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1923 – 100 YEARS AGO
Nine students, eight of them from the Normal department and one from the high school, today graduated from the Northern State Teachers College. The services for the graduates were informal, and occurred during the general exercise hour. Seven of those receiving the diplomas were present, the other two will have their sheep skins mailed to them immediately.
Complaints from several sources have been received at the office of Mayor J. J. Kingsley to the effect that a little soap and water would be beneficial to the faces of the memorial clock located at Third and Lincoln Highway. Following an investigation by Wes Concidine, custodian of the clock, the announcement has been made that the trouble is not due to the lack of soap and water but that the preparation used on the glass to keep it from steaming in cold weather and thus obstruct the view is peeling off, causing the dirty appearance.
Sycamore, by a majority of 124 votes yesterday, approved the selection of a park site for Sycamore as provided under an act entitled, “An act provided for the organization of park districts and the transfer of submerged lands to those bordering on navigable bodies of water,” approved June 24, 1895. On the referendum ballot the people also voted that the site of the park shall be in the east end of the city instead of the west end. As yet the official returns have not been made known, but it is understood that the east side will carry by a majority of two to one.
According to report received today, chicken thieves are operating regularly at farms near Shabbona, and unless the thievery ceases, there is likely to be a posse formed and someone given an extra dose of buckshot or rock sale. Reports were received at the office yesterday that the people committing the petty crimes are known, and there is to be a concentrated effort put forth to see that it is stopped.
Benton Brave Hawk, of the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota, is a guest of the DeKalb Shabbona Tribe of Woodcraft league of DeKalb. Brave Hawk is a full-blooded Sioux and is here for a short visit that he may meet the boys who are interested in the customs of his people.
1948 – 75 YEARS AGO
In order to halt the practice of motorists parking their vehicles along the Chicago & North Western right of way from First to Fourth Streets in DeKalb, the railroad is placing posts which will prevent entrance. Installation of the post at the intersection and along the railroad right of way will bring to an end the dangerous practice of parking cars there. Not only was the parking of cars at these spots an infringement on the railroad property but the parked cars also hindered the view of motorists crossing the track as they blocked the view along the tracks.
Mrs. John Kanies of Cortland writes that for 15 years she has been collecting pretty names for homes, farms, ranches, camps, hotels and taverns. Names like Aqua Nova, Bonnie Acres, and Faraway Hills. She finds them in books, papers, magazines and over the radio, and some she has composed herself like Shadow Pool and Tranquil Splendor. She has over 1,500 now.
A communication received from the headquarters of the Eight Army at Yokohama, Japan, states that George G. Mikez, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Mikez of DeKalb, has been assigned to the 304th signal operations battalion. He has served in the army for more than four years. He attended the St. Mary’s parochial school and the DeKalb Township High School.
Many communications which come to a library are about routine matters. But when, “American Library Association” appears in the left-hand corner on the envelope it behooves the librarian to sit up and take notice, so to speak. Such a letter came to the Sandwich Library last week. It was asking the librarian if it were possible to obtain some picture of the library for files in Headquarters Library. A.L.A. keep on file exterior and interior view of libraries which they loan to librarians and trustees who are making building plans of their own and who want to see what other buildings are like. The letter stated that they consider this library a nice example of small library construction.
At 7:30 o’clock Thursday night, an automobile driven by a woman of Cortland, missed the turn on North 13th Street in DeKalb and smashed into a tree. The car was completely wrecked, Deputy Sheriff Harry Overton reported, but the driver escaped with only a slight cut over one eye.
Two men walked into the Wayne Knoll-Junior Olson service station in Leland and lifted $40 from the cash register and walked off down the street Tuesday afternoon. The robbery happened about 6 o’clock in the evening just as Mr. Knoll was returning to the station and while Junior Olson was in the shop room. Mr. Knoll saw the two men emerge from the station, but thought nothing of it until he missed the money a little later when using the register.
1973 – 50 YEARS AGO
Mitten, mitten, who’s got the mitten? And if you have it, and the mate to it, we know where you can put it. On the mitten tree in the First National Bank. Individuals and organizations may hang their “contributions” on the tree and on Dec. 17, the mittens will be given to the Salvation Army for distribution at Christmas.
From a head county of 600 students in 1968, Kishwaukee College has grown to a school with 1,864 persons enrolled. Many of these students are just out of high school. However, the majority of Kish students are not recent high school graduates. The average age of students at the college in 26 years.
The Daily Bread Bakery of Somonauk, which was opened Sept. 20 by Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Caquelin, was sold to Bruce Wold last week. Wold’s mother, Mrs. Lois Wold, will remain in charge of the kitchen and the Wolds plan to continue business as usual. Wold will continue his job at Bud’s Citgo in Somonauk in addition to helping his mother in the bakery.
1998 – 25 YEARS AGO
DeKalb’s history twists around one single invention. A shard of metal held between two wires was responsible for not only bringing scores of workers to the town, but for bringing in a major state university. Northern Illinois University filmmakers will unveil a 50-minute documentary which pays homage to the barbed wire which became such a boon to the City of DeKalb.
A proposed Rochelle rail-port could be a boon for regional industry and might reduce the number of trains traveling through DeKalb County, according to supporters. Congress has allocated $300,000 to study Rochelle as a possible location for the rail-port, a transportation hub for trucks and trains to ship goods to the West Coast.
DeKalb County Sherif’s Sgt. Gary Dumdie has lived and worked with his partner for more than three years but has never heard his partner speak a word. Nonetheless, Dumdie treats his partner like family, offering him a place to live and food to eat. And the only thing his partner can offer in return is a few “bow wows” and a lick of the hand. Dumdie’s partner is A. J., a 5-year-old German Shepherd.
– Compiled by Sue Breese