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SECTION 2 - PAGE 4 - PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 19.1»79 'Plaindealer, Editorial Simple Logic It's hard to imagine a sillier issue than the current controversy over female reporters in football locker rooms with males in the showers and in the nude. Only fuzzy .minded nonsense of the well-meaning reformers beclouds the issue. It has nothing to do with equal rights. Are male reporters to go into female locker rooms of women's basketball teams to interview women in the nude ? Of course not. Yet some smart promoters and clever editors have assigned pretty young things to male athletic beats. They claim discrimination if male athletes shy away from their presence in locker rooms after athletic contests. The rest of the world gasps and giggles at such misguided nonsense which permeates our country today, in the disguise of equal rights. What is needed is common sense. Males are not to interview nude females and vice versa. One would think even the dumbest of the dumb could get that simple logic. ' - •, Fuzzy Theory As if the nation hasn't experienced enough fuzzy thinking about social conditions, and how the federal government can equalize life for everyone, along comes a new study. The study was conducted by a Dr. Richard Lone, who found, remarkably, that years of social reform have accomplished little in providing equal opportunity to Americans. Lone says the main cause of unequal opportunity is money and employment. In other words, those parents who work and save and attain some of the advantages pass these on to their children. Lone also shows that children with equal abilities attain different levels of accomplishment depending upon the families they come from. Nothing new about that either. The lesson and moral from this, also not new, is for parents to get and keep a job and make enough money to give their children the advantages desirable in growing up. Nothing the federal government can do will ever change the basic fact of life that responsible parents who have the means will offer their children advantages. Lone seems disturbed by the finding that a fifth of the nation's families receive 40 percent of the nation's income. Nothing is surprising in that. Nor is there anything surprising in 4 percent of thenation's families owning over 30 percent of the nation's wealth. The contrast was much worse 50 years ago, so progress is being made~if slowly. Redistributing the nation's wealth won't give all youngsters an equal opportunity in life. That's impossible. Nor is it fair to those who have applied themselves, often at a sacrifice, to provide for their children. Sociologists who preach redistribution of the national income, or wealth, hope to make opportunity equal. Yet the federal government is already spending close to 200 billions of a total budget of 500 billions in aid programs to the poor, lazy or unfortunate. That spending is responsible for the fall of the dollar, inflation now robbing every worker and many other problems. Lone admits all this spending has accomplished little. What the problem boils down to is family, and family life. Those children who come from industrious, prudent and devoted families have a better start in life. Nothing the government can do will change that, nor should it. The emphasis today should be on the value of the family as the basis unit of a healthy society, and the government doing what it can to encourage thrift, industry, saving among American families. The government can provide, up to a point, aid to guarantee to all youth an opportunity, equal under the law, but it can never equalize people or youth advantages based on family endowment. That is life and always will be. Unemployment insurance should not be confused with "Social Security", which is a federal program to protect you and your dependents against loss of earnings upon retirement, permanent disability or death. It should not be confused with "Workmen's Compensation", which provides cash benefits and necessary medical care to most Illinois workers disabled or injured in the performance of their jobs. For more in­ formation contact the Unemployment Insurance office in your local area. Questions may be submitted to Workwise, 910 S. Michigan avenue, Room 1805, Chicago, 60605, (312) 793-2817. f PLAI\T)EALER' Letters to the Editor Public Pulse (Th» noindnltr jnvittt th« public to thit Ihli column o> on •«pr»«»ion of th»ir vl«wi on nikjtcli ol gonorol intoroit in our community. Our only r«|unl ii »ho» tho wrHtri givo • tigitaturo, Ml.addrott and phono numbor. W* a«k too. that on* individual not writ* on th* tamo subject mora than one* oach month. W* rotarva tha right to dalato any matorial which *>• con»idor libolout or in objoctionabl* to»t» ) ' WORKWISE L My employer said work orders are slowing down and he is going to release the less senior workers, which includes me. I have worked for the company for over a year and planned to take my one week of vacation but because most of the workers were more senior, they were given first choice of dates. No my boss says all I will get is my final paycheck. Am I entitled to vacation pay? Yes. Payments to separated employees are termed "final compensation" and include wages, salaries, earned commissions, earned bonuses, and the monetary equivalent of earned vacation and earned holidays. Employers are required to pay the final compensation no later than the next regularly scheduled payday. If you have difficulty in collecting your final com­ pensation. contact the: Wage Claims Division, Illinois Department of Labor, 910 S. Michigan Avenue, Room 1808, Chicago, 60605, (312 ) 793-2808. 2. What exactly is Unem­ ployment Instance? Unemployment Insurance is a state operated insurance program designed to com­ pensate you partially for loss of wages when you are out of work. It attempts to assure that, if you meet the requirements of the law, you will have some income to tide you over until you can return to full employmnet. The funds to pay unemployment insurance benefits are contributed by erhployers; workers do not pay any part either directly or through payroll deduction. THE GAS PUMP Family groups and neigh­ bors can cooperate to help preserve energy supplies. Car pools, share-the-ride pro­ grams, even the use of mass transit systems are becoming increasingly important as we try to stretch the nation's gasoline supplies. Try to schedule family er­ rands at one time. PLAN USE APPROVAL "Editor: "Just a few words in response to William Essex, president of the Board of Realtors, regarding the County Land Use plan. "A second set of hearings would serve no useful purpose. Hearings for the Com­ prehensive Land Use plan were well publicized and executed so that all interested parties could attend in their particular township. I attended the hearings and was particularly impressed with the Planning committee's genuine interest in getting views from each and every person at the meeting. "McHenry county is at present one of the most desirable areas in which to live. This is where droves of people come out for their Sunday afternoon drive, and we can understand why. The beautiful, largely unaffected, serene countryside is attractive to many, and is probably what drew many of us to settling down here. "But, it seems we must be wary. Greedy developers and realtors are out to change this, just as fast as they ean. A friend said to me recently, 'The builders and developers have all but wrecked Lake county and now they're coming out to do the same thing to McHenry county'. And naturally the realtors are right in there with them, their eyes glowing with dollar signs. "The Planning commission has done a 'bang up' job in presenting an orderly growth plan that well represents the majority of McHenry county residents. "Sincerely, "Joan Lechner" "P.S. I'm really sick of hearing the consistent whining from the Board of Realtors". THE OTHER SIDE "Editor: "Most of the letters recently submitted to your column about the District 15 Teachers' strike have been written in support of the teachers and downgrading the efforts of the school board. Now I would like to submit a letter in favor of the school board. "I served as a member of the board of District 15 for three years. My son-in-law, Gary Lockwood, is a present board member and is serving on the negotiating committee. To be a school board member during these times is difficult and frustrating for you receive all of the "flak" from the com­ munity, spend long and countless hours at meetings and you receive no reward for it other than the fact that you can say to yov^self 'I have a responsibility to my children and the children of the com­ munity to see that they get a good education and I have done my best.' "Why anyone runs for the school board is a question that needs to be answered. In the words of a recent radio com­ mercial, 'Well, somebody has got to do it!' "Concerned and interested people in the community have been elected to a position of responsibility and trust. It is up to us, as responsible citizens, to support the school board's position. We don't have to agree with everything they say or do but in the final analysis, we should support whatever action they deem necessary and in the best interests of the com­ munity. "The Board has been made to look like the "bad guys' in this situation. I am afraid that some of my friends and neighbors do not understand nor have they tried to gather all of the facts. They become indignant and just can't understand why their "little Johnny' or 'Mary' are not in school and they blame it on the school board. "Have the teachers been reasonable in their demands? This issue is not just one of additional salary during an inflationary period. If it were, the problem would have been solved some time ago. But the teachers' association wants certain things written into their contract that the board cannot» agree to--fringe benefits like dental care... 120 minutes per. day for classroom preparation with full pay...excused one-half hour per month with full pay to attend association (Union) meetings...to determine class size and then be paid $500 per year per student over that maximum number. Dr. Far­ mer has stated that this alone could cost the school district an . additional $250,000 per annum. "The teachers have a no- strike clause in their present contract. They chose not to honor this part of their previous agreement. Now they have gone out on strike for the first time in the history of the McHenry School system and they have told the board through their negotiating team that they wish to be paid for those days that they have been on strike. When the board refused, the teachers upped their salary demands so that it would include that amount of time that they have been off work...on strike! "Some of the teachers demands are within reason and can be negotiate 4...some of the demands thi have made border on the ridiculous and should be withdrawn for they show a very irresponsible approach to a very complex problem that does not appear to have too many solutions. "The board has been , criticized for hiring a ~ negotiator to represent them during this critical period. I see nothing wrong with, this; in fact, they should be com­ mended for bringing in outside expertise to help solve this situation. This is nothing more than the hiring of legal counsel if they were brought to court or the hiring of an advisor or consultant. This man brings with him a wealth of experience in previous negotiations of teacher contracts. Do the teachers fear he may be "too knowledgeable' about teacher contracts in other districts and try to drive too hard a bargain? "In summary, Webster defines 'compromise' as 'the settlement of differences by mutual concessions'. The teachers are going to have to withdraw some of their demands and the school board is going to have to make certain concessions, but let's not figure it's a one-way street or there can be no compromise. Both groups need to operate in good faith. In the end, I hope we can support and respect both our teachers and our school board. "Sincerely "Edwin C. Wittrock" TEACHERSUPPORT "Dear Editor: "Respect, pride - these are words that have, unfortunately, left the vocabularies of many familes as far as teachers are concerned long ago. It is strange that because the teachers of this community want a fair contract this paper uses these words as a lever to discredit them. "I really get upset when I read an editorial such as the wie on the front page of the Wednesday, Sept. 12, paper. Has the person who wrote this article spent any time in the past five years in a classroom to see what verbal abuse teachers have had to take from children under the age of 13? Since the public has used their power to ease discipline in the schools, respect for teachers has flown out the window. When a teacher tries to discipline a child, it is a typical comment for the child to tell the teacher he doesn't have to do what he's told because his parents can sue. "Most of the people who are in the profession of teaching chose it because of a deep concern for the well being of children, not in the hope of getting rich. They do hope to make enough money to support themselves and their families. Does anyone ever wonder why there are so few men teaching in the classroom? It's because a single man can live on the salary paid, but a married man with a family has to live so frugally or have a second job. Many women who are now single parents quickly find out how hard it is to go from two incomes to one low one. "Does the public realize that teachers often spend their own money on the children in their classes? When your child brings home a special holiday present you can be sure that the teacher bought some, if not all, of the materials needed to make it, with the small budgets schools must work these days. How about the extra treats that the children have at their parties? When your child comes home, and says he had a special learning experience such as cooking a Thanksgiving feast, or measuring the ingredients into a bowl to see how bread is made, it's usually the teacher who used his or her money and spare time to make sure these experiences are successful. "My reactions to the demands of the teachers are varied. Some, I feel, were only demands to use as negotiating levers. The ones I strongly agree with are the 10 percent raise in a year when the inflation rate is 14 percent; a sick leave bank so & a friend has a seriou . 'ness he doesn't have to face a financial crisis; and a limited class size, since with 25 children per class and a full day at school, your child could still get less than 20 minutes of individual attention per day. "The teachers started their part of negotiations in May and "were promised a written answer in June. They did not receive this until August Now they are negotiating with advice from an Illinois Education association representative who is paid from the teachers' annual dues. Hie board, who were voted in because they volunteered their time to the betterment of the school district and the children's well being, are spending $65 per hour of your taxes to an outsider, to do the job they said they wanted to it does an outsider care about the teachers or District 15 children? He doesn't pay taxes here or send his children to this school, but is taking much needed money from the district Why should he want an early end to this strike? "Where do I get my strong feelings and facts for this commentary? It's from my personal experiences as a teacher in this community. What were my reasons for resigning? To start a family fa* whom I hope there will be as many dedicated teachers in their school district as I know there are in District 15. "Parents, please show you support your child's teachers by voicing your opinions to the board of education. "Sincerely, "Mrs. Betty Thompson" (Editor's note - To deplore a strike that divides a community in no way places blame, either by word or implication, on one side or the other). "PEOPLE WHO CARE" "Editor: "People who care met Friday night, Sept. 14, at Zion Lutheran church. This group is concerned that the schools were closed, that meaningful negotiations were not conducted daily until the weekend, that individual efforts had been ignored and that actions were not unified. "After a welcome and introduction to People Who Care, the 50 people present broke up into committees to decide how to best show support for v meaningful negotiations needed for a settlement to be reached. "Monday morning a contract between the board of education and the teachers of District 15 was ratified. We, the People Who Care, acknowledge the efforts of everyone of you who showed • support for negotiations. We feel much of our job is behind us, but we feel Peogle Who Care have other concerns regarding the future " t of our schools and continuing quality educatioa "People Who Care will meet Thursday, Sept. 20, at Zion Lutheran church at 7:30 to plan further actions to ensure quality education. Please join us. "LynneJaques" Autumn, 1979 In the morning of September 23 (10:17 a.m., EST), autumn ar- ' rives. And while some think of seasons in cal­ endar months, autumn will last until early morn­ ing on the 22nd of De­ cember, EST. , & Of all the seasons, autumn is by far the most nostalgic. If spring brings new life and warmth, autumn brings the end of a summer, of a growth cycle; of the hot summer days, of school holidays and many vacation free­ doms. And it brings first hints of winter's harsh : F*or Your Information D*ar friend*, > John C. Formey of Providence, R.I. states, "A pastor and funeral diroctor, working together, can respond more effectively than any other two disciplined to the multiple needs of a grieving family as they work out their notural feelings of anger, guilt, and loss. Com* forting grief is a tall order for any human per­ son, and two heads and heorts are better than one." u J Respectfully, ARE YOU NEW IN McHenry Area? PETER M.JISTEN & SON FUNERAL HOME McHENRV, IUINOIS 385 0063 Do You Know Someone New? WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A ROYAL WELCOME TO EVERY NEWCOMER TO OUR AREA!!!!! CAU JOAN STULL 385-5418 j *°%e4 mnnunn KNOW YOUR AREA-ROYAL WELCOME DOES IT BEST Service Line McHENRY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 385-4300 FAMILY SERVICE St MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC 3409 W. Waukegan Road McHenry 385-6400 PARENTAL STRESS LINE OF McHENRY COUNTY Meeting Place: McHenry County 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Call 815-344-3944 Parents Anonymous meetings on Wednesday. STATE CHAMBER GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS HOTLINE 217-522-5514 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 202-755-8660 Hours7:30a.m. to5:30p.m. week days (Ever had a problem involving the federal government and not know where to call? And then been given a runaround or referrals by persons who meant well but didn't know how to help? Ten specialists available at this center.) NATIONAL RUN-AWAY SWITCHBOARD Illinois Phone: 800-9"2-6004 (For confidential conversation on problems dealing with run-away children) MOVING HOTLINE Phone 800-424-9213 (Complaints about interestate moving by companies, buses or trains. Sponsored by Interstate Commerce commission) CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Phone 800-638-2666 (For questions or complaints on products ranging from toys to ovens) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION Phone 800-424-9393 ( Answers questions about automobile safety defects or whether a particular model has ever been recalled. Valuable for those interested in buying a used car) ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES Child Abuse Center McHenry County (312 ) 546-2150 CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION 800-638-2666 (Operates five national lines. Answers inquiries about, or reporting on, the safety of products from kitchen appliances to children's toys) NATIONAL SOLAR HEATING AND COOLING INFORMATION CENTER 800-523-2929 P.O. Box 1607, Rockville, Md. 20850 (Dispenses information on solar systems for heating and cooling to anyone from architects to home owners looking for a sun-powered hot-water system) CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION 312-793-3580 Chicago, IlL hlKTHKM.HT |'rr|tnaini? Nrnl '.oiiii»<-liiig Scrvier. J8.V2t>(W. 2 l-lmur An- vwrring YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU FOR McHENRY COUNTY 840 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock Phone : 338-7360 24-hour Crisis Intervention and Confidential Counseling for youth and families. Are you concerend about your angry feelings toward your children? 24-hour Parental Stress Line, 344-3944. , I ILLINOIS STATE CHAMBER HOTLINE Phone 217-522-5514 Answer to questions on government regulations. winds and bitter cold. The fields turn brown or gold or tan and the trees switch to every color --yellow, red, orange, etc. Hunting begins in most areas, football causcs many a heart to beat fast­ er, food tastes better, one has more energy, the weather and skies are clearer and a walk outside among turning leaves and chill winds never fails to bring back memories of falls gone by. September and Octo­ ber in more northerly states and October and November in more south­ erly latitudes bring about the most beautiful days of the year, for those who love fall. These are the months to prepare for winter, for Christmas, for , the end of the calendar or tax year. For when autumn ends,. there are only three day 'til Christ­ mas and nine until 1980. pi •toO EARL R. WALSH & JACK WALSH INS. Fire, Autq, Farm, Lite Representing RELIABLE COMPANIES 4410 W. Rte 120. McHenry 395 3300 DENNIS CONWAY AUTO LIFE FIRE State Farm Ins. Co. 33l» W Elm St McHenry, III 385 7111 DR. LEONARD B0TTARI 303 N Richmond Rd , McHenry Eyes examined Contact Lenses Glasses titted Mon , Toes . Thurs., Fri , 4 6 p m Toes . Thurs., Fri., 7-9 p m Sat . V 30 to 3:00 Ph 385-4151 or 3CS 77*7 McHENRY COUNTY OFFICE MACHINES SALES SERVICE A RENTALS Mon Sal* S 30 Friday til 9. 00 93 Grant St., Crystal Lake Ph 459-122* McHenry Telephone Answering & Letter Service • Answering Service • Cor, Telephone 8 Paging Service • Complete Mimeographing & Printing Serivc • Typing & Photocopying Ph. 385-0258 »SSOO»'tS.*C. SiA»-TORS 3932 W. Rt. 120. McHenry "GATEWAY TO YOUR FUTURE" CALL US (815) 385-4810 McHenry Trophies ; 3715 W.John St. McHenry, ill. 385-6559 Parm Equipment George P. Freund, Ine, Cat* - New Holland 4102 W Crystal Lake Rd . McHENRY Bus. 385-0420 Res. 385 0227 l lRELiT RADIAL TIRES FOR ALL CARS Europa Motors, Inc. 2318 Rte . 120 815-385-0700 at our quick-action copy center. FINEST QUALITY COPIES MADE ON XF.ROX EQUIPMENT See us, also, for every kind of Print ing Need!! PRINTING 3909 W MAIN 385-7600 i NEW TRAILERS USED HILISBORO ft OWNES DUMP-FLATBEDS-CAR HAULERS \ Stidham Horse & Cattle Trailers L Plus A Complet* Lin* Of Brad*n Winch** » ADAMS ENTERPRISES 3017 W. Rt*. 120 McHENRY, ILL. 815.305.5970