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Musin9 And Meanderin Vacations are for observation and contemplation. They are also for resting the mind, which we found easier to do than putting it back to work Monday morning. In the way of observations, vacations are ideal for dwelling on subjects that normally would be passed over without a second thought. One of those subjects is weathermen and their inaccuracies. When you're behind a typewriter, it isn't too im­ portant whether or not the rain comes Monday or Tuesday. When you're cheating an extra day on the week, it is disastrous to find four "experts" in disagreement. We listened to the optimist among them and found to our dismay that we were facing a once-a-year hiking outing in a gloomy downpour that persisted forty- eight hours. Even amidst the gloom, it was evident the fall of 1977 will not go into history as one of our more colorful seasons. When Lake Geneva, noted for the glorious colors of its maples, is dull by comparison to other years, you can be sure something is amiss. For­ tunately for those who will venture no farther than the McHenry environs for fall beauty, some of the many oaks in our own community have hues almost as bright. As we rode under dismal skies that first day, it was evident this was homecoming season in many southern Wisconsin towns. In several, every store had display win­ dows covered with a slogan heralding a victory still in the wishful stage. One barbershop combined school spirit with a commercial touch as the owner promised, "We'll scalp 'em". We like the idea of this kind of community spirit. Somehow you believe immediately that not only the school is interested in homecoming, but instead, the entire community. Another observation of ab-' solutely no significance except to residents of a particular farm home, was a large yellow ribbon extending across the width of a huge oak tree. We understand the sight has greeted passersby in southern Wisconsin for at least a year, giving rise to the theory that perhaps she is still waiting for (Continued on page 10) Arrest M*n, Juvenile For Criminal Trespass A Spring Grove youth was among three persons arrested Saturday in connection with a hunting incident in Spring Grove. Tony Bradley, 19, of 1810 Main street, Spring Grove, was charged with criminal trespass to land, and possession of firearms and ammunition without a firearm owner's ^identification card, with bond set at $3,000 for an Oct. 13 court appearance. Arrested along with Bradley were Martin Perez, 21, of Round Lake and an area juvenile. Perez was charged with criminal trespass to land, while the juvenile was referred to proper authorities. According to police, at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Walter Thompson of 601 Main street, Spring Grove, reported that three persons had been shooting at geese on his property, and when he call* Ito them, they fled. Apparently, a goose had been shot and the three offenders returned to look for it. Police arrived at the scene, and eventually succeeded in finding them leaving a field. The arrests were then made. 12-Year-Old Boy Victim Of Hit-Run Sunday Accident A 12-year-old boy was listed in satisfactory condition in McHenry hospital Tuesday morning, recovering fijom REFERENDUM Grade School District 15 Saturday, Oct. 15 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Polling Places: Junior High School Hilltop School injuries sustained when he was struck by a car while riding a bicycle Sunday evening on Riverside drive. Injured was Brian E. Reinke of 2310 Orchard Beach road. The driver of the automobile that struck Reinke is unknown as police are continuing their investigation into the hit-and- run accident. According to police, the Reinke child was riding his bike along the shoulder of Riverside drive when the accident oc­ curred. The driver of the car then fled the scene. The McHenry Area Rescue squad transported the child to McHenry hospital, where he remained Tuesday morning. In other accidents, a four- vehicle accident Friday af­ ternoon sent three persons to the hospital, all with minor injuries. The collision recurred at CConbnuea on page 10) Tightening The Belt... For Education (an editorial) What do we do-you and I-when the weekly paycheck or the Social Security allotment won't pay the bills? We cut back. It's a practice as old as time and it's called tightening the belt. As individuate are concerned, people who tighten hard are considered good citizens. They're trying to make it on their own. But occasionally all the belt tightening in the world won't work. Then what do we do? We have to ask for help. This is the predicament of our McHenry school districts, and incidentally, they are not alone in their dilemma. School districts throughout the state are battling some of die same problems, although in the case of High School District 156 they have been compounded by the division of the district. In McHenry, after several years in a vain attempt to balance budgets, with repeated cutbacks in expenditures, our school districts have been forced to do what a troubled individual would do. They are asking for help in a critical situation. On Oct. 15, the grade school board will ask taxpayers in District 15 to increase an Education fund tax rate by forty cents, from $1.38 to $1.78 per $100 assessed valuation, and an Operations, Building and Maintenance fund tax rate by ten cents, from twenty-five cents to thirty-five cents for fifty cents total increase. TTie following week, Oct. 22, taxpayers in High School District 156 will be asked to support a proposed forty-cent increase in the Education fund and fifteen cents in the Operation and Maintenance fund for a total of fifty-five cents. This would bring the Education rate from $1.32 to $1.72 and the Operation and Maintenance fund from twenty-five to forty cents. It is never easy to make palatable the fact that these referenda will cost money. On a home with an assessed valuation of $10,000 (an actual valuation of $30,000), the cost of the two referenda would be slightly over $100 annually. But there are only two alternatives to the rate increases. One is going further into deficit financing, which the school boards say cannot happen. The second is to make radical curtailments in the school programs and destroy the present educational quality. This they are also unwilling to do in the best interest of our young people. The pride felt in the McHenry school systems--both grade and high--has been the result of many positive steps by many people, over a period of many years. Those closest to the schools are fearful of losing all that has been gained if either referendum fails. Belt tightening has always been the mark of McHenry residents in behalf of their schools, their city and those things in which they believed the most. But that was yesterday. In these critical days before the referenda, it is probably more important than ever before to consider the responsibility of good citizenship as it affects tomorrow. TTiis means a "yes" vote at the polls Oct. 15 and again Oct. 22. REFERENDUM High School District 156 Saturday, Oct. 22 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Polling Places: East Campus High School . Lakemoor Community Center ̂ McCullom Lake Beach House, Harrison Grade School, Wonder Lake VOLUME 102 NUMBER Tl WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1977 2 SECTIONS 28 PAGES 20' Homecoming Oct. 13-15 Using two intriguing themes, the Student Council of McHenry high school this week an­ nounced plans for annual homecoming, scheduled Thursday, Friday and Satur­ day, Oct. 13-15. A "Carousel" theme will be carried out at the Saturday night dance and "Circus" will provide the motif for parade float entries. Initial excitement gets under way Thursday at West campus, where students will gather for a pep rally and bonfire starting at 7:30 p.m. An hour prior to this time, some of the young people will participate in a car wrecking project at the same location. Speakers for the evening rally will include Mayor Joseph Stanek Supt. Robert Swart- zloff, Head Football Coach Bill Day and team captains. The homecoming event with greatest general interest will probably be the Friday af­ ternoon parade, which begins at 1:30. The parade route will note changes from last year, with the line of march starting at East campus. It will go south to Kane, then west to Center and return to Main street. From there, the marchers will travel east to Green street, north to Broad, then east to Riverside drive and return to Pearl street to Green and back to East campus. The public is invited to maintain the homecoming spirit through attendance at the Friday night game, with the Warriors taking on the Zion- Benton Zee-Bees at 8 p.m. on McCracken field. The sophomores play at 6 o'clock. An innovation of recent years is the alumni breakfast to be held in West campus cafeteria from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday morning. Students of MCHS extending back many years are extended a special invitation to attend. The Saturday night dance will be held in the West campus gymnasium from 8 to 11:30, with the anticipated crowning scheduled for 10:30 in the auditorium. Tickets are available at the door or in advance, at East or West campus offices. Six senior girls and six senior boys were selected by a vote of their class members to be (Continued on page 10) THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER "SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKE S REGION SINCE 1875 Developers Before Council Oct. 17 Open House Boosts Referendum King and queen candidates for MCHS homecoming this weekend are shown above. From left, they are Sue Prast, Allleinboldt, Kathy Graef, Marty Deener, Kathy Ahem, Mark Rogers, Wendy Young, Steve Knox, Tamee Baker, Jeff Hurckes, Lori Anne Hickey, class of '77, places finishing frosting touches to special cake decorated daring demonstration in the home economics dthssroom at West cai ipus during open house last Friday. Looking on pre Sendee Peterson, senior seminar student, and Louette Ames, 10od 'fervtee instructor. In perfect timing for next week's referendum to increase the Education and Building Operations and Maintenance funds of the district, the girls selected the theme, "Don't Cut Into Our Education". STAFF PHOTOS-WAYNE GAYLORD remainder of the previous PUD will be considered null and void, and he would have to come to the city for approval with each unit (group of homes) he seeks to develop. He already has approval for the old PUD, and conceivably could begin development on the PUD immediately and without any Council approval. When the city altered into an agreement ten years ago, there was no such thing as soliciting contributions from the developer. Since that time, the city has begun requiring developers to donate money for schools, parks, and the public library. The amotffltl&fttributed was the miilmv nisi issue of the meeting. The original PUD, as well as the new proposal, called for the developer to donate land (Continued on page 10) $1,0001 merchants taking part to piece the parts of the clues together. There will be eight clues given out over the weeks of Oct. 17 to Nov. 2. Each merchant participating will have a portion of a clue displayed in his store on eight different days over a three- week period. Potential customers will be entering the store to find, for example, five clue words which must be pieced together with othe* parts of the whole clue to aty them in finding the money. Rules call for one to be It years or older to redeem thi $1,000 certificate for cash. Thf certificate will be hidden within the city limits. An advertisement will ap­ pear in Friday's Plaindealec explaining details of the promotion. Present RTA ; Proposed Planf For This Area RTA planning department staff member, Andy Szakos, will present the RTA't proposed McHenry County Transportation plan at the next regular meeting of the Nunda township board of trustees Wednesday evening, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. This meeting will be held at the North Elementary school, 500 Woodstock street, Crystal Lake. All residents and representatives of District 2 of McHenry county are invited, and representatives of municipalities, villages and townships are particularly urged to attend to inform Szakos of their ideas and suggestions for RTA service in McHenry county. An unidentified volunteer rescue worker applies a splint to a broken leg sustained by one of the "victims" of the county disaster drill, conducted Sunday by the Fire, Rescue, Medical, and Emergency Services agency. The purpose of the drill was to test plans for the liandling of a number of casualties resulting from a disaster such as a tornado, explosion, plane crash, etc. This woman was "Injured" when an airplane "crashed" Into the Ringwood Chemical plant. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Conway and Tim Cornwell. The new reigning pair will be crowned Saturday night at 10:30 in the auditorium of West campus, during intermission in the dance. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Several hundred parents and other interested persons were in attendance at the open house held at both East and West campus high schools last Thursday evening and Friday afternoon. Coming as it did, at the time of the parent-teacher conferences, administrators and teachers chose to combine conferences with open house, making it possible for more members of the public to become aware of the need for passage of the Oct. 22 referendum. Demonstrations were in progress in the various classrooms so that people might see the type of work being accomplished locally in education. Developers of Pheasant Valley will come before the McHenry City Council Monday, Oct. 17, requesting modification of a Planned Unit Development (PUD), and approval of the new concept for the subdivision. The proposal was explained at a joint meeting of the City Council, Zoning board, and Planning commission. Vince Adams, William Bolger, Walther Schaedel, Ernie Schooley, and Raymond Smith were absent. Major Joseph Stanek called the meeting so that Neil Hunter, who apparently is developing the subdivision, could explain the changes, thus familiarizing city official* with the new proposal before the next Council meeting. The land being discussed is already in the city limits. The land totals about 315 acres, located at the intersection of Rt. 120 and Draper road. It is just west of Lakeland Shores, and just east of Glacier Ridge. Ten years ago, the city an­ nexed the land, and approved a PUD. However, Hunter is willing to abandon the agreement with the prior PUD in exchange for two things. First, he is asking for approval for Unit I of the new PUD, calling for about ninety single- family homes adjacent to Lakeland Shores. Second, Hunter is seeking an increase in the total acreage zoned for business, and wants the land zoned B-3, rather than B-l. The difference is that any type bf business could operate HT B-3 zoning, where B-l has several restrictions. If the City Council grants Hunter's requests, the Scramble -- For Interest is expected to run high as the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce launches an exciting promotion this month. It's called the $1,000 Scramble and will be similar to last year's game. Somewhere in McHenry there will be hidden a cer­ tificate redeemable at the First National bank in the amount of $1,000 cash. Beginning Oct. 17, par­ ticipating merchants will be given parts of a clue to the whereabouts of the money. The public will be directed to the