1925 – 100 Years Ago

Seventy-two pupils of the DeKalb High School this morning responded to a call issued by music department of the school for persons interested in learning to play a band instrument. The organization that is being planned at the high school will be called a junior band. Nine of the 72 that answered the call own their own instrument and the school is able to furnish ten other young people with instruments, which means that 53 more instruments must be secured immediately if the band is to be organized.

The paving of Sycamore Road, which has been in progress for the past several weeks, will be finished late this afternoon or tomorrow morning, according to a report early this afternoon. The workmen were a short distance from the railroad tracks this afternoon, laying slab, and making very good progress. The work cannot all be completed by nightfall, as a short strip in front of the Love residence north of the county infirmary must be laid. At this point new cement must be laid on both sides of the old road, and the strip was left until last in order that the old road might be used for the hauling of material.

According to a plan devised at a meeting of the ushers of the First Lutheran church on Tuesday night of this week at the home of Rev. E. W. Magnusson, the Lutheran church Boy Scouts will act as ushers at the Sunday evening services at the church. The scouts will be in full uniform, and the new plan will give the members of the congregation an opportunity of seeing the scouts and learn more of their work.

Much fruit is being hauled over the Chicago & North Western railroad at the present time, it being estimated that from 150 to 250 car loads of peaches, pears, cantaloupe and grapes pass through DeKalb daily. All of the cars are being re-iced in the Clinton yards before coming east.

Bids for the erection of the hotel annex and the remodeling of the present hotel are being prepared, according to one of the committee members. The member of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce hotel committee today stated that there is nothing left for the committee now to do except wait on action that is being taken by Mr. Wenzel of the Planter’s Hotel, Chicago, who is interested in the building of the new DeKalb hotel.

1950– 75 Years Ago

Harold A. Rissman, enforcing officer of the DeKalb County Zoning Department, announces that several building and other permits have been issued recently. Among the permits issued were: W. B. Miner, 710 Normal Road, garage; John Halverson, rural DeKalb, garage; John W. Myers, 158 Oak Drive, house; Walter Hulmes, Meadowlands, permit to park trailer on lot. John Rosenberg representing DeKalb Agricultural Association, permit to post DeKalb Hybrid Seed Corn signs throughout the county. These are seasonal signs. Marvin Prather petitioned the Board of Appeals to consider rezoning an “F” area to a “B-2” area for the purpose of construction of a race track therein.

The float U.S.S. Illinois, which has been seen throughout the United States on its numerous tours, has probably brought Waterman, a village of several hundred population, more favorable publicity than any other thing in the history of the community. The float was conceived in the mind of Paul Eakle, who has been almost entirely responsible for the designing, creation, operation and promotion of the highway dreadnaught for the 16 years of its life. Upon his return from France after World War I Sgt. Eakle was deeply impressed with the majesty of the New Jersey, on which he returned to the States.

Pigeons have deserted the courthouse. The sticky stuff placed on their roosting places by the tuck pointer fouled up their feathers and discouraged them. The janitor found five laying in the yard; all the others took the hint and vanished.

Inability of The DeKalb Daily Chronicle to secure adequate standard size newsprint has forced the use of odd-sized paper. Today’s issue of The Chronicle is seven columns in width instead of the conventional eight. The newsprint was secured from The Chronicle’s regular source when the company was unable to provide additional standard sized print. The odd-sized paper will probably be used for the next five to six weeks.

Harrison Van Natta, Sycamore mortician, as elected coroner of DeKalb County today by the Board of Supervisors to fill the unexpired term of the late W. W. Cooper of Genoa.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History has taken on a tremendous moving job. For the purposes of better exhibition, it has become necessary to move Joe from one room to another. Joe is the familiar title of a 25,000-year-old mastodon which is the museum’s prize item. The curators and their assistants are busy taking Joe apart, cataloging and washing his bones and then dipping them in a preservative.

1975 – 50 Years Ago

Time prevented the Lindgren Bros. of Sycamore from providing emergency grain storage elevators for the Evansville, Wisc., farmers this year. A farmers group led by Arnold Rupnow approached Lindgren Bros. for help after an effort to reopen the bankrupt Farmer’s Grain Exchange fell through.

DeKalb AgResearch employes can report late for work and not worry about being fired. For more than a year now, the company has had a flexible hour policy whereby employes may work around their own schedules as long as they get their work done.

The empty lot on Mason Court will be transformed into a playground by the middle of October. The playground was part of the original plans for Mason Manor low-income housing project. However, the housing authority ran out of money and the playground plan looked as thought it would never get past the architect’s drawings.

Regulations for snowmobilers using the county forest preserves will be formulated soon. The county has had no formal policy for snowmobilers using the forest preserves. Non-snowmobilers using the forest preserves last winter registered some complaints against snowmobile enthusiasts.

2000 – 25 Years Ago

Due to the popularity of swimming during cold weather, the Kishwaukee Family YMCA has stepped up with a new indoor swimming pool addition to its existing building. The new 18,000 square-foot addition will be the home to an eight-lane lap swimming pool with bleacher seating and separate locker rooms for men and women. The YMCA also will have a new front entrance and desk area once construction is complete.

The Kelly Miller Circus will appear at Indian Springs Shopping Center on Monday in Sandwich. The circus elephants will begin erecting the Big Top around 8 a.m. and everyone is invited to come and watch.

Sycamore has set an ambitious goal for itself. It hopes to raise $1.7 million for the transformation of the community center into a proposed performing arts center. The new center will be equipped with galleries, meeting rooms and a 250-seat theater. The renovation of an old building is better for the community than the construction of a new one. It will only add to the quaintness of downtown Sycamore.

Compiled by Sue Breese