Days Gone By In Staunton

Thursday, December 22, 1966 -- SCHOOL BOARDS SPEAK OUT CONCERNING PROPOSED NEW DISTRICT IN MADISON COUNTY -- The following statement was given to the Star-Times by the Boards of Education of Worden and Livingston School Districts.

The joint Boards of Education of Livingston-Worden are curious as to why neighboring school districts have distorted the facts surrounding the SIU feasibility study regarding a proposed school district in the Northeastern part of Madison County consisting of Alhambra,, Hamel, New Douglas, Livingston, Worden and territory in between. It has never been the intention of the joint boards to do anything but present facts and let the people decide. What are the neighboring school districts afraid of? Our superintendents have offered to meet with the superintendents of Edwardsville, Staunton and Highland to present the findings but to date such meetings have not been forthcoming. We have now extended a written invitation to the Boards of Education and their superintendents to jointly meet with us in an effort to present a true and complete account of our findings and proposals. We're hopeful they will accept this offer. How is it possible to speak out against a proposal, which has been done in various news releases, without first reviewing the merits of such a proposal?

What are the Facts?

We are proposing a district of $20,000,000.00 assessed valuation with an assessed valuation of approximately 15 to 16 thousand ($15,000 to $16,000) per pupil with a tax rate comparable to schools in the area. We're also proposing a new attendance center (school 7-12) consisting of complete facilities, that is, classrooms, libraries, vocational and technical facilities, gym, and athletic fields, cafeteria, etc., to be built at the geographic center of the district on a plot of ground encompassing 100 acres. This building will be built with no interest charge to people of the district. This proposed district is the only district that is in a position to do this for the people of this area. We also proposed to offer a curriculum second to none. We proposed to design a modern space-age curriculum built around the specific needs of the boys and girls of this area.

Transportation of students in the area will be kept at a minimum due to the close proximity of the students to their attendance centers. In addition to reducing student travel time from 50% to 75%, it will further reduce the tax burden for transportation purposes of the tax payer in the effected areas proportionately.

At no time have we indicated that such a district was being forced on the people, but feel that we as board members owe a responsibility to the boys and girls of the area.

We plan to make no derogatory remarks about the quality of education or current problems existing in the other school districts of the area. You know where and what your problems are and it would be unethical of us to attempt to enumerate them for you. We have resolved to state facts, remain professional and always keep the interest of the children of the area in mind.

All we ask is to be given the opportunity to present our findings and proposals. If they don't speak well for themselves we will be the first to look for other alternatives.

Why should this area be deprived of the truth? Are the neighboring school districts afraid that once the facts are presented, they, as well as the taxpayers, will have to agree that a North Eastern Madison County school district should be formed without delay?

We of the Livingston-Worden Boards of Education have the facts and figures. We are anxious to tell our story to you. We as board members will meet with groups of any size and discuss the true facts, not supposition, for the benefit of your boys and girls. All we need is an invitation. Invite us, along with your neighbors, into your home so you have have all your questions answered factually, before you definitely make up your mind concerning our proposal. To set up a meeting, call or write either school office. The number in Livingston is Neptune 7-3131, Mr. Verton,, Superintendent. In Worden, 459-3213, Mr. Doerle, Superintendent.

Board Members Districts 4-16

Madison County

HOME FOR HOLIDAYS -- A release from the University of Illinois, Champaign, states that the students there will begin their annual Christmas holidays at 1:0 o'clock p.m. today (Thursday), the classes to be resumed at 1:00 o'clock p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Included was a list of Staunton students at the university, as follows: William J. Bechem, Gerald Bednar, Lawrence Bednar, H. Eugene Diel, Robert E. Eggebrecht, Russell E. Eggebrecht, Richard D. Frank, Robert S. Frank, Thomas J. Henehan, Bert Don Kidd and James L. Mueller.

Thursday, December 29, 1966 -- VANDALS CONTINUE PROPERTY DAMAGE -- Evidently some person or persons in this community were not imbued with the spirit of Christmas during the past week. According to reports, several places were damaged through acts which can be considered just pure "cussedness."

On Tuesday night of last week someone hurled a can containing gasoline at a window of the shed on the Joe Robeza property near Lake Staunton. The gasoline was ignited, but fortunately State Trooper Lawrence Pieper, who was patroling Reservoir Road at about 11:00 o'clock saw the flames and extinguished them before much damage could be done.

Other incidents reported to the Staunton police department were:

Glass in the front doors at the Labor Temple Theatre were smashed.

A window on the east side of the Zion Lutheran school was broken by a thrown piece of concrete.

A door and windows at the Church of Christ on East Leonard street were broken by thrown rocks.

Windows in the transformer station of the Illinois Power Co. in the northeast part of town were broken.

Three mail boxes on the Reservoir Road were toppled over.

FIRE AT FARMHOUSE -- A fire which started early Saturday morning, Dec. 16, caused considerable damage at the vacant house on a farm about a mile and a half southwest of Staunton, owned by Ben Kellebrew of this city. The house, although unoccupied, was used as a storage place for lumber by Mr. Kellebrew.