As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from Feb. 19. These archives serve as a time capsule, capturing everything from the evolution of women’s fashion to modern debates over technology in the classroom.
1914: Joliet Evening Herald
On Feb. 19, 1914, the Joliet Evening Herald balanced high fashion with hard news. The front page prominently featured a “Fashion Week” announcement for Joliet merchants, complete with an illustration of a controversial “trousers-skirt” from Paris. In grimmer news, the paper reported on a tragic “Taxi Runs Down Aged Man.” It also teased a sensational “Graphic Story of a Joliet Boy” charged with the murder of an ex-chief of police.
1974: The Daily Chronicle (DeKalb)
The Feb. 19, 1974, edition of DeKalb’s Daily Chronicle focused heavily on education and legal drama. The lead story, “Open enrollment OK’d for all DeKalb schools,” detailed a major shift in district policy. Meanwhile, the paper tracked the national fallout of the Watergate scandal with the headline “Mitchell, Stans trial begins.” Locally, city officials were “cautious on development” regarding a proposed $20 million project on the city’s north side.
1999: The Times-Press (Streator)
Streator Times Press cover: Feb. 19, 1999 Feb 19, 1999 The Times (Streator, Illinois) Newspapers.com By 1999, The Times-Press in Streator led with a somber local tragedy: “Sisters charged in Ellis death,” following an involuntary manslaughter investigation. The page also highlighted educational challenges, questioning if “Linking scores to aid” would actually benefit schools under the Illinois Standards Achievement Test.
2011: Kane County Chronicle
Rounding out the collection, the Feb. 19, 2011, Kane County Chronicle looked at the changing face of the modern classroom. The bold headline “REWARD SYSTEMS” accompanied a photo of Richmond Elementary students playing Nintendo Wii during lunch, as educators debated the role of video games in schools. The sports section cheered on local athletes with “HITTING THE MAT,” noting that seven area wrestlers had advanced to the IHSA state semifinals.
:quality(70)/author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/shawmedia/59fc2deb-4690-4608-b846-d6af698839c4.png)