1925 – 100 Years Ago

Three automobiles, one a Hudson coach that was damaged to some extent, figured in accidents this morning about eight o’clock on the slippery pavement of West Lincoln Highway, about two miles west of DeKalb. The Hudson skidded on the pavement and tipped over in the ditch, but the two occupants were not injured. The accident happened as the car was attempting to make the sharp turn in the road at this point. A few seconds after the Hudson skidded and went into the ditch another large automobile, from the east, skidded on the pavement, turned completely around but remained on the cement.

Adopting a system that is used by the majority of the colleges and universities of the country, the DeKalb high school has adopted a new system of grading that will be used at the opening of the next semester. The system will be the letters A, B, C, D, and E instead of the numerical system. The state college has already adopted the new system and it will be used this quarter for the first time. The manner of grading will be greatly simplified as a student will be able to compare his grade with that secured at other colleges where the same system is used.

Mrs. Harriet Mayo, for many years a resident of North First street living in the home at First street and Lincoln Highway that is now owned by the DeKalb lodge of Elks, has again become a resident of the street, the well-known woman early this week moving into her beautiful new home, built adjoining the former Mayo residence. As yet all of the interior work on the new residence has not been completed, but Mrs. Mayo has taken up her residence in the new home.The home is one of the most beautiful in this city, the contractors requiring over a year to construct it. The residence will be one of the beauty spots of the city and one for which DeKalb should be complimented.

Electrical experts have been busy today installing the burglar alarm at the rear of the new First National bank building, following the completion of the work on the inside of the building. The box on the south side of the building is placed high from the ground to avoid tampering and yet when it is sounded may be heard for several blocks.

1950– 75 Years Ago

A number of DeKalb residents were wondering why their ashes and tin cans were not collected the latter part of this week. Although the $4 fee for ash and tin can collection was due on November 1, the city workers on the collection trucks were not given the up-to-date route books until a few days ago and the collections were not made at homes where the fee had not been paid.

Noticed a lot of youngsters around Sycamore lately wearing Daniel Boone type coonskin caps. They seem to have a lot of fun bobbing their heads to make the tails swing. Mostly little shavers.

Christmas packages to be sent by mail should be wrapped stoutly. Use stiff corrugated fiberboard, strong outer paper, and heavy twine. Fragile items must be individually cushioned in a strong box to present breakage. Postmaster D. A. Leifheit stated that a package is not wrapped to withstand the Christmas rush unless it can be tumbled down a chute, tossed some distance into a mail sack, and then have other loaded mail sacks piled on top of it.

A fire believed to have been caused by defective wiring resulted in an estimated $1,000 worth of damage Thursday night in the Herb Lungstrom home, 344 East High Street, Sycamore. The fire was confined to the basement, but heavy smoke hindered efforts of the Sycamore fire department to extinguish the blaze. Fire Chief Charles Butzow estimated the damage at $500 to the building and $500 to the contents of the house. The department was out for one and three-quarters hours.

With the sending of 20 more packages today, a clothing collecting campaign sponsored by the Y-Teens group of the DeKalb Township High School, is drawing to a successful close. To the present time 90 packages have been sent to two high schools in Helsinki, Finland, with the total shipment of clothing running over 1,000 pounds.

The Genoa Legion post will also assist in the drive for “Tide of Toys” for the children of Europe. This drive to collect new and used extra toys will be held between the week of Christmas and New Year’s Day or they may be left at the I.N.U office. Messages from America should be attached to each toy. This may be a Christmas greeting or a letter and is most important so that the children of Europe know they have real American friends.

1975 – 50 Years Ago

Transit study committee members will be asked Thursday to respond to a 34-page report detailing citizen opinions on mass transportation. The report is one part of a mass transit study being conducted in the DeKalb and Sycamore area. Two committees were formed to aid DeKalb city officials who are directing the study.

The DeKalb Public Hospital (DPH) Board of Directors wants the hospital building to be used as a residential and day care facility for the elderly. A three-part recommendation included that the building be maintained as a non-profit and self-supporting institution, that all financial assets of DPH be kept and ear marked for use by the new facility to enable health care to be delivered at the lowest possible costs, and that the new operation, using the new wing as a residential facility and the old wing as a day care center, be kept under the control of the city.

The nomination of John Paul Stevens by President Ford to the Supreme Court has a DeKalb County judge strutting his week. Circuit Judge Carl A. Swanson and Stevens were classmates at the Northwestern University Law School.

2000 – 25 Years Ago

Employees from 3M played the part of Santa’s elves Saturday by purchasing toys at Target. The purchases will go to DeKalb County Toys for Tots, which collects toys for distribution to needy children in DeKalb County. On Saturday a group of eight employees had $1,150 to spend in 13 to 17-year-olds.

DeKalb’s first put-play e-commerce venture now calls a Pleasant Street warehouse its home. Forthefan.com Inc., launched in late 1997, offers merchandise for Wisconsin sports fans from more than 150 licensed vendors at a user-friendly web site. Expansion into new markets is being planned for next fall.

Long-time DeKalb County residents watching the election drama unfold in Florida may have found the name of one of Vice President Al Gore’s lead attorneys, David Boies, familiar. And it’s no coincidence. Boies was born in Sycamore and lived here as a child before moving to California. Had he stayed, he would have been among the fourth generation of the Sycamore Boies family. John Boies, an official with The National Bank & Trust Company of Sycamore, is David’s cousin.

Santa Claus will arrive in Waterman at 7 p.m. Sunday to light the village Christmas tree. Because there is no guarantee of snow by then, Santa will arrive in a red fire truck.