This won't help much this time, but the next time you have one of these screws that doesn't want to budge, try this, BEFORE you strip the head off:
Seat the Phillips screwdriver firmly into the head of the screw. Apply a moderate pressure as if to tighten the screw. Rap the butt end of the screwdriver sharply several times while applying as much pressure as possible to TIGHTEN the screw. Now, reverse the pressure on the screwdriver, bear into the screw with as much pressure as possible, and try to loosen the screw. Often, the hammer blows will break the corrosion. Also, they will firmly seat the point of the driver into the head of the screw.
DO NOT try this with a cheap screwdriver. A new Craftsman with the correct sized tip works great! If you can get a screwdriver with a tip made of hardened steel, even better.
A screw that has been locked in by corrosion, combined with a Phillips tip that is worn or rounded is the perfect prescription to cause the problem you have described.
Steve
<small>[ October 03, 2002, 05:28 PM: Message edited by: projectSHO89 ]</small>