April 1971

Buying a used camping vehicle

Used campers often make excellent buys. Few are worn-out. Most were traded in because previous owners moved to larger models or different types.

USING A LAWYER FOR A PERSONAL-INJURY CLAIM

In relatively small accident claims, with probable recovery under $500, you may decide to be your own attorney (see "Settling a personal injury claim yourself," in our October 1970 issue). But say that your claim is higher, or there are special problems, and you decide to select a lawyer. Here, briefly, are some guidelines on establishing a good working relationship with an attorney.

HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING: HOW MUCH HELP IS IT?

Your youngster's counselor in high school doesn't just give advice on what courses to take. He often becomes extremely influential in decisions that have a lifetime impact: basic choices on career.

Build these boxes for storage and study

How to patch a shingled roof

Inspect your asphalt roof yearly, even if you haven't noticed any interior leaks. An inspection now may reveal damaged shingles that could lead to costly water damage on ceilings, walls and floors.

Easy edging for blacktop drives

ENVIRONMENT YES HYSTERIA NO

During the century and a half of our industrial revolution, man has behaved like a pig. The basic philosophy of our consumer society-- use it, dump it, burn it-- has been rooted in unreality. For no material on earth can really be thrown away.

AUTO POLLUTION: WHAT CAN WE REALLY DO ABOUT IT?

Cars and trucks, with their internal combustion engines, are the biggest single factor in atmospheric pollution. In some cities, they account for as much as 85 percent of the dirty air. This can't go on.

CAMPING with all the COMFORTS

Manufacturers of camping equipment are making it difficult for a family to really "rough it." You may impress your friends with your courage when you tell them you're going camping on your vacation, but camp stoves, catalytic heaters, and mantle-type lanterns let you take the conveniences of home along with you.

GOOD NEWS

Mower blades stop when you get off the safety seat. They won't start again until you're reseated and manually reengage the clutch.

How to make decorative concrete tiles

How would you like a new floor that costs little, has lots of texture and color, improves with age and never needs special care?

THE CONCERNED CONSUMER

Consumer advocates have long been pressuring manufacturers to show the dates on perishable foods in plain English. A few states do require that perishable foods carry uncoded dates so shoppers can check the freshness of foods.

How to adjust your garage door

A well-balanced garage door should remain open when it's about two feet off the ground. Above that spot it should rise slowly; below, it should gradually fall.

Color & how people live with it

Colors are very personal. If you like certain ones and feel comfortable with them, often they're right for you. We asked the homeowners whose rooms you see on these 14 pages why they chose their particular schemes. As you see, some of the reasons they gave were highly practical, others were strictly a mark of good taste.

Dahlias

are for the whole family. They're child's play to grow, good for arranging, fine for winning exhibition prizes-- colorful year after year.

Patio Houses

It used to be that if you wanted seclusion you moved to the suburbs. But as suburbs grew bigger and more crowded, the old privacy was often lost. Now a new type of house-and-land arrangement lets you regain that quiet, residential atmosphere and live in an inexpensive, spacious and contemporary home. We call it the "patio house." We think you'll like it. Here's why.

China Chicanery

There's no such thing as being stuck with a china pattern. Too formal, you think, or too demanding in design. Impossible to give your table a different look. But not so! Just to prove our point, we've experimented with one plain and one fancy pattern and show you how versatile table settings can be when accessories are changed and vivid backgrounds added. Make the most, too, of spring flowers used in dramatic and exciting ways.

Make the most of your blender

With a little experimenting, you'll find a blender can be one of the handiest items in your kitchen. It can save you preparation time and energy. Soon you'll discover all sorts of foods you can whip up or chop down to size.

Tools and rules for meat roasting

Having the right tools and knowing how to use them can make you an expert at roasting poultry, beef, and pork. The most important piece of equipment is a rack. Roasting is a method of cooking by dry heat, and a rack keeps the meat out of its fat and juices.

WHEN YOU AND YOUR DOCTOR DISAGREE

The most common reasons patients disagree with their doctors are high fees, imperious attitudes and treatment that doesn't work. Some of these patients, out of anger and frustration, give the doctor an impassioned bawling out. Others simply quit him and look around for a different physician. Still others conveniently refuse to pay the bill or pay only a certain portion.

EXCURSIONS Here are family-tailored ideas for vacation side trips

To anyone who has been beguiled by Mark Twain's Mississippi River tales, a visit to Hannibal, Missouri, seems like a homecoming. Not surprisingly, this almost uncanny sense of belonging comes as you visit other places that figured in favorite novels. By bringing the right book along, you'll discover a new dimension in an already pleasant excursion.

How to order material from the magazine

Starting a lawn from scratch

Smooth the way for a second pet

Get a second pet only if you're sure you can give it the attention it needs. Even then, you'll have to ask yourself whether your first pet will be willing to share room and board with the newcomer. There's no test for this. As the animal's owner, you should know your pet well enough to judge.

Fixing faucets and drains

If you can repair a leaking faucet and open a clogged drain, you can avoid the cost and inconvenience of a service call.

Storage units that swing

This combination window seat and bookshelf makes undercover storage both convenient and stylish. Swing up either seat top, and you reveal additional storage for books, games, and records. A nine-inch shelf at the front allows open-view storage of books and magazines.

Shopping editor's choice

Discover the fun and convenience of shopping by mail! You can order with complete confidence any of the items shown: each company will refund your money if you're not delighted.

The man next door

I always feel apprehensive about the after-dinner speaker who says he has "only a few words." It never fails: after he gets done with his few words, that's when he really starts talking.