LONG-TERM DEBT (Details) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 14, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 1997 USD ($) item	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2007 USD ($)	Apr. 26, 2007 USD ($)
LONG-TERM DEBT
Total long-term debt			$ 353,907	$ 377,952
Less current portion			22,484	23,134
Long-term debt, less current portion			331,423	354,818
Aggregate principal amount of notes issued	$ 30,000
Principal payments on long-term debt in fiscal years
2017			22,484
2018			23,193
2019			84,500
2020			0
2021			0
After 2021			223,730
Term loan
LONG-TERM DEBT
Total long-term debt			$ 110,500	123,500	$ 130,000
Description of variable base interest rate			LIBOR
Debt securities issued in June 1997
LONG-TERM DEBT
Aggregate principal amount of notes issued		$ 175,000
7.125% coupon 10-year notes
LONG-TERM DEBT
Interest rate percentage		7.125%
Maturity period (in years)		10 years
Aggregate principal amount of notes issued		$ 75,000
Repayment of face amount of debt						$ 75,000
7.800% Debentures, due June 15, 2027
LONG-TERM DEBT
Total long-term debt			$ 100,000	100,000
Interest rate percentage		7.80%	7.80%
Maturity period (in years)		30 years
Aggregate principal amount of notes issued		$ 100,000
Amount paid to terminate forward-starting interest rate swap agreements		$ 23,688
Number of terminated forward-starting interest rate swap agreements | item		3
Notional amount		$ 125,000
Deferred income amount at the time of swap termination		$ 18,710
Other assets, excess termination fees over deferred income			$ 1,680
6.625% Senior Notes, due May 1, 2037
LONG-TERM DEBT
Total long-term debt			$ 123,730	123,668
Interest rate percentage			6.625%				6.625%
Aggregate principal amount of notes issued							$ 125,000
Percentage of par value at which debt was issued							98.513%
Debt discount, unamortized							$ 1,859
Total underwriting fee and direct debt issue costs							$ 1,524
Effective interest rate (as a percent)			6.741%
Redemption value, basis points added to the treasury rate (as a percent)			0.30%
Redemption price as a percentage of the principal amount upon the occurrence of both a change of control and downgrade of rating (as a percent)			101.00%
4% Unsecured Note, due November 14, 2017
LONG-TERM DEBT
Total long-term debt			$ 19,677	30,604
Interest rate percentage			4.00%
Other.
LONG-TERM DEBT
Total long-term debt				$ 180
Fiscal 2015 Acquisitions
LONG-TERM DEBT
Note payable at fair value	$ 31,161