1925 – 100 Years Ago

At noon today 660 students had registered at the state college for the fall quarter, the largest attendance during the regular school years in the history of the state college.

Within the next few days, the DeKalb theatre will have several complimentary patrons, the several winners in the recent Paramount misspelled word contest today received the tickets that were awarded for finding the misspelled words in the ads that appeared. The contest created much interest, a large number of people sending in answers to the contest editor. A few of the ads created much mystery as to the words that were misspelled, especially in the case where the names of the merchants were spelled.

Sycamore now has another professional man in its midst in the person of Dr. B. J. Wadey who has taken up practice with Dr. Brown. It is expected that the younger professional man will be of considerable assistance to the old resident. As many people have already met Dr. Wadey, and report him a man of pleasing personality, he is certain to get his share of professional business in the community.

Thursday, politician’s day at the Sandwich Fair, attracted a large number of residents from this city. Although the weather at times was not very encouraging, a large number of automobile loads of fair fans motored to the southern end of the county.

Many from the Rolo community attended the community picnic held at Shabbona Park last Saturday.

Through the efforts of several DeKalb Boy Scouts, an interesting story on the number of automobiles that passed through DeKalb on Monday, Labor Day, has been brought to light. Several Boy Scouts were stationed at the eastern and western city limits of the city early Monday morning and a check of every auto that passed through the city was made. The Scouts kept a record from nine o’clock in the morning until nine o’clock at night. According to the Scout’s records, 7,770 automobiles passed through DeKalb during the 12 hours. It is estimated that over 10,000 automobiles passed through DeKalb during the 24 hours on Monday, as a continuous streams commenced shortly after midnight Sunday night, the heavy traffic continuing until after midnight Monday night.

Before the Chicago Motor Club workmen erecting stop signs on the Lincoln Highway through this city leave DeKalb, a red reflex sign will be erected at the scene of the auto accident on the North First Street Road where two young men were killed about a year ago. It will be remembered that the auto in which three DeKalb Young men were riding struck the tree in the end of the road near the high school bridge, killing two of the occupants and severely injuring the third.

1950– 75 Years Ago

Letters have been received by all retail merchants in the DeKalb downtown area from the Chamber of Commerce asking the retailers to cooperate in a plan presented by Mayor Frank Sohne and City Engineer Lloyd Johnson for keeping the street in the business district in a more presentable condition. The city street department has proposed that they place containers in each block to be used by business houses to place their sweepings in each morning. These containers are to be set out and be collected each morning.

The DeKalb County Farm Bureau, farm management tour of Ada and Jesse Cory’s farm located about five miles south of Shabbona on the blacktop to Rollo or two miles northeast of Rollo will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 12. The tour will begin at 10 o’clock, rain or shine, and will be over about 3:30 o’clock.

Mable Donahue of Lindenwood and Milton Duell of Esmond, will be married at Lindenwood Church on September 16.

The Federated Church of Sycamore has begun work directed toward utilization of a part of the property transferred to it from the Congregational Church early this summer. The residence on South Maple Street directly behind the Federated Church, formerly known as “the Cottage,” is being converted into a parish house for the use of the church. The growth of the Federated Church and Church school during the past few years, together with the fact that the property for such an expansion is on hand, made the project necessary and possible.

The school bus from Sycamore began its regular scheduled trips from Clare on Wednesday.

The army reception center at Fort Sheridan, where nearly a half million men were processed during World War II, is being reactivated and will begin operations September 15, it was announced by Fifth Army headquarters.

The Fay School, the last country school in Squaw Grove Township, re-opened Tuesday with 14 pupils enrolled. Mrs. Ethel Greenacre has again taken the job of teaching, where she has been for the past several years. It is not planned to close this last country school as it is hoped that a new oil burner will soon be installed.

1975 – 50 Years Ago

If school districts and other local taxing units don’t pay the county’s taxb administration fee voluntarily, the county treasurer will take what is owed out of real estate taxes distributed to those taxing units.

Questionnaires were distributed to Huskie Line riders at Northern Illinois University today. The survey of riders is part of a city study of mass transportation in the DeKalb and Sycamore area. The study will be completed in about six months.

The talents of the DeKalb Senior Citizens Hi-Rise Club will manifest themselves for public approval on Saturday from 9 to 6 at the Golden Years Plaza, 507 E. Taylor St. The bazaar, an annual event now in its fourth year, provides funds for the Hi-Rise Club’s treasury which is used to buy things for the building and to entertain residents.

Spraying for mosquitoes’ abatement in Sycamore was allegedly begun last night without city permission. Tim LaBon, Second Ward alderman, said a Clarke Outdoor Spraying Co, representative confirmed this morning report the company had sprayed last night.

2000 – 25 Years Ago

Young people are welcome to celebrate fall and the harvest season at DeKalb County Farm Bureau’s Harvest Rhythms Celebration on Sept. 30 at the Tracy and Beth Jones Farm in rural Clare. Harvest Rhythms is a new event for young Farm Bureau members, couples and families, to get together for an enjoyable evening on the farm.

The National Bank & Trust Co. of Sycamore is beginning an innovative partnership with the Business & Industrial Development Center of Kishwaukee College. The BID Center offers personal computing seminars, as well as an array of other training workshops, to individuals and companies striving to develop business-building skills.

Some homes in Sycamore, Genoa and Sandwich will be tested for possible mercury contamination, but Nicor is not saying when or how many will be inspected. Those three towns, as well as DeKalb, are part of the list that includes 200 towns in Nicor’s service area that have old-style regulators moved within the last five year.

A showdown many come soon in the dispute between the city of Genoa and Humane Manufacturing, with the Illinois state’s attorney general’s office leading a charge to force Humane to get an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency permit or cease operations in Genos.

Compiled by Sue Breese