Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 29

(H) 4 1 A 1, MAROA UC7 :iu.e Wednesday, April 16, 1986 Vol. 7, No. 16 School computers track down absent students i i ire 1 fc are just trying to reach people when they are home." In the past, school secretaries had to continue calling a home until the parents were reached. When the high school began using the machine, which has been in use for about three weeks, about 12 calls were made in 20 minutes. "I defy anyone to call that many people in 20 minutes." Wisher said.

In addition, fewer parents have failed to call in for their children since the district started using the machine. Wisher said the number of calls the machine has to make are down to 6 from about 12 a day. Secretaries in the school office follow up if necessary, and the machine makes calls again in the evening for parents who are not reached during the day. "We are still working some bugs out," Wisher said, adding that the machine has had some problems with the different phone exchanges in Decatur, Warrensburg and Latham. "People are still getting used to it." Wisher said a few parents have asked not to be called, and the computer program has a provision for making sure they are never called.

The system requires a tape recorder and a phone modem, which Wisher said were purchased for about $975 and added to the district's Apple 2E computer. When the system is running smoothly, he said the machine will be making calls for all of the district. Wisher said he thinks the calling system will be used for o'her purposes, including notifying school board members and other organizations of meetings and solic- By KATHY BECKER Herald Review Staff Writer WARRENSBURG Parents of absent school children can expect the school's computer to phone them at home. Eventually, parents of children in the district who have not reported their child absent from school will be phoned by a computer until someone is contacted. Ron Wisher, superintendent of the Warrensburg-Latham School District, said the district recently started using the machine in the high school to make about 12 calls a day.

The district is required by law to keep accurate records on where students are, and Wisher said the school is attempting to make sure children are legitimately absent and not missing. Parents are expected to call the district to report absences. When a child is marked absent and a parent hasn't called, the district will call the parent. "We are responsible to contact the parents if the kid is not in school," Wisher said. "The machine makes the phone call and charts it." The machine is programed to continue calling until reaching someone, usually in 15- to 30-minute intervals.

The call is a recorded message from the principal, saying the school's records indicate the child is absent. The machine allows for a response and encourages the parent to call the school. "Attendance-wise, the machine is really helping," Wisher said. "It doesn't replace personal contact, we encouraging them to contact the school. "We hope to inspire people to give us a little more contact," Wisher said.

iting help for school projects. In addition to mailing notices to parents, Wisher said he would like to use the machine to notify parents of children with poor grades. 1 a t. -w Frank appointed new chief of bureau nmi flDcsWnffil: meeting under the direction of a different department. A safety or training presentation will be made at each meeting.

Woliung added that the association will give the departments a chance to get together, something that could benefit their work. "We can get to know each other so that, if we do have to work together, we can maybe work a little better." Butch Fortune is vice president of the association. A board of direc- tors was also elected, with one representative from each department. They are Mike Brady of Clinton, Dick Meadows of Kenney, Don Oakes of Maroa, Dale Whisman of Farmer City, Ron Merida of Wapella and Larry Helton of Weldon. An advantage of the group will be a mutual aid list, Mason said.

Each department is making a list of the types of trucks, hoses, and safety and rescue equipment it has. -The lists then will be put in booklet form and a copy will go to each department. This will give each department a directory of equipment available through the association, in case assistance is needed, Mason explained. THE ASSOCIATION will also give the firemen training opportunities that they would not have By JUDY WEIKEL Herald Review Staff Writer CLINTON Six area fire departments hope to be better equipped and better trained as a result of the recent formation of the DeWitt County Fire Association. The association was started through planning by some local firefighters who had been in contact with other county fire associations.

Steve Mason, president of the new group, had been involved in the Logan County Fire Association before moving to Clinton. Mason said that he, along with the others, thought the fire departments in DeWitt County would benefit from such a program. The De-Witt association was modeled after the association in McLean County, and area fire departments were contacted to see whether they would be interested in participating. So far, the Clinton, Kenney. Maroa, Weldon, Farmer City and Wapella departments have joined the association.

Mason said three other departments have been contacted but have not yet joined. LARRY WOLIUNG of Farmer City, the group's secretary-treasurer, said the association will meet every other month, with each CLINTON Cheryl Frank has been named Clinton bureau chief of the Herald Review, responsible for daily news and feature coverage in Piatt, DeWitt and Logan counties. News sources in Piatt, DeWitt and Logan counties can contact Frank by calling 935-8877 in Clinton. The bureau office is at 505 West Side staff members in the bureau office include part-time clerks Tamie Pearson and Judy Wei-kel. Frank has been a reporter for the American Bar Association Journal in Chicago the past two years.

Before that, she was a reporter-legislative correspondent in Springfield for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and a reporting intern with Illinois Issues magazine while earning a master's degree in public affairs reporting from Sangamon State University. She also has held various administrative and planning positions with the state Department of Children and Family Services, been a legislative policy analyst with the Illinois State Board of Education and taught political science. In addition to the master's degree from SSU, Frank has a master in political science from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and a bachelor's in the same field from Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago. Cheryl Frank Frank replaces Mark Lambert as bureau chief. Lambert is now employed by A.G.

Edwards Sons Inc. Other full-time news bureaus in the Herald Review circulation area are: In Mattoon. serving Moultrie, Coles and Douglas counties. Mike Monson is the bureau chief. The telephone number is 234-2210 and the office is at 1519 Broadway in Mattoon.

In Pana. serving Shelby, Christian and Montgomery counties. Betsey Guzior is the bureau chief. The telephone number is 562-2544. The area and DecaturMacon County daily news, feature and farmbusiness coverage by the bureau chiefs and by reporters in the Decatur office is coordinated through the Central Illinois section of the Herald Review newsroom.

When a bureau chief is unavailable, call the Decatur office at (217)429-5151 or 1-800-252-1626. Ask for the Central Illinois news desk. "Training is the backbone of a fire department," Mason said. "Training together will just make us that much more prepared." He said he is pleased with the association, and that all of the members seem to feel the same way. Members are working on designs for an association patch.

The group will vote on the patch at their next meeting, scheduled for May 13 in Farmer City. had otherwise. Plains are already being made, for example, for a training school in August. Woliung explained that many instructors are not allowed to conduct schools for small numbers of participants, and that volunteer departments, which all six association members are, often don't have the chance to participate in training schools. The association is also working on building a videotape-training library.

Mason said the group has three tapes so far. mmmm may mmmm date ftHh dtotay Kinfolk Homer Fern J. Johnson of Great Bend, Mrs. C.K. Zorger, I.C.

and J. A. Johnson and Mrs. J.M. Kirk, all of Clinton.

Four children have died. Nancy, Lydia and Laura Johnson and Mrs. Alice S. Kirley. She also leaves two grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.

She was a highly respected woman and known extensively. She was a charter member of St. John's Universal-ist Church and also a charter member of the Eastern Star No. 131. Funeral services were held yesterday afternoon at 2:30 in the Universalist Church, Rev.

A.R. Laing officiating. Burial was in Woodlawn. Origga I am searching for any descendants of Hamilton Morris 1844-1927 and his wife, Arminta T. Dement (1847-1888).

They are buried in Laenna Cemetery, near Chestnut. 111. In the 1900 Census for Clintonia Township of Dewitt County, a Mary Stogdell is listed as "head of household." Her birthdate is given as Jan. 1872 in Illinois. Listed with her was Murrel a daughter born August 18 in Illinois.

Does anyone have information concerning the marriage of a widow, Lou Lowry Stewart, to Cyrus My-rick, who was listed as a druggist? J.R. (Myrick) Stogdell, Route 1, Chestnut, 111. 62518. ef, son family in DeWitt County: Perry County, Ohio; and Allegany County, Md. My ancestor, Thomas Wilson, was born Nov.

22, 1799 in Allegany County, Md. His father may be Asa Wilson, because I noticed that he is the father of Amos Wilson, who was born in Maryland in 1803, according to 1860 DeWitt County Census. I am also interested in the Def-fenbaugh line. Thomas Wilson's wife was Charolette Deffenbaugh. My ancestor lines include Buckles, Collins, Durr, Maxwell.

Dicker-son, Stout, Botkin, Kimler. and Horr, among many others. I am doing research quite heavily and would appreciate any help that can be offered. I visit the Salt Lake Genealogy Library every week and would be interested in trading information. Donna Buckles Jaster, 5391A Carr Circle, Dugway, Utah 84022.

dising. They came to DeWitt County during the year 1859 and settled on a farm south of Clinton where they continued to reside. While farming in Ohio, Mr. Johnson drove stock through from Buffalo. When they came to this county they purchased and located on the Thomas Snell farm of ninety-two acres in Texas township, where they continued to reside throughout the remainder of his life, he having passed away in 1905 at the ripe old age of 90 years.

Following his death, her son, Ira C. Johnson, made his home with her and cared for the farm until their removal to Clinton last October. The antecedents of this family were somewhat noted for their longevity. Mrs. Katherine Humphrey, a sister, living in Bellfoun-taine, Ohio, is 85 years old.

The other surviving children are: Amos This is one of those evenings that I feel as if I have picked the wrong night for my weekly visit with my readers. If the phone isn't ringing, the doorbell is, or one of the animals is begging for attention. One phone call I am anticipating is from our daughter. She is back in the hospital for the third time in a month. I am on edge constantly, wondering when we may have to go to Chicago at a minute's notice.

My article this week would have appeared in the Clinton newspaper sometime in 1911. The Last of Earth Mrs. Eason Johnson died at 12:30 Saturday morning at her home, 522 East Main Street, after a brief illness. At the time of her death she was the oldest resident in the county, being 95 years of age. Fifty-three years of this time was passed in De- Witt County upon a farm one mile south of the city, excepting the period from last October when she moved to Clinton with her son Ira and wife with whom she resided until her death.

Alice (Atlce) Calendar was born in Champaign county, Ohio on Christmas day of 1816. In 1835 she was united in marriage to Eason Johnson and the first years of their life was spent on a farm in Ohio. Later he was engaged in merchan If you have information the following queries, please the person requesting the We want and need your queries. Please send them to Ancestor, Box 632, Clinton, III. 61727.

I am doing genealogy on the Wil.