Globe-Gazette from Mason City, Iowa • 9

eh atiori active corr ll til BOVARD BICKERT EDITOR'S NOTE This is the last in a series of articles about legislative action which officials of Cerro Gordo County, Ma-ton City, and local schools will be looking for during the 63rd Iowa General Assembly. By KENT GARDNER "Corrective legislation" on school finance should be among prime concerns of the Iowa General Assembly, in the view of Dr. Roderick Bickert, superintendent of Mason City public schools. These corrections, he contends, should center on two main areas: Implementation of the state school-aid bill. "Sufficient funds should be appropriated to pay aid in full.

The last session of the legislature did not appropriate sufficient funds." Revision of the "entire procedure" governing school budgetary matters. "Budgets have to be approved and certified in the month of July," Bickert explained. "We don't get from the state until October or November information on allowable growth factor. At best, all we can do is guess. Bickert considers it "a must" that lawmakers clarify legislation on county equalization aid.

Early last year, Atty. Gen. Richard Turner issued an opinion holding that the new school aid law passed by the 1967 legislature required school districts to deduct anticipated state aid from general school costs before reporting them so that part of the expenditure could be bne by a countywide tax levy. Several state legislators and educators protested that this would destroy the equalization of school support the legislature intended to provide for school districts. Turner later announced a new interpretation of the law which gave more aid to poorer districts than his original opinion, but not as much as many legislators and educators wanted.

The controversy over school aid delayed computation of local property taxes. "The legislative decision must be clarified," insisted Bickert. "We feel it imperative that the role of "We have to issue teacher contracts in the spring of the year. This places the greatest demands on the budget 66 per cent for salaries alone." He noted again that these contracts must be acted upon before the school district knows, how much money it will have on which to operate. "Even tax collections are out of timing for schools.

"Time allotments should be organized in such a way as to give us a logical sequence," the superintendent said. "Although we would like to see corrective legislation, we will settle for implementation of the state-aid bill." School board chairman Gilbert Bovard agrees: "Regardless of the formula (for determining aid), we still have to get the appropriation." Inadequate funding, he said, "restricts the local boards. It means that in order to provide high-quality education in Mason City, it is essential to economize and still look to the people locally for continued support: "But there is a limit to what we can get from our own the legislature as to the desirability of a comprehensive approach in operating a community college. "If we could only learn from the experience of others. The state should be urging the comprehensive approach where possible." Bickert said the legislature should attempt to correct misunderstandings con- cerning the Great Plains Report recommending further school district reorganizations.

"We hope the spirit of the Great Plains Report will be studied," said Bovard. Bickert believes it will be the next session of the legislature, rather than the current session, that will be in a position to draft legislation to implement further school reorganization. The Mason City superintendent said he expects an effort will be made by some people in Iowa education to adopt a professional negotiations law. "Eventually we will probably have this kind of legislation in Iowa," said Bickert. "But it is important that it be permissive and not mandatory.

"We have, for years, had everything asked for in the negotiations bill." Bickert said teachers always are consulted on curriculum changes, preparing of the school calendar and related matters. "Any organization in order to be successful has to allow participation in decision making. This is basic. It should be the part of any operational procedure." the state budget review committee is clarified," Bickert said. "It has been placed in a position of making judgments that have tremendous implications for quality education in Iowa.

"We have a standards law now. Historically we deal with minimum standards. It seems to us the state has a responsibility to foster education. Fiscal policy should be geared to local initiative in seeking quality education." Mason City's school budget which underwent a m-hour review before the budget review committee Friday exceeds the 10.66 per cent allowable growth figure of the state. The budget is up about 18 per cent.

Bovard labeled the growth figure as "arbitrary," adding, "I can't justify an arbitrary growth figure." Bovard noted that the Mason City schools defended increases based upon four of five factors which the review committee uses in examining school budgets: (1) Expenditures for additional offerings that lead to fulfillment of state standards, (2) expenditures for instructional or special services which enhance a district's instructional or special service program, (3) expenditures above the average because of lengthy staff tenure and advanced degrees, and (4) student-teacher ratios in class enrollment. The other factor unprecedented increase in enrollment is the only one which the Mason City school officials cannot speak to. The expenditures for special services "are extremely important to a district like ours." said Bickert. "We never have been satisfied with an average education program in this system. If they (the state committee) say we think experimentation is needed, but do it with your own funds, this will make it extremely difficult for us.

"Most states encourage school districts to experiment and initiate promising practices in education. In our own state-aid formula there is no such factor built in." Bickert said the state is faced with not having sufficient funds to pay all claims in full. "Regardless if they feel the facts justify our budget," Bovard said, "they are handicapped by not having sufficient funds." Bickert also said he believes it imperative that the legislature provide full funding for area schools. "Area schools must be assured of having money coming to them under the law as it now exists. "Some steps need to be taken to inform globe- am GAZETTE Saturday, Jan.

18, 1969 Farmers get top assembly jobs WALK through North Iowa Skiing, crutches just go together Social Services Ernest Ko-sek, 61, Cedar Rapids, investment banker, ninth session; Edgar H. Holden, 54, Davenport, business executive, second session. State Government Hugh H. Clarke, 50, Belmond, farmer, second session; C. Raymond Fisher, 61, Grand Junction, farmer, sixth session.

Transportation Clifton C. Lamborn, 49, Maquoketa, road contractor, fifth session; Leroy S. Miller, 54, Shenandoah, implement dealer, fifth session. Ways and Means Roger J. Shaft, 57, Camanche, farmer and bank president, second session; Elmer H.

Den Herder. 60, Sioux Center, realtor, eighth session. Speakers named for crop clinic Dr. Harvey E. Thompson and Dr.

Regis D. Voss, extension agronomists from Iowa State University, and Dale Studt, extension crop production specialist, will be speakers at the "Corn and Soybean Profit Conference" to be held Tuesday, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Mason City. The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. and is being presented especially for farmers and agri-business men in Worth, Cerro Gordo and Franklin County Government James E. Briles, 42, Corning, real estate auctioneer, ninth session; Louis A.

Peterson, 59, Lawton, farmer, fourth Higher Education Joseph B. Flatt, 47, Winterset, men's clothier, seventh session; Lester L. Klever, 48, Atlantic, lawyer, eighth session. Human and Industrial Relations J. Henry Lucken, 72, Le-Mars, retired farmer, 14th session; Floyd Millen, 48, Farm-ington, gravel company president, fifth session.

Iowa Development James A. Potgeter, 38, Steamboat Rock, grain dealer, second session; William P. Winkelman, 35, Lohr-ville, farmer and businessman, fourth session. Judiciary Lucas J. DeKoster, 50, Hull, lawyer and insurance agent, third session; William Hill, 38, Marshalltown, lawyer and pastor, second session.

Law Enforcement Vernon H. Kyle, 60. Parkersburg, auto dealer, fifth session; Alfred Nielson, 67, Defiance, farmer, fifth session. Rules Arthur A. Neu, 35, Carroll, lawyer, second session; Ralph E.

McCartney, 43, Charles City, lawyer, second session. Schools Kenneth Benda, 50, Hartwick. banker, fifth session; Charles E. Grassley, 35, New Hartford, farmer, seventh sion and will head the House Cities and Town Committee. In the upper chamber, Sen.

John Walsh, 28, a Dubuque department store executive serving his second session, is the youngest committee chairman and will head the Senate's Cities and Town Committee. Other committee chairmen, listing the Senate first, include: Agricultural Sen. Richard L. Stephens, 64, Crawfordsville, farmer-stockman, seventh session; Rep. Charles F.

Stroth-man, 67, New London, farmer, fifth session. Appropriations a i Messerly, 54, Cedar Falls, home building and investment management, sixth session; John Camp, 53, Bryant, farm management, sixth session. Commerce Robert R. Rigler, 45, New Hampton, bank president, ninth session; Harold O. Fischer, 51, Wellsburg, insurance and real estate, seventh session.

Conservation and Recreation Charles F. Balloun, 64, Toledo, farmer, fifth session; Dale L. Tieden, 46, Elkader, farmer, third session. Constitutional Amendments and Reapportionment Elmer F. Lange, 51, Sace City, dairy manufacturing executive, sixth session; Maurice Van Norstrand, 43, Avoca, enitor and grain dealer, fourth session.

lL DES MOINES (AP) Farmers and bankers dominate the chairmanships of the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature's committees during the current session. The chairmen of the 36 committees 18 in each house include 12 farmers, four investment managers or bankers, plus one combined farmer-bank president. The average age of House chairmen is 52 years old, slightly higher than the 50.9-year average of Senate chairmen, but Senate leaders have an average length of service of 5.5 sessions compared to the House chairmen's five years. Five of the Senate committee chairmen and three in the House are serving in their second session. All chairmen are Republicans.

l. The oldest chairman is Rep. Ray C. Cunningham, 75, of Ames, a retired YMCA worker who is serving his seventh ses- Hancock bank at Garner sets record GARNER Hancock County National Bank, at its annual meeting, elected W. L.

Baggs, William Boehnke, N. E. Brear, Ray Ford and H. L. Ollenburg as directors for the coming year.

In the annual report it gave total resources as $9,490,040.53, which is a gain of $1,382,980.23, the highest year end total since the organization of the bank. Fifty per cent of the increase was in the time deposit department. A sizable increase was in the total number of checking account customers. The capital account is $125,000 and the surplus account is $350,000. Undivided Profits and Reserve account total is for a gain of $32,958.80 over a year ago.

A 12 per cent cash dividend was paid on the capital stock. The sum of $184,955.94 in interest was paid out during the year of 1968 to its time certificate of deposit and savings account customers, which represents additional income for the area. The bank will observe its 35th anniversary March 1, 1969. Don a 't decided which hurts more the busted knee or his friends' bad jokes about his skiing ability. H.

L. (Herb) Ollenburg, the new Republican state senator from Garner, would like us to clear up an error. In a story last week, we said that Herb was a member of the agriculture, judiciary, social services and transportation committees. We were right on the first two, but missed on the next two. Instead, Herb has been named to the senate's schools and ways and means committees.

Can spring be far behind: In the mail last week were two garden seed catalogs. Algona got nation-wide recognition for its efforts which resulted in Eduard Kaib and his family returning to the Kossuth County community during Christmas to visit the Nativity scene Kaib helped build while a German prisoner of war during World War II. Mr. and Mrs. John Nagel, who call Mason City home but spend the winter months in Auburn-dale, sent along the latest evidence of this recognition.

It's in the form of a column by Paul D. Soini in the Port Huron, Times Herald. Soini explains what Algona did to get Kaib and his family from Germany. The columnist got word about the efforts. while visiting relatives in Iowa.

The Nagles were given the column by a Michigan friend who also winters in the Sunshine State. Seven once again has proved to be a lucky number, especially for Mrs. J. R. Finer of Leland.

Mrs. i 's small white French poodle had a litter of seven pups Jan. 5 and people who know more about it than I do tell me that's a mighty big litter for a little poodle. Mrs. Finer reports mother and children are all doing fine.

The sire of the pups is a toy poodle with a list of champions in his background (I guess you call it pedigree). This was the third litter for the Finer dog and she gave no indication of things to come in the first two. Her first litter contained four pups and the second litter had three. Testing technique Mrs. Uno Avisto, one of the workers on the Mason City March of Dimes campaign, tries out her jailing technique on Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Jerry Allen in his own jail.

Actually, Saturday, Allen was among the Mason City residents who were "jailed" as part of the March of Dimes campaign. Allen and the others had to remain in a "jail" in the Ford Hopkins Drug Co. building at 13 N. Federal until "bail" was raised to free them. Just some more short strolls again today Thank goodness Don Roe has a good sense of humor.

If the Garner ski enthusiast didn't, he'd be finding life a little difficult these days. Maybe I should say he would be finding it a little MORE difficult. Getting around on crutches never is very handy. And, therein lies the story. Last year, Don went up to Wisconsin for a weekend of skiing and came back with a pair of crutches and a broken bone in his left ankle.

Never one to be discouraged by a little trouble, Don decided to switch skiing sites this year. A couple of weeks ago, he took off for a little slope-sliding in Colorado. You guessed it. This time, he came home with another pair of crutches and a banged up right knee. City clerk reports licenses The Mason City city clerk's office collected $41,089 in license fees during 1968, according to the annual report compiled by City Clerk Marlys Shima.

Included in the total were $18,950 for 71 beer permits and $14,675 for 154 cigaret permits. Other types of licenses, the number issued and the total fees collected were: Auction house (4). $150. Bottled gas (2), $50. Card Pool table (27), $500.

Electrical journeyman (65), $65. Electrical contractor (20), $500. Excavator (7), $175. Garbage haulers (10), $500. Ice cream (10), $30.

Junk dealer (2), $100. Milk distributor (10), $60. Plumbing contractor (14), $350. Journeyman plumber (60), $78. Quitting business (1), $50.

Restaurant (94), $2,185. Rubbish haulers (11), $275. Sidewalk contractor (24), $120. Slaughterhouse (1), $20. Taxicab and bus (3), $714.

Theater (3), $175. Tree trimmer (7), $14. Transient merchant (6), $33. Solicitors (40), $120. Dance (12), $1,200.

In addition to these, the clerk's office processed 27 liquor-license applications and submitted them to the Iowa Liquor Commission. The city receives one-half of the fees collected by the state for liquor licenses. Some other activities of the clerk's office last year included processing of more than 4.000 voter registrations. Notices were mailed to 1.669 voters to notify them of removal of their records for failure to vote during the last four years. Four elections were held in the city last year, requiring the clerk's office personnel to check each vote against the voter's registration card.

The clerk's office also mailed 1.900 notices to dog owners and sold and filed 1.790 dog licenses. Waldorf freshmen from 20 states Wx'(rr Get scholastic honors Lutherans constitute 78 per cent of the class, but nine other religious denominations are also represented, headed by Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists, in that order. Educational background parents shows that 30 per cent have gone to college and that 11 per cent have done post-graduate study. The largest single occupation represented is agriculture, with management, professional and service-oriented vocations following close behind. FOREST CITY Twenty states and three foreign countries are represented in the freshman class at Waldorf College this year.

Iowa and Minnesota are the best represented, with 52 per cent and 27 per cent of thcelass respectively. The entire class numbers 368. Only four other states have five or more students in the class, including Ohio, 18; Illinois. 12; Wisconsin, and North Dakota. 5.

The three foreign countries are Free China (Hong Kong), Liberia and Malaysia. Five North Iowa students at the University of Iowa are among the new members of the school's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, national scholastic organization. Four of the area members are shown here with Prof. Don Sutherland (center), president of the chapter. They are (left to right) Jerome Sprung, Charles City; Donna Berge Bodensteiner, Decorah; Sutherland; Frances Puhl Hermanson, Mason City, and James Lande, Buffalo Center.

The fifth North Iowa member, Nancy Huenemann, Garner, was not present at the initiation. One light year? It's 6,000,000,000,000 miles Jim Bishop: Reporter also peopled with 31 moons and a hundred billion comets. One begins to note that man's space travel to his personal satellite, the moon, is akin to dip-, ping a small toe into a big sea. The triumph consists in having dipped the toe. An astronaut travels at 17.000 miles per hour if his assignment is to orbit the earth.

He needs 25.000 miles per hour to escape the pull of his own planet and move to outer darkness. At this speed 600.000 miles per day he would require thousands of years to reach our neighbor. Alpha Centauri. In time, man will make bigger and faster vehicles, but I cannot imagine anything which would get outside the planet Pluto, where one year is equal to 248 of ours. Besides, Pluto is unfriendly: it races through space in darkness and its temperature is 370 degrees below zero.

Take an orange. Use a ball point pen to make a mark in the upper quadrant You now have a sound perspective of what the planet Mercury looks like as it flies across the face of the sun. The sums, the distances in time, are beyond understanding. Does it surprise you that the earth smashes into a hundred million shooting stars each day? It should not be any more of a shock than to know that there are complete universes within ours. A drop of water contains a lot of live things.

A molecule has never been seen by man, but he knows that it is there and he measures unseen neutrons and protons moving at high speed. There are many worlds of many sizes. The meteorites which smash into this planet every year increase its weight by 2.000,000 tons. If this has been a continuing situation since the earth was first formed, then this is bigger and heavier than its original creation. There is space, and there is substance.

Our planets and stars may amount to a chipped edge on a dinner plate, but it is important for us to know who furnished the dinner ploded tonight, it would not be missed in its own galaxy, and would remain unknown to the billions of other galaxies in space, somewhat like the disappearance of one grain of sand on a large beach. In 1838. an astronomer named Thomas Henderson tried to find the star nearest earth. He located a sun called Alpha Centauri, which is only four and a third light years away, or 25.8 trillion miles. Alpha is considered to be a neighbor.

No one pretends fully to understand the vastness of space, or who created it. Who, or what peopled it with billions of galaxies, each swinging in separate orbit with its own suns and plan- One light year is miles. That is the distance that a ray of light can travel in one year. Our own galaxy, which includes the Milky Way, extends 100.000 light years from side to side. Young stars are usually blue in color; old ones are red and orange.

The star viewed across a billion light years of space can safely be assumed to be no longer there. It died long ago. And yet its light travels to the eye of an earth astronomer; in effect, he is looking backward in time hundreds of millions of years. The mind reels because man. until recently, saw his planet as the center of the universe.

If earth and all that is on it ex The marvel of this decade is that man stepped off his own planet and made a half-million mile round trip to the moon, and returned safely. It is more than a it's a bold step into the unknown. The universe is a vast blackness peopled with billions of hot stars and cold planets. I asked an astronomer what the universe looks like, and he admitted that there are many points of view. However, some see outer space in the form of a dinner plate, with our sun and planets occupying a tiny crack in one side of the dish.

Looking across, astronomers have discovered dark red stars as far away as one billion light years. ets is unfathomable. The human Our tiny edge of the universe is mind is helpless in the face of the word infinite. For example, when he tells himself that God had no beginning and will have no end. logic collapses.

Those who swear to love each other "forever" have no comprehension of the word. The earth and eight other planets turn endlessly around the magnetic pull of the sun, but our sun, a medium-sized star, is pulled around the Milky Way and requires a hundred million years to complete a half lap..