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PACK 16 - PLAIN DEALER-WEDNESDAY. \J vi;ri| >«. 1974 Stamp-Coin Show Large numbers of coin and stamp collectors selected most wanted items at the recent show sponsored by the McHenry County Viscount drum and bugle corps. Stamps and coins from all over the world were displayed when the McHenry County Viscount drum and bugle corps held its recent stamp and coin show. Starting Mother's day, there will be stamp and coin shows on every second Sunday of the month, held at the Legion home on Ringwood road. Questions (Hi collecting will be answered and help offered on starting either type collection. The Viscounts are presently selling coupon books made up of different coupons from area merchants. Proceeds will pay for the balance of the uniforms and in meeting other expenses. The next event will be held April 5 at Parkland school when the Viscount staff takes on the WJJD announcers in a basketball game. Give Details Of Pre-School * Registration Elementary School District 15 announces a registration for all local 3 and 4-year old children. If a child turns 3 by Dec. 1, 1974, and lives within district boundaries, he is eligible for this free service. At the time of registration, parents will be asked to fill out an information card, a short medical questionnaire and social history of the child. For convenience, pre-school and kindergarten registrations will be held at the same time. Ttie dates are March 20, 21 and 22, the time, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the place, Landmark •school. The district hopes to identify the McHenry Pre-school population through the cooperation of all local elementary school districts. Any need for special services can also be noted at this time. Ttiose aware of anyone who has a pre-school child and may not know about the registration, please pass this information on to them. Those with questions may c cm tact Mr. Burgdorf at Landmark school. ^Kindergarten Registration Kindergarten registration for all District 15 children will be held March 20, 21 and 22,9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Landmark school. Any child who will be 5 years of age on or before Dec. 1, 1974, should be registered at this time. Working parents may obtain a registration form to complete at home and return the following day. BY TDM BOLGER PRESIDENT McHENRY STATE BANK We hear a lot today about the rights of the consumer. Perhaps you have seen television films of housewives picketing stores to obtain lower food prices. You may have read in a newspaper that a leader of one of the consumer groups had testified before Congress about auto safety. You probably have your own feelings about these things. As with everything in life, some things the consumer people are saying are good, and in some cases they may have gone too far, depending on your point of view. In either case, the rise of consumerism is a most ironic development in our great country, which has been the world showcase for capitalism and the good things it brings to the people. We are all con­ sumers. Every human being, rich or poor, young or old, must eat, have shelter, wear clothing. It doesn't seem to make sense in our free, democratic society for people to have to plead for their rights t h r o u g h -- c o n s u m e r organizations. There is a very logical ex­ planation for this. In many industries we have witnessed a decline in what we call "private enterprise" - goods and ser­ vices offered by a variety of competing outlets. The con­ sumer is king in this system because he has a choice when he, goes shopping. The businessman who doesn't try his best to serve the consumer is not going to be in business very long. But what happens when the number of competing units is reduced to just a handful of nationwide producers? The consumer now loses his ad­ vantage because he no longer has a choice in the market­ place. He may have the greatest numbers, but he does not have the power that the giant corporations have to control supply, set prices and lobby before Congress and state legislatures. In short, consumers become a kind of minority group in terms of power when they deal with the giant corporations of our country. That's why we see consumers forming their own organizations today. It is interesting to note that one industry - banking - remains a system of com­ petitive private enterprise. With some 14,000 banks in our nations, the consumer is still king when he goes shopping for financial services. In an in­ dependent community bank, it is competition-not a distant corporate hierarchy or faceless government agency-that sets the basic customer policies. When you enter an independent bank, you deal with real people who must give you the best possible service at the best possible price or you will take your business elsewhere. Y§t there are some people- mostly executives of very large banks-who are trying to get our legislatures and the Congress to pass legislation that would lead to a reduction in the number of banks and consequently, a reducation in banking competition. These large banks would like to ex­ pand their control, similar to the way a few big oil companies control the oil and gas supply in our country. If this kind of control develops in banking, the con­ sumer will be at an extreme disadvantage, because finance is the lifeblood of our economy, nourishing businesses and industries at every level. You can imagine the consideration the individual banking con­ sumer would get if we should lose our competitive system of independent banking. There are two principal ways in which the banking system can be taken over by a handful of giant banking systems. One is through expansion of branch banking, and the other is through the multibank holding company. There are technical differences between these two systems, but to the consumer, the effect of both systems is the same: a reduction in the number of competing banking units as independent, com­ munity banks disapppear and xare replaced by offices con­ trolled from a headquarters building in a distant large city. From the facts set forth in this column, I hope you will agree with me that destruction of our independent banking system would be a disad­ vantage to you, to our com- imunity and our country. ^dv BARTON'S ANTlQtf ! V2 Gallon Montezuma I >1 11 .A Sevfn^/Crou,B \MI Hll X> „ '• • Mi> II w III**" PAUL MASSON. BRAH0T MONTEZUMA TEQUILA 69 Fifth -Try A Tequila Sunrise• SEAGRAM'S 7 CROWN 369 Fifth PAUL MASSON BRANDY 69 Vi Gallon IMPORTED VINTAGE GERMAN WINES 149 Bttl. LIEBFRAUMILCH MOSELBLUMCHEN JOHANNISBERGER RIESLING _ IMPORTED ALEXIS LICHNE WINE 199 Bttl. -In Famous Pot Bottle- California Best BARTON'S PREMIUM Q.T. WHISKEY Q For * IO00 In Decantor Bttl. 01 r»T| I C-"?1 hhimium U'UTV A M I k u A N I I < > I B B S W H I S K i > -- IMPORTED HOUSE OF STUART SCOTCH 29 Vi Gallon Look! For Yellow Cap Of Scotch Worth $1.00 To You 9 Sou»«f $tuatt. "O-NDKU SCOTCH WHISKY IMPORTED ROYAL CANADIAN WHISKY 39 Fifth Q For 100© 3 MICHEL0B BEER d* M I 39 Canadian *l«0ID CANADIAN *«'•«' Pak J Cans ff Bttls. HAMMS ^ Pack J O 7 CARLING'S BLACK LABEL fipack 9 9 ° JUMBO gfl* EGGS Doz. ND "0" LAKE BUTTER 79* CORN KING A fiT C BACON 2f«>ib ORANGE JUICE DRINK Regular or Draft MEISTER BRAU 12Pack 199 $ w Vsxis LICHINE ilvSZSte IMPORTED LANCER'S ROSE WINE 29 Bttl. SALE FOR MARCH 20 THRU MARCH 26 WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES BELL LIQUORS 4610 W. RTE. 120 McHENRY, ILL Phone 385-3200 8 &?• 7 9 DR. PEPPERi 8'$J?65