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1922 – 100 YEARS AGO
Otto Felinger, of Sycamore, will verify the old saying, “It don’t take much sometimes.” While at his duties on Tuesday at the B. A. Wyman restaurant, the county seat man engaged in “pulling fingers” across the counter with a customer. The fellow’s fingers “pulled” and Otto slipped back, dislocating a knee cap and straining a tendon in the knee which will keep him at home a few days. It is said the accident will not prove serious.
Believing that snow and water getting under the plank at the Fourth Street crossing of the North Western are responsible for the almost constant repairs there during the winter, an asphalt filler is being put in. Howard Bratton states if it is possible to keep the snow and water from under the planks, the crossing will show much less wear and tear. The idea is to have the car wheels grind the snow or water out over the edge of the plank rather than allow it to seep beneath the crossing.
The First National Bank of Malta had a number of the new Peace dollars the first of the week, but after the first one had been given out the supply was soon exhausted. It was said that several more could have been distributed if they had been at hand.
Following the regular meeting of the Rotary Club held today at noon, the board of directors held a meeting, and one matter of importance was acted upon. The action of the board was favorable for the lighting of the pond at the state teacher’s college, thus giving people plenty of amusement on the ice at night, as long as skating weather lasts. This will be done at once.
Twelve of Miss Bearhope’s typewriting students have completed a set of lessons in speed work for which they will be awarded a prize by a typewriter company. The Royal Company is sponsoring the contest to aid in the better development of high school typists. They offer prizes, the first is given to those making 40 words a minute without mistake and is a certificate of a proficiency. The second award given to those completing 60 words a minute is an advanced certificate of proficiency. A third prize of a gold medal is given to those doing 75 words a minute. The grand prize, a Royal typewriter, is given to those who can type 85 words a minute.
1947 – 75 YEARS AGO
An auto owned by Leonard Anderson of DeKalb was completely destroyed by a fire yesterday it was reported to the sheriff’s office. Mr. Anderson was traveling north on Route 23, about two miles south of Genoa, when the blaze started. While driving, the wiring shorted and Anderson stopped the auto and attempted to pull the wire off, to no avail. Before anything further could be done, the vehicle was a complete blaze. The auto was a total loss and Anderson received slight burns on the hands.
On Monday, Fire Chief Stanley Tastad and Police Officer Harold Rowe will demonstrate the inhalator and portable iron lung to each health and physical education class at the DeKalb Township High School. The demonstration will start at 8 o’clock in the morning and will continue throughout the day, with a number of smaller groups also to witness the demonstrations.
Hollywood – Bouncing Betty Hutton, who entertained over 2,000,000 servicemen during the war, today was cited for an American Legion Medal of Honor. The Legion’s Beverly Hills post said it would award the medal at its meeting January 15.
All members and prospective members of the Afton Boys Four-H Club are asked to attend a meeting to be held on Wednesday. The session is being held at the home of Warren Holdridge, and this will be a reorganization meeting with the election of officers being planned. Potential members as well as all old timers are urged to attend.
While drawing up New Year’s Resolutions, everyone should resolve to read some of the books he has always wanted to read. Whether they are best sellers, spine-chilling mysteries or age-old classics, travel or biography, they can be found at the public library. A library card is “open sesame” to hours of entertainment. Those who don’t own a card are urged to go to the library and get one. All red tape has been cut.
National Bank and Trust Company of Sycamore has purchased the Pierce Building on January 2 according to the real estate transfer recorded in the circuit clerk’s office in the DeKalb County Court House. The bank now occupies the ground floor of the building which is a structure 80 by 80 feet. It is located on the southwest corner of State and Maple Streets. The building was purchased from Emily C. Halsted, trustee for Mrs. Elinor Gates.
1972 – 50 YEARS AGO
The DeKalb County Board of Supervisors today approved the rezoning of a tract of land proposed as an auto dealer center. The land, owned by G. Covell Terwilliger, is bounded by the East-West Tollway extension, the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, and Rt. 23. Terwilliger had originally requested that the 27-acre site be rezoned from a farming classification to a light industrial classification for the auto park.
The foods, fashions, music and dancing of the vast Arab world were sampled by 450 Northern Illinois residents Saturday evening in the University Center Grand Ballroom. The occasion was the eighth annual NIU Arab Club Banquet, sponsored not only to raise funds for Arab philanthropies, but also to enhance friendship between the United States and the Arab Middle East. Guests from other cultural heritages also were present.
Simmon and Boettcher, architects, were present at last night’s Genoa-Kingston Board of Education meeting to present the final drawings for the proposed addition to the Genoa Grade School.
DeKalb will be the first city in the nation to hire a foreign student in a city management trainee position. Gavin O’Conner of Calac, Victoria, will begin working with the city under the Association of International exchange of Students in Economics and Commerce.
1997 – 25 YEARS AGO
The city of Sycamore’s hope of redeveloping the Harvester Square industrial complex continues to stall, now that the former owner has been charged with dumping lead-contaminated industrial sand at the site.
The Sycamore High School Marching, Concert and Jazz bands took home top honors against other bands from across the country at the National Events International Band Competition two weeks ago in Tampa, Fla.
With the owners apparently at a crossroads in deciding whether to pursue development, the DeKalb Park District is moving forward with plans to purchase open-space property on the west side of town. At last night’s park board meeting, Park District Director Dave Emanuelson gave members an update on the University Village Phase IV property. The 10-acre area, located on the corner of Russell Road and Crane Drive, is now used by residents for recreation, but the owners, partners in Listy Land Accounting Department, have expressed a desire to expand their complex on the property.
– Compiled by Sue Breese
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Scan_258 Steam power engine used for the Corn Boil at the DeKalb Elks Club, driven in the 1956 DeKalb Centennial Parade. Courtesy DeKalb County History Center Archives.