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PAGE 8 - PLAINDEALER • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26.1980 'Nomads'-'Commuters' Under Study HELP FOR RESCUE SQUAD-Claudia Da I ton, Ways and Means chairman of the Town and Country Newcomers club, presents check for $675 to Phil Gust, president of the McHenry Area Rescue squad. The money will be used for new equipment and for equipment updating. The money was raised by the club during the third annual Cutest Baby contest. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Byrnes Brothers, Better Homes and Gar­ dens Real Estate, Crystal Lake, today an­ nounced its first annual "Builders Harvest of Homes Tour", a special open house of 15 newly constructed houses, ranging in price from $59,900 to $229,000. They will be open to the public between 10 AAA and 5 PM, Sunday, September 28, 1980. The work of 12 different builders from across McHenry County will be represented. All of the houses will be manned by Byrnes Brothers personnel to answer any inquiries and give maps to interested par­ ties showing the locations of all the houses that will be open Sunday. A free mapmay be picked up by the public atany Byrnes Brothers Better Homes and Gar­ dens office now through Sunday, or call 459-5400 for information. The tour is in response to increased public interest in new housing as a result of the stabilization of mortgage interest rates. Adv. ' Golden Gleams The proper method of reforming the world is by reforming yourself, not your neighbors. « • • • The man who asserts a fact, when it is not a fact, is a liar, regardless of what he talks about. • • * • Children would be more religious if their parents practiced religion more in everyday life. REGISTER TO VOTE Sponsored by League of Women Voters AT McHenry State Bank 3510 W. Elm St. McHenry REPLACE YOUR RANGE HOOD WITH THE NEW GE MICROWAVE OVEN. Cabinet Mounted with Built-in Vent & Cooktop Light IT WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOUR KITCHEN LOOKS... AND ADD MORE COOKING CONVENIENCE OO The new Spacemaker oven adds micro­ wave cooking to your kijteilen without using your valuable cqunterspace, by replacing your present hood. A two speed exhaust fan and fluorescent cook- top light are combined with the microwave oven to give you a com­ plete cooking center. The built in appearance will complement any kitchen decor. ONLY S5899S E YOU CAN COUNT ON GE FOR GREAT IDEAS IN COOKING CAREY APPLIANCE SALES & SERVICE 1241 N . Green St. 385-5500 McHenry These days, we evaluate a l m o s t e v e r y t h i n g : television programs, new products, college courses, employee efficiency, even church attendance. But until recently, very few of the nation's 5,000 museums studied the public's response to their primary product-exhibits. This is changing. At the Smithsonian In­ stitution in Washington, D.C., and at several other museums around the country, programs are now under way to find out what exhibits visitors look for, what visitors read, bow they react to certain display techniques and even why they go to museums. In short, there's a new effort to evaluate, and ultimately to i m p r o v e , m u s e u m exhibitions. "This is an era of ac­ countability for all public institutions, and museums are no longer an exception," says Dr. Robert L. Wolf, director of the Indiana Center for Evaluation, In­ dianapolis. He has been studying Smithsonian visitors for the past two years. "Exhibits are not just for the scholars anymore. In fact, many museums are designing their shows with the young visitor in mind. It's much easier to design if you know what people want and how they want it presented." The survey technique used at the Smithsonian is called "naturalistic evaluation", meaning that visitors are interviewed at the exhibit site where their natural responses to a show can be observed. Interviewers are trained to put the visitors at ease, to ask questions that will elicit responses more elaborate than a perfunctory yes or no. Evaluators also observe how people move in and around a show. "We don't us question­ naires because they are too inflexible. A 9-year-old cannot answer the questions we pose to an adult," Dr. Wolf says. "For example, we might ask an adult what, in his or her opinion, was the highlight of the exhibit. But to a child, we'd say, 'what will you tell your friends about this exhibit tomorrow?' " Naturalistic evaluations are not"Do you like it?" surveys, but rather, in-depth probings to understand a visitor's experience in a museum. A good interviewer will end up with a wealth of observation data before he or she even begins the personal interviews. Just by observing visitors in an exhibit area, Wolf says, the interviewer will be able to tell if a person is a "com­ muter", "nomad", "a cafeteria type;; or a "V.I.P". (very interested person). The "commuter" uses the exhibit hall to get from one point to another but never really sees anything. Many teenagers fall i^to this category, according to the interviewers. A "nomad" is a casual visitor, wandering rather aimlessly from area to area, and the "cafeteria type" definitely wants to get interested, yet needs to have something eye-catching in front of him. The "very interested person" often has some prior interest in the exhibit subject and goes through the display slowly, stopping to read the many signs or labels that describe the exhibit. Wolf's team has conducted an unusual study at the Smithsonian. The team evaluated an exhibit in the Museum of Natural History before it even opened. Last summer and fall, a random sampling of visitors was asked to accompany in­ terviewers to the living coral reef (in an 1,800-gallon tank) located in the basement laboratory. The people were told that the Smithsonian was developing a new exhibit (a similar coral reef will be open to the public in the autumn of 1980) and were asked to help. "What is it?", they were asked. Answers ranged from an aquarium to a mini-ocean floor. Later, three different sets of mock labels were added, and visitors were asked which set was most informative. After several months, the data was ready for the staff to review. Curators and exhibits designers were surprised DOD' I let your DroMems pile up this winteri 1 Remove them with HANSON SNOW BLOWERS Mounts on Trucks, Jeeps, or End Loaders... Fits Ntost Blade Mounts After three decades ot manufacturing agricultural equipment including 18 years with tractor mounted snow blowers we have developed an engine driven snow blower that offers all the features you ne«d: • Blows snow up to 50 feat or more, thus eliminating high banks and lost space • The auger fan breaks up snow thereby reducing volume up to 70% • Stack turner and deflector put snow where you want it • 18 H P twin cylinder electric start engine (other options available) • Available in 7 . 6', and 5' sizes • Construction and design proven in all types of snow • Other engine and PTO driven models available FOR SALES & SERVICE CALL R0CKF0R0 1-815-877-2610 to find that visitors were faiirly sophisticated. They knew not only that the coral reef wasn't just a fish tank, but that it was some kind of ecosystem, Wolf reported. With the evaluation report in hand, curators are able to put together an exhibit that answers possible questions before they are even asked. Elsewhere, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh began using naturalistic evaluations in 1978 in a number of galleries, according to Patricia Reibel of the Museum's education department. The Carnegie staff working on a long-term evaluation and publications study spent months con­ ducting unobtrusive visitor surveys, then began doing interviews using the inquire method, where visitors were asked open-ended questions. This spring, they will evaluate the Botany hall, and the results of this survey will be used in the development of new galleries. Their goal is to make all exhibits more responsive to the public's needs. A pre-evaluation doesn't have to be expensive, Wolf says. It can be a simple matter of a museum's making an inexpensive mock-up of the show and calling in civic leaders to evaluate it or preparing cardboard labels and asking Museum visitors for their opinions. In another exhibit study at the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History, the in­ terviewers found that visitors stopped to read many labels, especially those with catchy titles such as "Have the Ice Ages Ended?" They were inclined to read more labels in the beginning of the exhibit and then taper off towards the end. Equipment Tax Break (By David Plocher and Er in Hynes) Effective Sept. 1, 1980, qualifying farm machinery and equipment used in production agriculture will be exempt from a portion of the state and local retailers occupation tax, use tax, service occupation tax and service use tax. The rates are not affected, but rather the rate is applied to only 50 percent of the sale proceeds. New or used farm machinery and equipment, including replacement parts certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for production agriculture, will qualify for the exemption if the machinery, equipment or replacement part in­ dividually costs $1,000 or more. Equipment purchased for lease is included in the exemption. Motor vehicles required to be registered pursuant to the Illinois Vehicle Code are excluded from the exemption. It is important to note, however, that counties, municipalities and the RTA may exercise 'an option to reimpose the local taxes on these items by ordinance. I have more details on this tax change and farm equipment dealers will also be informed. Construction Damage to Trees - So, you can't figure out why your trees are deathly ill. Why, they were just fine when you built your house, graded your lawn, paved your driveway... oh, woe. Construction-related problems are the most common tree ailments I see. Because damage may not show up for several years after it occurs, homeowners often overlook its im­ portance. Early symptoms of con­ struction damage are a slight wilting and leaf shedding at the time of construction. In a few years you may notice leaf dwar­ fing, twig die-back, and, in evergreens, excessive needle drop. Trees will behave abnormally by dropping leaves and changing color earlier in the fall than other trees. If damage has been severe, the tree will bloom off-season just before dying. Construction damage produces related symptoms. Damaged trees grow slowly and are more susceptible to insects and diseases. Borers and aphids are especially fond of damaged trees, and must be quickly controlled. Diseases such as ver- ticillium wilt, canker, and root rot often occur after construction injury. _ IKON'S GARDEN MUM SALE Large Variety - ALL COLORS $3.00 p.rpo, 3 plants/pot BUY IN QUANTITY AND SAVE 4 pots for *10.00 Splash color in your Autumn Garden Thon's Garden Mums 4811 Oak St. - Crystal Lake (3/4 Mile North of 176) HOURS: Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Soil compaction from heavy construction equip­ ment can smother trees five to ten years after original damage. Soil type, tree species, and amount of damage determine when symptoms appear. Damaged roots may rot underground until the decay reaches the trunk. At the soil line the rotting wood will ferment, producing smelly liquid which attracts insects. What is to be done? Prevention is obviously the best method. Damage can be avoided several ways. If you plan to do any building, paving, grading, etc., remotely ne^r your trees, contact our office and get a copy of Circular 1061, "Tree Damage Around Con­ struction Sites" andU.S.D.A. Home and Garden Bulletin 104 "Protecting Shade Trees During Home Construction". Then talk with your con­ tractor explaining protection measures and make sure they are used. Once damage has oc­ curred, keep trees well fertilized. Fertilize before July or in November with a good blended fertilizer such as 20-10-5 or 10-6-4. Detailed instructions on the best method are available from the Extension office. Fer­ tilization will stimulate root growth and strengthen the tree, making it better able to resist insects and diseases. If you have any questions concerning this or any other horticultural topic, call the Extension office at 338-3737. Prepare For a Safe Harvest - Farmers must make mental and mechanical adjustments to prepare for the upcoming harvest. Make sure equip­ ment is in good repair and you will reduce accidents. The first step in this process is to review the combine operator's manual, even if you are an experienced operator. C a r e f u l l y c h e c k machinery for loose or missing nuts, screws, shields and sheet metal. Inspect all belts, chains and other drive components. Look for evidence of wear, such as frayed belts and loose or sloppy bearings. If you don't think those parts will legist through the harvest season, replace them. When crops are dry temperatures are high, the threat of fire is increased, so make sure you have at least two fire extinguishers on hand in the field. Each ex­ tinguisher should have a capacity of at least 20 pounds of all-purpose dry chemical because it takes about 30 pounds to put out an average combine fire. Those 2x/z pound extinguishers are much too small. I suggest keeping one extinguisher on the combine and one in the truck and be sure they are easy to get to. To prepare for harvest, you also must keep yourself in proper repair. In other words, expect stoppages and breakdowns. It happens every year. If you plan for these delays, you won't come unglued when they happen. Farm Input Costs Escalate 10 Percent - Total costs of U.S. farm inputs increased about 10 percent from June, 1979 to June, 1980. But some of the primary purchases a farmer makes increased at an average rate close to 30 percent. Fertilizer costs increased 28 percent, fuel and energy 43 percent, interest on real estate loans 25 percent, and agriculture chemicals 21 percent. The forecast for June, 1981 doesn't paint a bright picture for farmers either. With rising prices of imported oil and deregulation of domestic oil, prices will continue to in­ crease the price of fuels. This also puts pressure on fertilizers and agriculture chemical prices causing them to increase. Over all farm production input costs may increase 12 to 14 per­ cent for the year ending June, 1981. Polish AG Training Program - The past several years McHenry county farmers have been host to young agriculturalists from Poland. The trainees come to the United States for a year of on-the-job and in- service training in agriculture. The trainees are paid a small wage to cover ex­ penses of the program and personal needs. They live with the host family or in housing arranged by the host family. The group that come to the U.S. are between 20 and 32 years of age and are a highly select group of young men and women. Prior to leaving Poland, they study the English language and American agriculture and further orientation takes place here in the U.S. Farm families interested in more facts about the Polish Ag Training program should contact the University of Illinois Ex­ tension office in Woodstock at Box 431, 789 McHenry avenue, 815-338-3737. * • • • The business of devel­ oping one's personality is more important than that of regulating others. * * * • Theory is all right for the books, but it takes practical expression of ideas to make life better. C&B RUTO & BOOT REPRIR All Types of Auto Repair HOURLY RATE$18C6' HR. CLIP & SRVE OIL SPECIAL This Week •5 Qts. Oil ^ •Filter ^ •Lube 11 95 1 I I h i 9 s < &5HVE J 1 9 2 3 M A I N S T R E E T S P R I N G G R O V E I L L I N O I S 675-2030 or 385-1489 (