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Fish Concludes Year Of Service To Community Burglaries9 Thefts On Increase garr When fire strikes, Fish steps in to help with household goods, food and clothing. In photo at top, Mrs. Gretchen Thomas, left, and Mrs. Arlette Rietesel, (coordinator), both of the Steering committee, bring clothing to the scene of a badly gntted home. In bottom photo, Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Rietesel receive canned goods to help stock the emergency food pantry for needy families. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Fish, an organization formed to provide service to others is one year old in McHenry. The first annual meeting will be held Monday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m. in the V.F.W clubhouse, Rt. 120. The public is invited, and members are urged to attend. Guest speakers will be the Reverend Ralph Smith, pastor of the First United Methodist church of McHenry, and Bertha Taylor, executive director of "Contact" (drug abuse) for Lake county. The program will include reports from committee heads and the treasurer's report. The telephone volunteers will , l i'lff _ Changes sometimes creep up on us unnoticed. Or we are aware of them but ignore the repercussions. Schools are no exception We realize very well the recent population rise and resulting enrollment increases, but few would probably give an accurate guess at the amount. Ten years ago there were 1,343 students attending our four- year high school. Today there are 1,250 enrolled in the freshman-sophomore East campus and 1,000 juniors and seniors at West, a difference of over 900 in a decade It was just such growth throughout the country that participants in the national seminar on education focused on when they met last summer. Among them was Supt Richard Swantz of High School District 156 The committee, created by the U.S. Office of Education, was concerned with the general improvement of schools "And there were no dollar signs created", commented the •ocal administrator with more than a little satisfaction. One of the mi.jor concerns of this national assembly is that high schools haven't changed very much through the years. They still operate, according to Committee members, much like they have done through the years. Mr. Swantz set forth the following statistics nationally In 1925, 65 per cent of the students continued on to high school. Twenty-five years la tor this had jumped to 90 per cent, with 60 per cent continuing on to graduate. Today, he said, 93 per cent attend high school and 80 per cent graduate. More and more in recent years, educators have felt the need to change with the times, providing for those who will remain in high school four years but do not intend to continue their education further The answer has been a trend toward more non-college preparatory courses Supt Swantz feels that with more stabilization of enrollments, it is not a matter of spending more money, but of realigning expenditures. K A F fruitless All Gone I Mrs Loretta Behl recently a d v e r t i s e d household goods for sale in a Wednesday issue I had sold everything advertised by 2 p m press day", she commented happily Try a Plaindealer classified ad Five nickel plated soprano bugles in cases, an Olds mellophone and a set of cymbals were taken from an equipment truck of the Viscount Drum and Bugle corps while it was parked alongside the American legion Home at 2505 Ringwood road, McHenry. Deputies determined the theft took place sometime since Sunday The American Legion home had also been entered by breaking the glass in a window on the north side of the building. An attempt had been made to pry open a soft drink dispensing machine but the effort failed Nothing else in the building appeared to have been disturbed Timothy Sommerville of 19814 Streit road, Harvard, a paper fxiy for the Chicago Tribune, told county officials he had lust finished collecting from his paper route in Johnsbtirg Saturday afternoon and was waiting outside a grocery store in .Johnsburg for his father to pick him up. He had a money bag beside him which contained $114 in cash and checks When his father arrived, he discovered the money bag was gone Deputies investigated a burglary at the Nor West tavern, 2004 Route 12, Spring Grove, Monday mornine. Sometime since the previous day, someone had entered the building by removing sections of glass from a jalousie window A pinball machine and an old cigarette machine had been pried open and an undetermined amount of change removed Attempts had been made to pry open several other vending machines but the efforts failed When the Rolf Seebachers of 215 Baron, Spring Grove, returned home from work last Thursday, they discovered their home had been burglarized. Drawers had been searched and several banks had been broken open. Missing from the premises was approximately $185 in coin arid currency, along with men's and women's jewelry Sometime last Friday, intruders entered the home of Clayton Hudson of 3310 E. Wonder Lake road, Wonder l>ake, and removed approxi mately $400 in small change from various containers in the home Hudson discovered the theft when he returned home about 5 o'clock Friday afternoon. Seven fishing rods and reels, two mini-bikes, and electric drill, a tackle box with assorted lures and a wooden tool box containing assorted tools were taken from a shed at 5303 Bridge, McHenry, sometime after Sept 13. Joseph Hartley, an Arlington Heights resident who has a summer residence at that location, discovered the theft when he arrived last weekend THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875 VOLUME 99 NUMBER 14 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1974 20 PAGES FIFTEEN CENTS City Council Controversy Referendum May Decide Water Company Purchase The City Council reported Monday night that a petition containing over 700 signatures had been filed recently by residents of Lakeland Park demanding that the question of whether or not the city should purchase the Lakeland Park Water company should be decided by a city-wide referendum. In August, the Council voted to purchase the water company for $67,500. Now that the petition has been filed, the city cannot buy the company until a referendum is held. In a previous agreement with Robino-Ladd, owner of the water company, the city agreed to enter into a contract on Oct. 1. If no action is taken by that date, the contract would become void. City Attorney Bernard Narusis noted that according to legal time requirements, a referendum cannot be held prior to Oct 1. When Donald Gerstad, president of the water company, heard a petition had been filed, he told Mayor Joseph Stanek he would like to poll the aldermen and get a consensus on whether or not he should extend the contract date. Mayor Stanek called a committee meeting of the whole Council, which was held Monday night prior to the regular 8 o'clock meeting. At that time, a majority of the councilmen indicated to Gerstad that they would support the referendum for purchase of the water system Petitioners seemed to feel that since the owner of the water company is currently involved in a hearing before the Pollution Control Board, (PCB), the city should wait until results of this hearing are made known. They anticipate that extensive improvements will be needed to bring the system up to EPA and PCB standards and they insist that Ladd Enterprises (former owners of the company) should pay for these improvements, not the city. The PCB hearing against the water company has been set for Oct. 3. Alderman William Bolger, chairman of the Sewer and Water committee, related that his committee had been working for several years on the water problem Since May, serious negotiations have been taking place. "We said, let 's talk $50,000. For a long time, they wouldn't even consider it ," Bolger pointed out. "An agreement was reached for $67,500 to purchase the system. If you consider interest over a five- year period, the price comes to about $56,000," Bolger explained. (The agreement stipulated no interest would be cha rged to the city.) "We feel this is a fair price to the city I think they met our price, we didn't meet their price," Bolger stressed. Some aldermen speculated that if the hearing before the Pollution Control board calls for improvements on the system, the cost of these improvements would be added and the agreed purchase price of $67,500 would no longer apply. Since this is the second or third time purchase of the water company has been disrupted, Bolger commented that maybe it would be better if the company were sold to another buyer. "So many untruths are spreading now that I 'm afraid the city will be split apart over this," he said. However, Alderman George Harker stressed that it is almost an economic necessity that the city own the water system since revenue from city water fees is needed to compensate for charges made on city sewer service. Gerstad left the meeting stating he would report back in a few days regarding his company's decision. The Council decided to take no action until the next meeting on setting a referendum date. If Robino-Ladd voids the contract, it will not be necessary to hold the referendum, Stanek pointed out. The possibility of a challenge to the petition was indicated when Bolger expressed the opinion that there were some fraudulent signatures on the petition. "I don't know if there are 20 or 100", he commented. At the end of the regular meeting, Walter Schaedel of Lakeland Park, read some of his comments on the city's handling of the Lakeland Park Water company purchase. Speaking for himself, he objected to private and special meetings being held "without due and timely notice being given" so interested citizens involved in important issues are unaware of the meetings and cannot be in attendance. He specifically mentioned the meeting that was held between 7 and 8 o'clock that evening before the regular meeting. For a matter as important as this, Schaedel felt the chairman of the Sewer and Water committee should have informed the news media. Stanek replied that he called a committee meeting of the whole and it was open to the public. "It was a spontaneous thing," he said. "Gerstad called and wanted to know where we stood. This was not an illegal or unethical meeting," Stanek stressed. "It (Continued on page 5) Safe 'Cycling Goal Of New City Program receive new membership lists for service workers. Coffee and cookies will be served The annual meeting is an ideal time for the public to learn exactly what Fish does in its service to the local community. Ticket Drivers After Crashes Vincent A Joyce of 7604 Ash drive, Wonder Lake, was ticketed by city police for driving while intoxicated and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident following a rear end collision Monday morning at the intersection of Route 120 and Front Royal drive. Driver of the other car, Raymond F. Luth of 4508 W 83rd place, Chicago, was not injured, but a passenger in his car, Josephine T Luth of 88(H) Burton road. Wonder Lake, was taken to the hospital by the rescue squad Luth told city police he had just pulled out of 4213 Route 120 and was proceeding west when his car was hit in the rear. Joyce stated Luth's car pulled out of a gas station and contact was made to the back of Luth's vehicle A two-car accident at 4105 S. Crystal Lake road last Thursday resulted in a ticket being issued to Girard Toussaint of 3914 W Grand, McHenry, for improper overtaking on the left Bonnie Maldonado of 3912 W Main, McHenry, was south Ixnind and was slowing She observed Toussaint s car approaching from the rear and then contact was made to her auto Toussaint said he tried to pass on the left but slid on the wet pavement Police Chief Kenneth P. Espey has announced that safe 'cycling in the city of McHenry is the goal of the McHenry Po­ lice department. A comprehen­ sive Bicycle Safety program provided by the American Youth council, and funded by the local business community, will be presented to children aged 5 - 11 at the schools by Robert Zujewski, police community relations officer "With nearly sixty million cyclists in America today, Chief Espey noted, "from youngsters of 5 to oldsters of 76, bicycle safety should begin when a child gets his or her first set of wheels and we believe this Bicycle Safety program presented by our department is one of the best means of preventing accidents and injury to them." "The cooperation of parents is urgently needed, "Chief Espev said, and a Parents Message' outlining parents' responsibility regarding bicycle safety as it relates to their children, will be made available to the parents of the children involved " In addition, the program includes a Bicycle Safety day in the form of a Bicycle Rodeo. Skill and balance tests will be given on this day and the Police department will be assisted by one of the civic groups in the community in conducting this phase of the program Parents are urged to attend with their children. Road Group To Discuss Bills Veto By Walker The McHenry County U n i n c o r p o r a t e d R o a d organization will have its regular general meeting Monday, Sept. 23, at 8 p.m. at the Algonquin township building on Route 14, between Cary and Crystal Lake The main topic of the meeting will be the vetoing of House Bills 2391 and 2792 by Governor Walker The two bills that would have provided some legal and financial assistance to residents in incorporated areas with road maintenance and improvement problems. FREE CLINIC The monthly free clinic sponsored by the Board of Health will be held Sept 25, 9 to 11 a.m., at the courthouse. Two Resign County Loses Services Of Associate Judges 1,000 Participate In Courthouse Open House Chief Judge Lloyd A Van Deusen of the 19th Judicial circuit announces that he has recently received letters of resignation from Judge Thomas F. Baker and Judge Richard C. Kelly, associate judges of the 19th Judicial circuit, McHenry county. Judge Baker has served as an associate judge since his appointment April 16, 1972. He was assigned a variety of cases and, in particular, served in Juvenile division in McHenry county. Upon resignation, Judge Baker intends to return to the private practice of law in this county Judge Kelly has served as an associate judge in McIIenrv county since his appointment to the bench May 1, 1973. Upon resignation, Judge Kelly plans to return to the McHenry county State's Attorney's office. Judge Van Deusen said, both Judge Baker and Judge Kelly have been excellent judges and have served well the Bar and the citizens of Lake and McHenry counties. " T h e i r r e s i g n a t i o n s constitute a real loss to the 19th Judicial circuit and highlight the necessity of increasing and equalizing judges' salaries throughout the state so that competent and experienced, attorneys will seek and continue to serve in the judicial system " he continued. McHenry Doctors Head State Health Agencies A turnout double that expected by county officials walked through the three stories of the new courthouse in Woodstock Sunday afternoon during the first public open h o u s e a t t h e f a c i l i t i e s constructed in 1972 County Board Chairman Walter Dean of McHenry and o t h e r b o a r d m e m b e r s a n d county officials were delighted with the interest showed by the public to inspect the all new courthouse with an estimated 1,000 taking advantage of the open house to visit the various departments Visitors were presented with a new brochure, "At Your Service," which tells about the people and the facilities that comprise the McHenry county government The brochure includes a map showing the three floors Somje people went on tour themselves, but many others took advantage of tours conducted under the direction of County Clerk Vernon Kays and bis staff The flow of people to set1 ' the building was so steady that many other people were pressed into service to act as tour guides, including Conrad Floeter, Crystal Lake, chairman of the committee which handled arrangements for the open house, and other board members and elected county officials. One of the most popular spots on the tour was the jail area, w h i c h i n c l u d e s t h e communications center and the cellblock areas Jailers said they heard many people talking in soft tones- comment on the security aspects of the area and observing "It 's ()K to visit, but I surely wouldn't want to have to stay here " They also mentioned the cleanliness and the "finality' ' with which the security measures maintain order County officials and many of their employees were on hand to talk about departmental responsibilities and services. Mrs Betty Thiede. secretary for the County board, is one of t h o s e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e smooth functioning at the open house Earl Hughes, chairman o f t h e M c H e n r y C o u n t y B u i l d i n g c o m i n i s s i o n , represented the public body. It is the group that holds title to the building and leases space to the county government in a t e c h n i c a l a r r a n g e m e n t t h a t helped make construction and financing possible Copies of ! 'he brochure, "At your Service," are available without cost at the information desk in the courthouse and will be soon distributed without charge through cooperating financial institutions f DR. EDWARD F. WILT, JR. Edward F Wilt, Jr., M D , chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at McHenry h o s p i t a l , w a s i n s t a l l e d a s p r e s i d e n t o f t h e I l l i n o i s (Continued on page 5) DR. CLARENCE R.HART Dr Clarence R Hart, orthopedic surgeon at McHenry hospital, has been elected to the presidency of the Illinois division American Traumft (Continued on pege 5)