Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 3

Decatur, Illinois, Friday, January 22, 1954. DECATUR HERALD Medical Care, Understanding Vital in Polio Treatment FLEMING FOUND GUILTY ON CHECK CHARGE A County Court jury yesterday Billy Brewer, 3, is Alert Confident WTVP Back on Air; 20 Employes Quit Mayor Willis On Municipal League Emergency Well Completion Date Set for April By Don W. Roberts Of The Herald Staff Estimates of the earliest date that an emergency water supply well could be ready for operation ranged yesterday from April 1 to May 1 A representative of a drilling firm, informally approved by the City Council for test drilling, set April 1 as the date under the most favorable circumstances. Water Commissioner Homer L. Chastain expressed the opinion that the date might be nearer to May 1, taking legal, engineering and construction requirements into consideration.

This placed increased importance on the hope for normal spring rains to replenish Lake Decatur's current loss from the-prolonged drouth. One principal reason for finding an emergency well water supply is to prepare for a possibly greater drouth condition next fall. A representative of the Lavne-Western Company of Kansas City told the Council yesterday the firm will try to have drilling equipment in place by the end of next week at the latest. The first test site has not been selected. The Council informally approved hiring the firm for exploratory work on wells, upon the recommendation of Warren Van Praag, consulting engineers of the water project.

Public Swim Pools Vote Date To Be Set Soon A date will be set within 30 days for referendums on a proposed bond issue to build public swimming pools and to increase the Decatur Park District's maintenance tax. The Decatur Park Board made that decision last night after meeting with Dr. Edmund S. Lockhart and Dean Martin, members of a committee formed last summer to back public swimming pools in Decatur. R.

Wayne Gill, board president, said the date could not be set immediately because of legal questions whether a new vote to increase the maintenance tax can be called before June 30.. That will be one year after a proposal to boost the rate from the present $.049 to $.093 per $100 valuation was defeated. Gill said the amount of the proposed bond issue, the number of pools to be askTd, and the amount of increase in the maintenance tax are still undecided. Petitions signed by more than 2,000 persons calling for the swimming pool vote have been presented to Park District officials. The committee, headed by George Johns, has pledged its cooperation in obtaining passage of the proposal when the Park Board calls the election.

At last night's meeting, the board also gave final approval to the decision notifying two concessionaires that their contracts will not be renewed following -their expiration April 30. They are Kenneth Ringel, "operator of Municipal Airport, and Helping a child victim of polio to grow up to a normal adult life takes a lot of medical care and human understanding. Billy Brewer, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Brewer, 15 Seventh Drive South Shores, is three years old now.

He had infantile paralysis. two vears ago when he was only 1 1 months old and, was just beginning to walk. After his long illness he learned to walk but with a rigid brace on his left leg which was permanently paralyzed. Billy is a happy boy full of nor mal energy and he handles the brace like a veteran, but troubles do develop. Last summer he had surgery to lengthen the tendon in the back of his ankle.

It was pulling- up so that his foot curled under and a knot developed on his foot. The tendon was lengthened by a splicing operation. Because Billy is active and uses his leg, he will probably get a new brace this summer. It will free his knee so that he won't have to walk with one stiff leg. Later, when Billy is older, he will need another operation to help him hold his ankle in position without a brace.

Eventually he may be able to discard the brace when he is Billy takes physical therapy treatments every two weeks to exercise in the pool and stretch his affected leg and foot. The normal leg and foot has a tendency to grow faster than the paralyzed one. Meanwhile the boy's parents can be proud of his alert and confident attitude. His personality will take him a long way and it certainly needs no brace. Dimes Total Now Stands at $17,1 58 The March of Dimes total reached $17,158.28 yesterday with an additional $2,000 expected from the "Backstage for Polio" benefit program Wednesday night.

The benefit program, which was with both hands. He is one of the 73 "old" patients receiving care from the Macon County chapter of the National Foundation 'for Infantile Paralysis. (Herald and Review Photo) found O. W. Fleming, 53, Angle guilty of a charge of defraud ing by check.

Judge Rodney Scott of Moultrie County, deferred sentencing of Fleming until this morning when Atty. James Lewis, counsel for Fleming, could not be located after the jury came in. Fleming had been accused of cashing a worthless check for $35 at the St. Nicholas Hotel. Chest to Name 7 to Board in Annual Meeting Seven new members will be elect ed to the Community Chest board of directors at the annual meeting Feb.

17 at 4 p.m. in the YMCA. J. W. Patterson was named chairman of a nominating committee to select candidates, Robert L.

Staley, executive secretary, announced yesterday. Other members of the nominating committee named at a board meeting Wednesday are: B. T. Andrix Dr. Lee Freeh Mrs.

Lester Grant Philip Hecht George Zellman Nominations may also be made by any person who contributed the Community Chest fund drive. Such nominations must be received in the Community Chest office no later than Feb. 12. Additional nomi nations will be accepted at "the annual meeting. The public is invited to attend.

Directors are elected for three year terms and may not be re-elected to succeed themselves. Members whose terms are ending are: A. A. Brensley Mrs. Lester Grant Mrs.

R. E. Greenfield Robert B. Stauber H. G.

Wonderlin Mrs. M. J. Wright George H. Zellman The annual selection of the most honored community members will also be announced at the annual meeting.

ADULT CLASSES MEET Divisions Lacking Required Signup To Be Discontinued Several adult evening classes which lack the required registration will hold first meetings Wednesday and lhursday, Norman Gore, assistant superintendent of Decatur Schools, announced. If the classes don't gain the re quired registration after one meet ing they will be discontinued, Gore said. Recent registrations have assured the scheduling 'of the sketching class and the machine shop course. Others which wih hold a first meeting are: clue print reading, Jacking tour members, meets Wednesday. Drafting, lacking five, meets Thursday Fun with Foods, lacking four, meets Thursday Photography, lacking only one, meets Wednesday Public Speaking, lacks one, meets Wednesday Radio and television production, lacking four, meets Wednesday All scheduled courses will begin regular second semester classes Wednesday and Thursday in the high school.

MID-YEAR SENIORS DISMISSED TODAY Decatur High School mid-vear seniors will be dismissed from classes following Class Day exercises during the first hour today. Baccalaureate services will be at 7:30 p.m. -Sunday in the First English Lutheran Church. Reports cards will be distributed to class members Thursday morning during rehearsal for commencement exercises which will be at 8 p.m. Thursday in the' high school auditorium.

Demos Complete Slate Expense Reduction Cause of Dispute Television station WTVP re sumed operation at 2 p.m. yesterday after a wave of resignations by staff members over policy matters. V. L. Sbellabarger, president of Prairie Television, owners of WTVP, said no further interrup tions of service were foreseeable.

The station was off the air Wed nesday following the resignations of the general manager, chief engineer, program director, and at least 17 other employes. The employment of two other em ployes has been terminated, one through discharge and the other either by discharge or resignation. Station officials said Continuity Director Marian Borfc resigned. Spokesmen for the employe group said she was discharged. The employe Shellabarger said was discharged is Maureen Sullivan, an artist.

Shellabarger said her job was being dispensed with and art work would in the future be by out side contract. Yesterday's programming schedule was disrupted, Shellabarger said, because the staff that remained "had to cut the suit to fit the cloth." Network programs were not affect ed, he said. The station managed to broadcast with sound only for the Backstage for Polio benefit at 10:15 p. m. Wednesday.

But no picture was seen until yesterday. Concerning the lack of picture Wednesday night, Shellabarger said: "It took some highly skilled tech nicians several hours to readjust the transmitter alter the engineers walked out. Shellabarger said the dispute revolved around a desire by the stockholders to cut expenses by trimming some members from the staff and having others take over their duties. This was opposed by General Manager Harold G. Cowgill, Program Director Paul K.

Taff, and Chief Engineer James C. Wulli- man, Shellabarger said. Following the dispute, Shellabarger said, they resigned. They said their resignations were requested Wednesday morning. Last night the 17 staff members about whom no disagreement exists submitted their resignations to Shel-labarger at the station.

Shellabarger said all the jobs left by the resigning staff members would not be filled. Some will be consolidated and others eliminated, he said. The stockholders hope this will improve the station's economic condition, Shellabarger said. Before the resignations the staff had 47 employes, more than twice as many as either the Champaign or Springfield TV station and three times as many as Bloomington, according to Shellabarger. "That was the trouble," he said.

"The stockholders thought we were tremendously overburdened by the expense of this large staff and wanted to reduce it. Taff and Cowgill thought differendy." Shellabarger said "no mention" was made of salary cuts, only the combination of certain jobs. Cowgill said this was "only one little item." "The quality of the programming was the big thing," he said. "And of course to maintain your quality, or improve it, you must have the staff." One man who said he was one of the employes who had resigned said "nine-tenths" of those who quit didn't know what issues were involved. followed out of either allegiance or likelihood of the disapproval of those who were quitting, he said.

"We could have stayed at work if we wanted to cross the street every time we met one of those who quit," he said. Employe meetings held to discuss the situation before the resignations were made were held in an atmosphere of "now we'll see where the line is going to be drawn between the men and the boys," he said. Resignations submitted by those who quit the staff following the dispute were all identical. Besides those previously mentioned, resignations were submitted by: James E. Crowell, news director Dolores Ryan, women's director Tony Parker, sports director Richard Shaughnessy, staff announcer Charles H.

Logan III, producer-director LeRoy R. Scales, floor manager Arthur Zahler, engineer Nile M. Hunt, video supervisor Policy Committee Mavor Robert E. Willis is one of two mayors in the state, named yes terday to a 10-member Illinois Mu nicipal League committee to formu late League policies. First job of the committee, according to Executive Director Lon Sargent, will be to draft a policy statement for the federal Commission on Incergovernment Relations.

The committee will have its first session early in February, Sargent said. President Eisenhower and Congress set up the federal commission to determine the proper role of the federal government in relation to states and their subdivisions. The League has been invited to subpit its views. The commission is to determine whether federal aid is justified in the fields in which it operates, whether it should be extended to other fields, whether federal controls in these fields should be limited or extend ed, or, finally, whether federal aid should be held only to cases of need. Blood Quota Is Exceeded Macon County residents exceeded their January quota for the Blood- mobile with a two-day total of 602 pints of blood donated.

Yesterday 287 pints of blood were drawn. The two-day total of registered donors was 03. Local blood program leaders said there were fewer cancelled appoint ments this month than usual, which accounted for the large amount of blood collected. Medical rejections were about the average number. Ninetv-four persons were making replacement yesterday for blood used locally by friends or relatives.

The two-day total of replacements was 193. Donors for January were recruited through a direct appeal by radio, television and newspapers. Blood program leaders said last night they are pleased with the public response in exceeding the goal of 500 pints, The Bloodmobile remained open an extra hour yesterday to receive donations. Included in the donors were 68 employes of American Farmers Mu tual Insurance Company. William R.

Leonard, producer-director Charles F. Marden, engineer Leo C. Krenzel, engineer Marie T. Crigler, secretary Joseph S. Gravagno, engineer Elinor Owens, traffic manager John Boyd Buckstaff, producer-director Edwin R.

Pianka, transmitter supervisor C. Louis Bumphrey, engineer. Miss Ryan said she was sorry to leave the women's service program she conducted- on the station and was "particularly anxious for the people who received me so well here to know I do so with regret." Equipment Statement Given by Engineer James C. WuIIiman, former WTVP chief engineer, last night released this statement regarding condition of transmitting equipment at the time of his resignation Wednesday: "I have been requested by local TV dealers and servicemen to make a statement regarding the condition of the equipment at WTVP as it was at the time of our departure on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1954.

"That morning the engineers were in the process of repairing the equipment after operating from approximately 4:45 p. m. Tuesday with makeshift repairs as shown by the transmitter log." Upon my resignation I checked the tower light to comply with CAA regulations, took all the operators' licenses to protect the men and with the other engineers and several members of the program staff I left the station at 1 1:35 a. m. Wednesday.

"During the afternoon we returned with Mr. Cowgill to pick up some personal belongings and found an unlicensed man trying to get the transmitter on the air. "Since I was not responsible for the equipment after 11:35 a. m. I do not know what was disrupted bv unqualified personnel in an attempt to get the station on the air.

"To the best of my knowledge no WTVP engineer was asked to operate the station for the polio program as a public service. i he Council also gave first read ing to a contract with Warren Van Praag for the engineering part or the project. Earliest dates for getting a pro ducing well into operation are bas ed first on finding an adequate well source without extensive explorations. Once a source is located, Chas tain said, drilling the producing well probably will take three weeks. For the volume of water sought bv the city, at least a 48-inch well would be needed, he said.

Chastain said that the prospective date for an operating well two to six weeks later than the March 20 critical date for the citv's water sup ply does not immediately indicate any earlier time for imposing strict er conservation measures. Mavor Robert E. Willis suggest ed, however, that the Council soon should decide on what conservation procedures will be required and at what date they will be put into effect. Chastain pointed out' that there are at least two well sources here which would be able to produce enough water for drinking and other health and safety requirements. These are at the Decatur Sand and Gravel Company and the Polar Ice a Consumers Ice Company area.

Chastain also reported that consumption of water for the period ended at 7 a.m. yesterday dropped to 8,500,000 gallons, after staying above 9 million Monday and Tuesday. He said the average daily pumpage for the week ended Wednesday was 8,226,000 gallons, a nine per cent reduction from the 9,036,000 average for the comparable week last year. Actually, he pointed out, this is nearer a 20 per cent cut because the normal demands on the system are about 10 per cent greater than they were a year ago. The level of the lake remained steady yesterday at 4.75 feet below the dam.

Selection of the Layne-Western Company may speed up procure ment of a pump tor any successful well. The firm, has a pump manu facturing subsidiary and said a pump could be made in three weeks if necessary. Costs outlined for test drilling by the Layne-Western Company are $2.50 a foot for test drilling, $3 a toot tor reaming and enlarging a hole for a well, $1.25 a foot for installing casing and screen, $175 for installing pump and $10 an hour during pumping tests. Crew Added To Sewer Job Work on the interceptor sewer is gaining momentum and an additional crew will be put to work today, a spokesman for the contractors said yesterday. Cold weather is hampering men working on the open cut to a cer tain degree, but tunnelling opera tions are riot affected, he said.

The Hod Carriers' and Common Laborers' Union office said yester day more than 30 workers have been ordered for work on the project. No Realtor Action No action was taken vesterdav on the Decatur Board of Realtors' recent proposal that commission rates be increased. An imaginative three-year-old boy can think of new uses for" almost anything. Billy Brewer finds his long leg brace serves well to support his new xylophone while he hammers away heard but not seen because of pic ture difficulties at Station WTVP, included Chicago and Decatur en tertainers who donated their time. In addition to $329 received by mail yesterday the March of Dimes John M.

Ball Educational Administration degree from the University of Michigan and a Masters from the University of Chicago. A veteran of World War II, he is married and has three children. He lives at 1656 Buena Vista Street. Ball's announcement leaves only one possible vacancy on the Democratic primary ticket. No candidates have announced for the nomination for Congress.

Dealers, City Discuss Liquor Problems of liquor sales to minors were discussed last night at a meeting of city and county officials and a committee of the Macon County Retail Liquor Dealers Association. Association President Elmer Welch declined to comment on the meeting and would not identify those who attended. The meeting was in a private dining room in the Blue Mill. Officials believed to have represented the city in the" conference were Mayor Robert E. Willis, Corporation Counsel Byron M.

Metris and License Investigator Otto Kuja-wa. County representatives may have included State's Attorney Kenneth E. Evans and the County Board's liquor committee. 162 Aliens Register, A total of 162 alien registration cards have been returned to Decatur Postoffice, postal clerks report. AH aliens living in the United States are required to register current addresses no later than Jan.

30. To date 283. of the registration cards have been taken out from the post-office. About 200 aliens registered here last year. i.

9 fcg- Mr. and Mrs. John Sullivan, operators of the Airways Restaurant at the airport. Lease Renewed The Decatur' Park Board has voted to renew for one year its lease on its ottices in the Club Building at a monthly" rental "of $103.91. BRIDGE DISCUSSION City, County to Decide on Rea's Cost Division Citv and county officials will meet today to discuss division of costs in connection with the proposed Rea's Bridge improvements.

effect of the dry's plan to raise the level of Lake Decatur on county plans to reconstruct the bridge. Mayor Robert E. Willis, Water Commissioner Homer L. Chastain and Corporation Counsel Bvron M. Merris will meet with the County Board's highway- committee and Highway Supt.

Alan N. Buck in Buck ottice. The county is discussing nlans for the Rea's Bridge project, which may be part of a program financed by revenue bonds to be retired from motor fuel taxes. Preliminary cost estimate for work in the Rea's Bridge area is $300,000. Both the river and slough spans are considered dangerous.

The job has been described as rebuilding, raising and aligning both spans to provide clearance for proposed city water supply changes. With the Sick Cheri Lynn Engle, daughter of Mrs. Joyce McGehee, 1853 E. Prairie is a patient in Decatur and Macon County Hospital where she underwent surgery Wednesday. She may have visitors.

Home Entered Mrs. Eugene ChaDDle. 1111 E. Orchard told police last night her home was ransacked durin? her absence yesterday. Nothing was missing, she said.

Car Ransacked Lyle Reynolds, 2295 W. Grand Ave. told police yesterday his car was ransacked and a sponge, taken while parked at Industry Court. Fellowship John G. Morgan, 34, State House reporter of The Charleston (W.

Va.) Gazette Omar Garrison. 40, feature writer and religion editor of The Los An-geles Mirror Wilfrid K. O'Driscoll, 34, coordinator of farm news of Utica (N.Y.) Daily Press C. Robert Perrin, 28, labor editor of The Detroit Free Press Roberts will spend eight or nine months in Great Britain studying the British press system, particularly in provincial cities similar to Decatur size. He also plans to visit briefly in European countries.

A captain in the' Organized Reserve Corps, Roberts was in England, France, Belgium and Germany in World War 1L total includes $67.45 from the Wishing Well located in local banks, $2 from the Warrensburg Junior Women's Club and $12.40 from the Forsyth Rebekah Lodge No. 605. School Hearing Resumes Today The public hearing on petitions asking a referendum to change De catur schools to a community unit district will resume at 10 a.m. today in the City Council chambers. Macon County Supt.

Robert B. Ernest recessed the hearing which opened Wednesday. Objectors to the petition will complete their testi mony today. I Supporters of the petition ended formal testimony Wednesday. Criti cisms of the.

special charter under which Decatur schools operate centered on the size of the school board and the charter's provisions for an nexing terntory. Objectors to the petition began their testimony Wednesday. They stressed the advantages of charter provisions, including the authority to purchase school sites without a referendum and the power to preserve community unity with city limits and school district boundaries coinciding. Ernest said he will deliver a written decision, either calling a referendum or denying it, about 10 days after the hearing. His decision can be appealed within 35 days.

ZONING HITS SIGNS Burma Shave Advertising Locations May Be Illegal Burma Shave signs will soon dis appear from Macon County high ways unless they are located in districts with commercial or industrial zoning classifications. Zoning Administrator Alan N. Buck said the firm has notified him that signs which do not comply with zoning restrictions will be removed as soon as possible. Buck's office is currendy conducting a drive against improperly located signs. Two other companies have said they will remove illegal signs.

Firms. with signs which violate zoning restrictions are being notified that the county will remove the signs if their owners do not. With certain exceptions, no advertising signs are permitted in residential areas unless they were there before the zoning resolution was passed in December CITY LINES, UNION TALKS STILL RECESSED Negotiations between. Decatur City Lines and its union bus drivers remain in recess, Manager D.E. Graves said vesterdav.

A 10-cent gap still remains be tween the company's offer of a five cent wage and the unions request for 15 cents. Drivers are working pending ar rangement of a new meeting by a federal labor conciliator. Democrats filled their county pri mary slate last night with the an nouncement ot John M. can tor nomination as superintendent ot schools. Petitions for Ball, 31-year-old Lakeview High School teacher, were in circulation.

William R. Wood ward, Durfee School principal, has tiled tor the republican nomination. The two probable general election opponents for county judge both filed yesterday, Judge Gus T. Greanias for the Republican nomination and Attorney Walter F. Burger Jr.

for the Democratic nomination. Both were announced candidates. Judge Greanias for a third term, and neither is expected to have' opposi tion in the primary. Ball, who teaches mathematics and common learnings, has been on the Lakeview faculty since 1952 and is making his first bid for public office. A native of Michigan, has been teaching in Illinois since 1950.

He came to Lakeview from the staff of the Chicago branch of the University of Illinois. Prior to that, he taught high school in Michigan. Ball is a graduate of Central Michigan College, has a Master of DAMAGES ASKED Couple Want Rival Restrained From Giving Products A petition was filed in Circuit Court yesterday seeking to restrain Mrs. Rose Hanks from operating an agency to assist newcomers in getting acquainted with Decatur products. Harlan and Kathrvn B.

Hilliker, who said in the complaint they operate the Civic Activities associa tion, seek the restraint order and any damages which Mrs. Hanks may have done their business. The Hillikers said they have been operating an agency here and in other cities to acquaint newcomers with the merchandise and services of local merchants and industries. The petition claims' Mrs. Hanks was employed by the Hillikers on Nov.

30, 1951 on a contract basis which was renewed yearly. It is claimed Mrs. Hanks terminated her contract Nov. 23, 1953 and since has engaged in similar work on her own behalf, using the techniques she learned while with the association. The court is asked to enjoin Mrs.

Hanks from doing that. Annexation Okayed County Judge Gus T. Greanias yesterday gave final approval to annexation of property, of the Marvel-Sehehler Products Division ofBorg- Warner Corporation to the Decatur! Sanitary District. I Rob erf Leaving Feb. 14 for Study mm MM In England on Reid Ellis Decatur Herald and Review editorial writer, will leave Decatur Feb.

14 to begin study in England on a Reid Foundation fellowship. Mrs. and Mrs. Roberts, who live at 68 First Drive, South Shores, will travel by train to New' York City and' board the liner United States on Feb. 18.

Upon their arrival Jn Southampton they will go to Lon don tor a tew days. Roberts is one of six newspaper men awarded $5,000 fellowships for 1954. The foundation -was established by the late Ogden- Reid, editor of the New York' Herald Tribune. Other 1954 awards went to: Rex L. Karnev, 39, associate editor and chief editorial writer of The Wisconsin State Journal in Madison in.