The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

w THE MCHENRY 'SERVING Ti CHAIN-O-LAKE S REG ALER E 1875 VOL, 91 - No. 44 Wednesday* February 14f 1968 14 Pages - 10<£ Meanderin LAND PROPERTY OWNERS MAKE PROTEST Crowd Of Seventy-Five ' In Local Townsfenp Meet We take this opportunity to nudge any forgetful male and give a reminder that Wednesday. Feb. 14, is Valentine's Day. Let him take comfort in the realization that the necessity for remembering is not an innovation of today, but indeed sitretches far back into history. • We are told that people have been celebrating this festival of love and affection since long before there were Valentine cards - in fact before it took the present name. Folks have been giving gifts on Valentine's Day for centuries, but the custom of sending sentimental messages developed gradually with the mail service. Again, it was ancient Rome that was the home of a .festival called Lupercalia on Feb. 15. ]| honored Juno and Pan and was <&lebrated with feasting, dancing and revelry. After the , Jpread of Christianity the festival was changed to Feb. 14, the feast day of two Christian martyrs, both named Valentine. But the sentimeiritai meaning of the old festival has remained to the present time. The oldest Valentine cards in this country were small cards with German script, believedto have been made by nuns and monks in the early 1700's. The custom gained in popularity in the next century and it was about 1840 that the first Valentines were published. Many of the Valentines of that period were hand painted, usually showing a fat cupid whose arrows pierce^3 heart. Some had satin, tassels, imitation gems and even dried flowers and seaweed. Anyone fortunate enough to have been the recipient of a valentine passed down through the years may find that it is quite valuable today in cash. So gentlemen, take heart, the lace card you buy for the little lady today may increase in value MCHS Presents First Sing-Out Next Saturday New World-Wide Movement Expresses Patriotic Theme The "Sing-Out" explosion,or "Up With People" movement as it is often called, has arrived in McHenry. This Saturday night Feb. 17, at 8 p.m. in the high school auditorium', some dedicated young people will conduct their first program. Under the direction of John Leighty, these young patriots will demonstrate a generation singing out with a creative new voice and a commitment to tackle together the crucial issues of our day. The world-wide movement is dedicated to link up a generation with the fire and faith that can put freedom on the move in every continant, with a sincere, position alternative to violence and anarchy. . . The presentation is a patriotic rehabilitation and a sense of national purpose with overtones of moral re-armament. Such patriots as Paul Revere, Joan of Arc? and many others will be sung about* The kind of future this generation will build is a design for dedication wrapped up in the power of song. Admission for the first concert will be charged to defray initial expenses. Future singouts will probably be admission- free. V a l e n t i n e FIRE DAMAGES HOME Fire caused about $100 in damage to an unfinished home ai Pistakee Highlands last Saturday afternoon. Fire Chief Ed Justen believes it probably started because of vandalism; Local firemoii were also called out to extinquish grass fires at Sunny side Estates, Pistakee Highlands and Country Club Estates. as the years pass along -- if not in cash, then certainly in sentiment! About seventy-five taxpayers from the rural area surrounding McHenry, in hostile mood over high valuation of their property, walked into the meeting of McHenry township officials on Green street Thursday evening to have their questions answered. Because of the huge crowd, it was necessary for the protest meeting to be transferred to the McHenry Country club, while the township busipess discussion was continued. Assistant Supervisor Charles Weingart acted as moderator for the taxpayers' meeting, which -centered on questions directed to McHenry Township Assessor Eva Sparks. Assisting in providing answers were two other assistant supervisors, Edward Buss and Tho-*1 mas Huemann. QUESTION VALUE Among the most vocal spokesman were two brothers, Jack and Paul Cooper, who reside on Rt. 120, west of McHenry. They voiced the ques- - of most of dance when they sought to learn why much farm land has almost doubled in value as listed in the quadrennial report published the previous week. Mrs. Sparks replied that rural land valuations here had always been low and she felt! it her duty to equalize McHenry values with other townships in the county. She added that she used a value form from the office of Supervisor of Assessments Stanley Connie in making the assessments. Feb* 16 is the deadline for reporting complaints to the board of Review, either in person or by mail. A further survey is made, followed by a reevaluation of the property in question, with the figure then being sent to the property owner. The latter has five days in which to make a second complaint if he desires. An appointment is then made with the objector. It was explained to protestors that no tax rate has yet been set. The valuations are sent to the offices of County; Clerk Vernon Kays and a total of each township's valuation is reached. Next autumn; when all levies from the various taxing bodies are received, the tax rate is determined as the needed funds are applied against the valuation. The valuation procedure in regard to farm land is explained in the report used by Mrs. • Sparks, - • stating- tteit- - the 60 - percent figure should be applied to obtain the assessment. The following market value of land for farming purposes was listed: "And you're my Valentine!" might well be the thought which runs through the minds of both Mrs. Larry Lund, wife of the Plaindealer publisher, and her young daughter, Mirgo, as they look at their reflections in the huge, valentine mirror which forms an appropriate card for the special day. They join the community and the nation in observing Valentine's Day Wednesday, Feb. 14. (PLAINDEALER PHOTO) Prepare For ji, Guard99 Corniest rTfy m ' 1 :» 'OX Child Escapes Death In River The alertness of a threeyear- old youngster who reported his brother's accident to their mother, was all that saved William J. Burns, III, 4 years old, of Burton's Bridge, from drowning last Thursday. In the early afternoon, young Robert Burns ran into the family home to tell his mother that William had fallen into the water of the Fox River near their home when the ice broke. Mrs. Burns ran from the for help, ~r.d at the water's edge saw the youngster, face up, about 30 or 40 feet from shore. Taking a boat seat which was used as a life jacket, she managed to reach the child, but in the meantime his face had become submerged and he was unconscious. The mother attempted to revive him with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until relieved by a man attracted to the scene by her cries for help. The Nunda Township rural fire department members also arrived on the scene within a short time and used an inhalator on the child for a time before rushing" him to McHenry hospital, where he was placed under intensive care. William, son of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Burns, Jr., of 4335 Riverside drive, Bayview Beach, Burton's Bridge, was able to return home from the hospital on Sunday. CITY COUNCIL UNCHANGED ON COURT LOCATION Chairman Walter Dean of McHenry was scheduled to readbefore the county board of supervisors on Tuesday, a letter received from Mayor Frances Kuhn and the Woodstock City Council regarding the Court house, site,, The letter stated that the council committee had been informed of the approval of the county board on the fairgrounds site at the January meeting. The council felt there had been (Continued on page 10) BUSINESS MAN IS APPREHENDED •FOR SMUGGLING Walter PersdSteT o^eiTandf operator of the Collector's Den on Green street, McHenry, awaits a hearing Feb. 16 on a charge of smuggling Austrian coins into this country by mail through Canada. A federal warrant charged Perschke with importing coins without a license. He was released last Friday on $3,000 bond. Perschke's arrest was made after a U.S. Customs Service inspector discovered ten gold hundred-corona pieces and six four-ducat pieces in two packages addressed to him. A coin dealer placed the value of the sixteen coins at $660. The packages mailed in Montreal, were labled "soap stone carvings" and "decorative Japanese naichi stones." The Collector's Den is a relatively new coin shop in McHenry advertised as dealing in national and international rare coins. FARM LAND VALUE 1 - $400 - Top grade-mostly level (this type of soil is present in every township in McHenry county). 2 - $380 - Top grade-mostly level - slight drainage problems and/or slight erosion problems. 3 - $360 - Medium grade - mostly level. \ 4 - $340 - Medium grade - ^ ^«Ught> drainage problems am)jU or slight erosion problems. 5 - $300 - Medium grade moderate rolling - erosion" problem. 6 - $280 - Light grade - mostly level. 7 - $260 - Light grade - slight drainage and/or slight erosion problems. 8 - $220 - Light grade - mostly rolling - constant erosion problems - marginal farming land. 9 - $150 - Pasture - good sod, not too many trees - and/ or not too wet. 10 - $125 - Pasture - fair sod, density of trees and/or wet land limiting factpr. 11 - $ 75 - Pasture - poor sod or none - dense trees and/ or wet "cat-tail" type condition. LICENSE DEADLINE Midnight Thursday, Feb. 15, is the deadline for displaying 1968 license plates. Moment Of Tension VISCOUNT COLOR GUARD For the eighth straight year, the Viscounts Parents and Booster club will sponsor the "On Guard" color guard contest, Sunday, Feb. 18, 1 P.iB., at the McHenry high school gym. The fourteen units invited to compete will be some of the mid-west's outstanding color "fssrdsp * "" ^ .Guards invited are the national VFW and American Legion champions of 1967, the Cavaliers of Park Ridge; the Mariners of Greendale, Wis., (^,\vho won the first annual" On Guard" contest held in 1960; Evanston Vanguards; Corsairs, Des- Plaines; Buccaneers, Sheboygan, Wis.; Pirateers, Sheboygan, Wis.; Queensmen of Kenosha, Wis., who are the present champions of the Mid- Wc at"£ck;r gii sr^-eireuit;- C - dettes, Milwaukee, Wis.; Regents, Kenosha, Wis.; Vaqueras, Elmhurst; Regals of Racine, Wis.; Coronets, Arlington Heights; Blue Stars of Lacrosse, Wis., whose drum corps competed in the 1967 Marine Festival Day competition; and SMVIB of S. Milwuakee, Wis. The Knownames and Viscounts Color-Guards, sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary 145A11 , ^n1ilLl putL -V.VI-I CA11 U'iu ;Cuti OiiM j.. ing the show. First, second and third place trophies will be awarded by American Legion Post 491, and the Viscounts Parents and Booster club. Profits from the - show will be used for transportation of the color guards during the - season. Refreshments will be served in the school0 cafeteria by the Parents' group. Tick- COMMITTEEMEN MEET TO DECIDE PRIMARY ISSUE As the Plaindealer went to press, a meeting was scheduled to take place in Marengo by five Democratic representative committeemen from the 33rd district of the .state. Theresa Schuitz of McCullom Lake is one of the five. In addition to selecting a ets may be obtained from any chairman and secretary, the member of the eolor gaards-oi committeejmm_4nst-.-to deeide at th^door. ' whether to support one or two , representative, candidates in (PLAINDEALER PHOTO) the June primary. McHenry Township^ Assessor Eva Sparks is shown at left, addressing approximately the rural communities surrounding McHenry last Thursday evening. It was necessary to obtain a roomr in the local Country club to accommodate the large crowd assembled to protest valuation their property as listed in the quadrennial tax rqnnrt which was published the previous week. ... Charles Weingart, at right, assistant supervisor, served as moderator of the meeting. ( (PLAINDEALER PHOTO) ..t . 4 . '!e