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

Wildlife Stamps Now 40 Years Old SECTION 2 - PAGE 5 - PLAINDEALER - FRIDAY, MARCH 17. 197* «w w w m m m m NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION « • » • * * • NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION J Letter from Washington by Senator Charles H. Percy £/WFORNIACONDOR : BLACK-FOOTED FERRET One of the nation's best- known fund-raising stamp programs is about to turn 40. The National Wildlife federation sold its first sheet of wildlife conservation stamps to the world's best-known stamp collector, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on March 20, 1938, at the White House. Now, almost six billion stamps later, NWF is observing the fortieth anniversary of its stamp program by issuing a new sheet of stamps depicting thirty-six mammals, reptiles, insects, birds, and fish. Each stamp bears the message, "Wildlife Needs You"-which is the theme of this year's National Wildlife week, to be observed from March 19' through 25. As in the past, the stamps are miniature replicas of paintings by nationally-known wildlife artists. Some stamp buyers collect them in albums. Others use them to adorn letters, books, and other objects. NWF uses the proceeds to fund its conservation education program, which last year distributed more than 1.4 million free books and pam­ phlets on environmental and wildlife subjects. The NWF stamp program grew out of an anonymous letter mailed to NWF's first president, Jay Norwood (Ding) Darling, a Pulitizer prize- winning newspaper cartoonist, in 1937. The letter-writer, a Kansan, asked: "Why don't you paint some wildlife pictures and have them printed on paper with glue on the back? I'm sure lovers of wildlife all over the country would buy them." Darling, who had painted a picture for the first federal migratory bird hunting license stamp four years earlier, while serving as chief of the U.S. Biological Survey, like the idea. One other nonprofit public service group, the Tuberculosis association, had been selling stamps bearing a double- barred red cross, known as "Christmas seals," since 1907 and he saw no reason why the idea couldn't be used by con­ servationists, too. He painted the first 16 stamps himself--eight mammals and eight species of waterfowl. The $16,000 they brought in helped keep the infant NWF out of bankruptcy during its third year of operation. The original paintings are now on display in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. Stamp sales have since become a major source of financial support for the NWF. Contributions for stamps passed the $400,000 mark in 1949 and last year reached almost $2 million. Favorite subjects for the stamps over the years have been the cardinal and the white-tailed deer. Two rare and endangered animals, the Cal­ ifornia condor and the black- footed ferret, are among those pictured on this year's stamps. The condor, known in Indian legend as the "bird of thun­ der," has a wing span of more than nine feet and can soar for more than an hour without once flapping its wings. --- It once ranged from northern Oregon to lower California and eastward in to Utah and Arizona. Today, mainly because of man's en­ croachment on its habitat, this spectacular bird is found only in a 100-square-mile area at the southern end of California's San Joaquin Valley. The ferret, whose name means "searcher," is the victim of man's war against the prairie dogs of the plains. In the early 1900's cattlemen com­ plained that the plentiful prairie dogs-main source of food for the ferrets-ate the grass upon which grazing cattle were dependent. The federal and state governments began poisoning the prairie dogs. The poisoning was stopped, but not before the ferrets, deprived of their main food source, had become an endangered species. Black-footed ferrets once ranged from southern Alberta to Arizona and Texas. Scien­ tists now say the ferret may be the nation's most endangered mammal. Four live in captivity at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland, but one of these has cancer and is expected to live only a few months. Only rare sightings of the long, lean, masked ferret have been made in the wild during the past 20 years. The condor is considered in danger of extinction,but its future is not quite so bleak. Its how /r« population has remained steady in recent years, and most nesting and roosting sites have been restricted to give the birds the seclusion necessary for their survival. Persons interested in the 1978 wildlife conservation stamps, stamp albums, or conservation stamp coloring books, may write to the National Wildlife federation, 1412 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. The albums and coloring books contain description's and biological data on each of the animals pictured on the stamps. avoid low pressure (higher up) and follow down currents of air. Even city dwellers can learn something by watching birds in flight. Responding to mail from Illinoisans is one of my most important responsibilities as a U.S. Senator.; During the course of a year, my offices in Washington, Springfield, and Chicago re­ ceive hundreds of thousands of letters. Some express an opinion; others seek assist­ ance. Each of these letters, regardless of their content or position, is given careful con­ sideration. I personally read as many letters as possible, and I au­ thorize or approve the content of all responses. Every piece of mail is answered as quickly as possible. On a regular basis, I receive a mail report that states the topics most fre­ quently mentioned in recent correspondence and also gives an accounting of mail volume. In January, for example, I re­ ceived a heavy volume of mail concerning the Panama Canal treaties and the proposed La­ bor Reform Act. In 1977, my offices received over 250,000 cards and letters, twice the number received in 1976. Mail volume averaged just under 5,000 pieces of mail each week in 1977. The abundance of mail re­ ceived last year was caused by several factors. A new Presi­ dent and a new Congress brought a full legislative cal­ endar. The energy crisis plirttpd comments throughout the year. Many persons wrote to express their opinion on the Panama Canal treaties. Busi­ ness and labor groups launched organized write-ins in response to certain bills. Large-scale, organized write- ins account for much of my mail, particularly when the Senate is considering contro­ versial bills. But last year I received over 20,000 handwrit­ ten letters concerning energy, 11,000 on the Panama Canal and 8,000 about former Budget Director Bert Lance. Often I am asked to assess the impact of cards and letters on my Senate work and vot­ ing decisions. It is critically important to me to know the candid opinions of Illinoisans --either as individuals or as groups. These opinions are carefully considered when I draft legislation and cast Sen­ ate votes. Opinions expressed in cards and letters are not the Only factors I consider when I de­ termine my position on a par­ ticular issue. I believe citizens expect their elected officials to do more than tabulate the mail when they make deci­ sions. They also must exercise their own judgment, after conducting a thorough study of the issue in question. But the opinions of those who take the time and effort to write personally remain a key fac­ tor in my Senate decisions. WHAT'S NEW SLATE FAMILY FILM NIGHT - Pictured above are Robert and Jjulia Jessup and their three children, Robert, Lisa and Scott, as they discuss the Family Film night at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran church, 404 North Green street, McHenry, to be held March 19 at 5:30 p.m. s A portable intercom uses existing household wiring to allow room-too-room con­ versation or monitoring of child's room. Units plug into electrical outlets. A family film night has been planned at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran church, 404 North Green street, March 19. A luncheon serving sandwiches and ice cream will be provided at 5:30 p.m., with the films being shown at 6:30. The full length feature, "King of Kings," will be shown in the sanctuary for the adults and older students. The younger students will view four films, including "Johnny Appleseed", "The Promise", "The Mouse Man", and "Baptism", in the fireside room of the church. The evening is being planned for the congregation by the Parish Education committee headed by Ron Kot; the Luther league led by Phil and Karen Knudsen, Paul and Shirley Gilbert, Steve and Mary Peterson, Brian and John Cunat, and Kristin Stuhr; and by the Sheepherders fellowship group headed by Wally and Beth Johnson, Harold and Shirley Kivley, Steve and Barbara Arnold, and Russell and Sue Rogalski. Auto Service Tips Driveway drips--or spots that you find on the driveway where your auto has been parked--may have no significance, but could indicate that you have a big problem. Spread paper under your car overnight (never when motor is running) and the drips will probably tell you what type of leak you have (coolant, motor oil, etc.) If you can't identify, ask an expert. What can be learned from nature and wild creatures, about the coming weather? Quite a bit, as any farmer or even farm boy, can tell you. With even our best weather forecasters missing the mark so frequently these days, watching nature's signals, can often be rewarding. The onset of a stormy or rainy period is tipped off by many wild creatures. Rabbits, which are every­ where, give an easily-read signal. They tend to gather food and even take unusual chances in doing it. This inter­ ests hawks and other rabbit eaters and thus activity can be seen on the land and in the sky. Even domesticated animals often display quite noticeable nervous energy before a storm.. Pigs, moreso than rab­ bits, may be the best fore­ casters. And they can be even more easily observed. Oldtimers say pigs begin thrashing about, preparing straw or similar beds before a storm. Birds usuallv flv lower--to feed on insects, ANOTH ER GENERATION OF SERVICE TO McHENRY COUNTY M CHENRY S421 PEARL ST. (Marfh Fwt Offlc*) The suit to wear everywhere-by Phoenix Clothes HOURS: MON.-TUES. • CLOSED WED. 10-6 THURS. ft FRI. 10-9 SAT. 10-6 MEN'S FASHIONS SUITS DON'T WAIT - BUY NOW! 3 PC. VESTED SIZES 39 TO 46 £ SPORTCOATS r SLACKS SUB a TO 5* TIES BELTS ALL SIZES DRESS SHIRTS SIZES 14'/» TO 20 BLUE JEANS- FLARES MUNSINGWEAR • SHORTS * BOXERS •BRIEFS *T SHIRTS < •SOCKS CAL SKINNER, SR. FOR COUNTY CLERK VOTE REPUBLICAN MARCH 211978 B Y A U T H O R I T Y O F D E N I S D E S M O N D C P A T R E A S C O M M I T T E E F O R C A L F O R C O U N T Y C L E R K P O B O X 3 0 8 C R Y S T A L L A K E I L L I N O I S 6 0 0 1 4