The Daily Herald from Chicago, Illinois • Page 34

THE HERALD Monday, February 7, 1977 Section 2 --5 Oiiicials defend need ior $5.2 million Dist. 62 surplus excessive: teachers' union report by DICK DAHL A $52 million surplus in the Des Plaines Dist. 62 education fund has been criticized as "excessive" in a report financed by the district's teacher's union. Robert L. Monks, assistant professor at Loyola University's Dept.

of Administration, said in his report that Dist. 62 is being "unrealistic" in its budget projections. "What they've done the last five years is underestimate revenue and overestimate expenses;" Monks said Friday. "They're assuming income will be constant while costs inflate." MONKS WAS HIRED Jan. 18 by the Dist.

62 teachers' union to do the study. Robert Birchfield, Dist. 62 Board of Education member and finance committee chairman, said although he had not seen the report he had heard of Monks' criticism and termed it a "bum rap." In light of anticipated budget deficits, the surplus is needed to keep the district in the black, he said. "We'll probably have our first deficit this year about $200,000 to $300,000" Birchfield said. "Next year we project a $1.5 million deficit, and we estimate that by 1980 we'll be out of money." THE TOTAL SURPLUS in the district is $9 million, Monks said, and Passage of consumer law expected The long-delayed Des Plaines consumer protection ordinance Is expected to 1 reach the council floor for passage tonight.

The final council vote on the ordinance originally was scheduled for Jan. 3, "but was postponed twice because of Chamber of Commerce criticism that the proposed measure excludes too many professions. Chamber officials apparently are resigned to the probable passage of the ordinance and will make no further objections. Chamber Director C.W. Kaitschuck said.

"We've gone on record as to our feelings on the ordinance, and we don't think our objections were unreasonable," Kaitschuck said. KAITSCHUCK SAID the Chamber supports the idea of a consumer protection agency, but believes it concentrates too heavily on retail merchants. City Atty. Charles Hug, who drafted the ordinance, said the city couldn't legally include professionals such as doctors, lawyers and real estate agents because they are regulated by the state. The ordinance would establish a seven-member commission in Des Plaines which would provide residents with a local group to handle consumer complaints.

The commission would supplement and work closely with county, state and federal c.onsumer agencies. The council will give final consideration to the measure at 8 p.m. in the Des Plaines Civic Center, 1420 Miner St, THE COMMISSION would investigate complaints of false advertising, deceptive practices, fraud, false or improper price markings and poor service and workmanship. Hug said the primary duty of the commission would be to resolve' disputes between residents and local businesses. The proposed ordinance provides for a fine of up to $500 for anyone found violating consumer regulations.

The ordinance establishing the commission calls for a "cross-section of business and consumer interests" The ordinance requires the appointment of at least one homemaker, one representative from a local community organization and two representatives from business. Although several professions are exempt from prosecution under the ordinance, Aid. Alan M. Abrams, 8th, said the commission would be open to all types of local consumer complaints. "They still could refer those types of complaints," he said.

recommended a tax decrease in the operations, building and maintenance fund, where the bulk of the surplus balance lies. Monks also proposed the $52 million education fund surplus be reduced to about $3 million. "The rule of thumb is that if you've get enough to tide you over for six months of salaries, you're in pretty good shape," he said. "In Dist. 62 that would be about $3 million." The report says no personnel cuts are needed because of the education fund surplus.

DURING RECENT years, about 15 teaching positions per year have been vacated due to attrition, Monks said. "If they're not replaced it will reduce the expenditures in the educational fund each year without touching the surplus," he said. Birchfield said the surplus "probably is uncommon," but endorsed it as a "cushion" allowing the school to avoid "drastic cutbacks of staff or programs." The surplus was born about six years ago, he said, during several Psychiatric ward addition proposed City to mull Forest Hospital plan forest Hospital's controversial to expand its psychiatric word at 555 Wilson Des Plaines, will come before the city council tonight. The plan, which has cleared two city agencies, will receive a-recommendation tonight from the municipal develnoment committee that conducted a public hearing on the issue latt week. The meeting will begin at 8 p.m.

In the Des Plaines Civic Center, 1420 Miner St. The Des Plaines Dist. 62 Board of Education will debate the issue tonlsht and hopes to present its recom- More the city council votes on the matter, Stuart Kisten, 62 bo Pr ore'ident, said. THE PROPOSED four-story addition already has been approved by the ci'v olan commission and zoning board. Forest Hospital has requested a special-use permit from the city to allow construction of a 50-by-100-foot addition at the north end of the hospital.

It would include patient rooms, consultation rooms and offices. Hospital officials say the addition will not increase the total number of patients at the hospital. "1 don't believe that." Kisten said. "It will increase the facilities and services available on an outpatient basis. When you expand a facility, you get more activity." KISTEN AND other residents In the area say the addition would bring the hospital too close to North School, 1789 Rand which is east of the hospital.

About 165 area residents have signed a petition opposing further expansion of the psychiatric ward. Part of the opposition stems from fear of mental patients who occasionally walk away from the hospital grounds into nearby residential and school areas, Kisten said. "Some of those people unfortunately are not stable," Kisten said. "There's always a chance one of CWm could wander off and harm one of the school children." Maine students to present 6 Arsenic' Maine North High School will present Joseph Kesserling's comedy "Arsenic and Old Lace" Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Curtain time is 8 p.m.

in the school's theater, 9511 Harrison Des Plaines. "Arsenic and Old Lace" fs the story of two spinsters who have poisoned 12 men and have buried their victims in the cellar. Jonathon, a nephew of the spinsters and a fugitive, complicates the situation by arriving with another corpse for the cellar. Two other nephews, one who believes he is Teddy Roosevelt, and a visiting nephew who discovers his aunts' victims, add to the comedy. The two spinsters are portrayed by Karen Elliott and Barb Rnsmussen.

Ken Pearlman, Wally Petersen and Dave Elliott are cast as the nephews. Janet Burrows portrays Elaine Harper and Bill Helgren portrays Dr. Einstein. THE POLICE officers are played by Ken Black, Bret Samples j.nd Howard Heynian. Ian Gerber plays Lieutenant Rooney and Adam Greenberg portrays the Rev.

Harper. Frank Orth will play Mr. Gibbs and Keith Vargo plays Witherspoon. Alison O'Brien is stage manager under the guidance of Kurt Steinhauser, production director. Keith Varo designed the set and is the student technical director under 'the guidance of Gene Schlomer.

Tickets are $2 for adults and $1 for students and may be reserved by calling 298-5500, ext. 248. Tickets may also be purchased at the door. 'Ten Little Indians' goes on stage at Forest View South School's Mr. Tom bound for heaven's halls by DOROTHY OLIVER To generations of children he was known as Mr.

Tom, a small fedsty Welshman who would scold you readily for not wiping your feet. Ind you a nickel when you forgot your milk money or sing you an Irish melody when the mood struck him. By day he roamed the halls of South School, Cora and White streets. Des Plaines. where he was employed for the last 22 years as day custodian, and wl'ere he watched over "his children" year after year.

Thomas Kenneth Collins, 58, was an institution at South School. Now he is gone. TOM COLLINS collapsed in his home early Friday, apparently of a heart attack, and was pronounced dead at Holy Family Hospital in Des Plaines. He leaves his wife Mabel, three sons and hundreds of friends, old and young. Born in Wales.

Collins as a young man worked in the coal mines and later served in World War H. He emigrated to the United States after the war, stay- Ing first with relatives in Grand Rapids. before coming to this area. Soon after he arrived he sent for a young girl from Northern Ireland he had met. He and Mabel were married in their new homeland.

They reared three children here. Frank, 19, Edward, 16 and Trevor, 14. He was proud of his heritage and stayed close with people from the British Isles through the Gaelic American Club, which met at Durty Dick's Pub at Grand and Austin in Chicago. To the Gaelic Americans he was known as "T.K.," and as president of the club he led many a sing-a-long and organized annual trips to the old country. Collins joined the Des Plaines Dist.

62 school system 24 years ago. In his 22 years at South School he met hundreds of children and prided himself on knowing each of them by name. HE TOOK SPECIAL delight in music and every so often, after school was out for the day, he would take a few minutes to sing to children who congregated in the music room, begging for a song. Last October, Tom was unloading luggage from a car when he was hit from behind by another car. He was hospitalized at Holy Family for several months, coming home shortly before Christmas.

For the last three months he had been undergoing physical therapy to regain the use of his legs. Mrs. David Jones, a close friend of the Collins family, said Collins was looking forward to returning to work and "his children." He was just beginning to walk without the aid of crutches. The children never forgot Mr. Tom.

There were periodic batches of letters and drawings sent to the hospital or his home to wish him weU. A final tribute will be paid to Tom Collins at 8 p.m. Wednesday at a memorial service at the First Methodist Church of Park Ridge, 418 Touhy Ave. Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians" will be performed by Forest View High School students at 7:30 Thursday and at 8 p.m. Saturday.

A student-only matinee is scheduled for Friday and a dinner theater package is offered at 1 and 5:30 p.m. Sunday. The school is at 2121 S. Goebbert Arlington Heights. Tickets for the evening performances cost $1.50 and may be purchased from drama students, at the door or by calling Donna Anderson 437-4600, Ext.

271. Admission to the Sunday spaghetti dinner and theater combination costs $5 per person. In "Ten Little Indians," Christie employes the child's nursery rhyme to Township political schedule meetings Organizations for both major political parties in Elk Grove Township have scheduled meetings this week. The Regular Republican Organization is scheduled to meet today to discuss the April township election. The Regular Democratic Organization is scheduled to meet Tuesday.

A nine-member slate for each party Food nutrition talk at fitness class Nutrition expert Betty Wedman will lecture on "Nutrition and Your Health You Are What You Eat," today at 7:30 p.m. at the Mount Prospect Community Center, 600 See-Gwun Ave. The lecture, sponsored by the Mount Prospect Park District in connection with its adult fitness program, is the first in a series of four. Dr. Ann Malloy will speak Feb.

16 Single parents meeting A group formed to help single parents of teen-agers will meet Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. The group has been formed by Youth Services of Elk Grove Township because interviews with high school counselors and police who work with juveniles show many teen-agers with personal problems come from single-parent homes, said Sandra Kinser, township clinical coordinator. The group will meet at 110 E. Northwest Mount Prospect. Interested persons should call 394-8400 to register.

on "Risk Factors in Coronary Heart Disease and Preventive Care," Donald Timm will lecture Feb. 17 on "Physical Fitness Pros and Cons -Know and Barbara Gail will talk Feb. 24 about "Smoking It Kills." The free lectures are open to the public. ILLINOIS TRAFFIC SAFETY ALERT Drive Alert In Illinois it's a Great Place to LIVE. years as a working cash fund, a type of internal bank account built up.

"for the school to have money to pay expenditures when taxes were delayed." THE ALTERNATIVE, Birchfield said, was to borrow money from banks based on anticipated tax revenue. In 1972 the district was he said, to get tax dollars in advance of when they were due. "In recent years we got advance taxes revenue ahead of the rate at which we spent it --which meant we didn't have to use the working cash fund." Union Pres. Janice Cook said the teachers' long-range planning committee and the citizens' study committee, both appointed by the board of education, to study district finances, will discuss the report's findings. A preliminary report from both groups is due next month with a final report due in March.

"Our (teachers') general feeling is there is no crisis," she said. "When you have excessive money you don't have a crisis." set the stage for a series of bizarre murders. Ten people are invited to an island where, one-by-one, they die according to the words of the rhyme. Jeff Lovell directs the Forest View play. David Good is the technical director and Margaret Jankauskis is the assistant director.

Students Jeff Schafrath portrays Lombard, Lora Leigh Walas is Vera and Fred Damianp is Wargrave. Other cast members include Ray Roberts, Eric Kudalis, Debbie Daliege, Anthony Pennisi, Bryan Hansen, Ron Di- Cianni, Heidi Fischer, Joy Golisch, Sue Porter, Dave Swiatoniec and Mike Greenwood. will run in the April 5 election. The Republican meeting will be held at township hall, 2400 S. Arlington Heights at 8 p.m.

The Democratic meeting will be held at Maitre D'Restaurant, 111 E. Higgins Elk Grove Village, at 8 p.m. School notebook Des Plaines Plaines Dist. 62 The Terrace School PTC is collecting box tops from Post brand cereals. The box tops will be exchanged for physical education ecmipment for the school.

The box tops can be brought to the school, 735 S. Westgate Des Plaines. For information call Carol Wojtanowski, 299-1220. East Maine Dist. 63 Bill Halloran, language arts consultant, will make a presentation on "Reading and Writing" at the Galaxie Theater of Apollo School, 10100 Dee Des Plaines, Wednesday.

Halloran will conduct an afternoon in-service program for teachers of East Maine Dist. 63 and Des Plaines Dist. 62. At 7:30 p.m. he will offer his presentation to parents to help them motivate their child and give tips for working with gifted, average and reluctant students.

i Dr. Derek Miller, professor of psychiatry and chief of the Adolescent Unit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, will speak at 8 p.m. Thursday at Nathanson School, Potter and Church streets, Des Plaines. The topic of his speech will be sexual development of teenagers. ii A pancake breakfast will be served from 9:30 a.m.

to 12:30 p.m., Sunday at Mark Twain School. The PTA sponsored breakfast will be served in the school's multipurpose room, 9401 N. Hamlin, Des Plaines. Tickets may be purchased at the door. They are $2 for adults, $1.50 for kindergarteners through sixth graders and preschoolers will be admitted free.

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