, at least temporarily, as Mrs. Ray Williams and son leave May 1 for Yukon territory to join their husband and father. Mr. Williams was called there last month by the death of his brother, William A. Williams, prominent Klondike pioneer and owner of extensive Yukon mining interests. The deceased first went north in the gold rush and for many years drove stage on the Dawson-White Pass company. Later he carried mail from Dawson to the Chisana in the Chisana stampede days and after that followed mining in various interior Yukon and Alaska camps. He was said to be the most extensive individual holder of mining properties in the Yukon at the time of his passing. A new chairman, John E. Harrison, has been elected as head of the county board of supervisors. The veteran board member, of Greenwood, was selected at a meeting held Monday in Woodstock. A gold star was added to the city's Honor Roll last week for Pfc. Clarence Justen, 26, who lost his life in Germany on April 4. Besides his father, Stephen Justen, of this city, he leaves his wife and two children in Chicago and several brothers and sisters. TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO (Taken from the files of April 21, 1960) The McHenry Chamber of Commerce held its annual in­ stallation of new officers Wednesday, but something which will last much longer in the memory of the 300 guests was its sponsorship of a "This is Your Life" program honoring the city's mayor, George P. Freund. Concern about the re-routing of Route 120 prompted a Plaindealer editorial noting: "If tumors are correct, Highway 1120 would be re-routed out of the city of McHenry which poses a more serious threat to business than might be evident on the surface..." About 90 young M.C.H.S. students will participate in state music finals for Class "A" schools in Naperville Friday and Saturday joining thousands from other parts of Illinois. A huge crowd of 750 persons filled the McHenry theatre last Sunday morning for annual Easter services conducted by the Community Methodist church. This is the second year the Easter rite has been held there. Rev. George Martin chose as his sermon, "The Victorious Christ" speaking against a bakcground of lily plants arranged around a huge wooden cross. TEN YEARS AGO (Taken from the files of April 23, 1975) Mrs. Charles (Helen) Spencer r e p r e s e n t i n g M c H e n r y Hospital; Bob Beres, president of the McHenry Kiwanis club; and Mrs. Frank (Ilavern) Gregory of the American Cancer society were pictured looking at 1975 Cancer Facts and Figures report as they prepared for the "I Quit" Smoking clinic to be held May 5 to 9. The clinic is co-sponsored by the Kiwanis club and McHenry hospital with the cooperation of the local chapter of the Cancer Society. Announcement of three McHenry county judges who have received the requisite three-fifths vote in favor of reappointment as associate judges was made this past week by the director of the Ad­ ministrative office of the Illinois courts. They are Leonard Brody and Roland A. Herrmann of McHenry and Conrad F. Floeter of Crystal Lake. Local students of Marian Central Catholic high school will appear in a school production of "Trie Music Man," May 2 and 3. They include Kim Spengel, Annette Pitzen, Bob Cougnlin and Marisa Pace. Carol Leighty and Rick Bender were featured in the McHenry Community High School West campus production of "Fiddler on the Roof" April 24 to 27. The McHenry County Republican Central committee became the first regular political organization in the state to pass a motion to oppose S.B. 16 which is currently before the Illinois Legislature. This legislation would require a person to register in a political party five months before the primary election date in order to vote in the primary election. Must ask Dick Rabbitt to check out that story. From another city comes an ad from somebody who wants to style my hair. Some dear friend must have given them my name and address. In recent weeks, I have had my locks parted in the middle. With so many compliments, why change? Visited the library last week and met Fred Bienapfl, the man whose skill has kept the building in good repair. We heard that Dorothy Uttick has retired. That's a loss. She and librarian June Stuart made a great pair. I can't even guess how old Fred is, but he must have quite a few miles on him. Maybe in the same school class with "Biff" Meyer? Fred still gets the Plain- dealer-Herald and keeps track of the news. He likes old time items. A clipping was enclosed from a paper down there, named The Southern Cross, picturing Dan and Laura Koleno and their quadruplets. McHenry news reaches many states. Note to John Busscher: Way down there in Florida, you may not know that your Cubs will play my Sox in a single game. I'm betting. Are you? COINCIDENCE OR PROVIDENCE? For the past several years Joseph Hiller and his wife, Gerry, have been traveling through Florida to visit relatives. Their last visit there, however, provided a unique encounter which Joseph Hiller believes to be more providential than to be coincidental. In October 1962 Chuck Hiller, son of Olivia and George Hiller,; of Johnsburg, Illinois played second base for the San Fran­ cisco Giants. In a game against the New York Yankees in Yankee Stadium, Chuck hit a; grand slam home run which put him in the Hall of Fame. It was the first World Series Grand Slam Home Run hit by a National League Player. Tom Maguire, then 11 years old, from New York caught the ball. A few weeks ago, both Tom Maguire and Joseph Hiller were vacationing in Florida. During, a card game, they began talking about the World Senes in 1962 and when Joseph Hiller in­ troduced himself, Tom Maguire inquired whether he knew Cnuck Hiller. Joseph Hiller is the uncle and godfather of Chuck Hiller. Tom Maguire then shared with Joseph Hiller the unique ex­ perience at 11 years of age of now he had caught the ball of Joe's nephew and godson. Tom Just thinkii to use the garden hose, My mother ting. loved to use tn< spraying everything in sight. It must have been good therapy for her. Had a nice letter from Fred Mueller, a McHenry boy, who went south and landed in Maguire, now 34 years old, has among his fondest dreams to meet Chuch Hiller. Call the experience in Dunedin, Florida, coincidence or providential, but to Joseph Hiller it indeed was a sign from above, of one of those unique experiences and encounters that cannot be explained by humans. Windfall's Mother's Day Specials 50% OFF SELECTED SPRING RACKS 25% OFF ALL SPORTSWEAR SIZE 6 to 46 APRIL 19-MAY11 3307 W. ELM ST. McHENRY 385-1172 DISCOVER f-Z' t lllillllll QUEEN SIZE T SLEEPER, LOVESEAT AND CHAIR $ iilli OFI||flONALLY ADVERTISED FURNITURE & BEDDING AT BK , WG DISCOUNT!- S*¥1WT047%*«I0RE i FmNoo Pirfict Ricfinin opan to biQ rwTNCT UmlTOn. 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