November 7, 1995

TWO families have met in Africa in this century, one seeking the origins of the other, in the course of which both have emerged from obscurity. They are the Leakey family, the now celebrated dynasty of fossil hunters, and the early hominids, the ancestors and close relatives of modern humans about whom almost nothing was known before the Leakeys began finding their bones, stone tools and footprints. The Leakey and hominid family trees have become so entwined that it seemed appropriate, perhaps even inevitable, that the most recent announcement of a major fossil find should herald not only the discovery of a new hominid species, but also the accession of a new Leakey to leadership of the family's continuing search for human origins.

One by one, more than 3.9 million people have a chance to make headlines today by defying official predictions about how many registered voters will bother to go to the polls. Secretary of State Lonna R. Hooks predicted yesterday that 48 percent would make it. Party leaders were less optimistic, particularly with rain in the forecast. Those who vote will be deciding who fills 80 Assembly seats, what happens with four statewide ballot questions and who wins various local races. Polls will be open from 7 A.M. to 8 P.M.

A lot of teaching about teaching will be going on in Hudson County because of a $927,000 Federal grant to the Institute for the Advancement of Urban Education at St. Peter's College. College students will be trained to tutor high school students and high school students will learn how to help elementary students. Parents and senior citizens will be recruited, too.

Yitzhak Rabin was buried today before the greatest assembly of foreign leaders ever gathered in Israel, eulogized by President Clinton as "a martyr for peace" and by King Hussein of Jordan as "a brother, a colleague and a friend." In ceremonies that blended military precision, ringing tributes and home-grown emotion, Mr. Rabin's body was laid to rest under the pines and cypresses of Mount Herzl, the burial ground of Israel's military and spiritual heros.

The fierce race for Staten Island district attorney ended yesterday with supporters of the incumbent, William L. Murphy, accusing Borough President Guy V. Molinari, the challenger, of using a death threat to bolster his cause. The race was one of many hard-fought local contests throughout the region; in New Jersey, for instance, the entire General Assembly is up for election today. Articles, page B5.