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1925 – 100 Years Ago
Members of the fire department were called out at 7:30 o’clock this morning to extinguish a blaze at the L. A. Hudson home on Sycamore Road. The fire department was not at the scene of the fire very long as very little damage was done to the home. When the fire department arrived, the roof was on fire, thought to have been started by sparks flying from the chimney. No damage was done to the interior of the home.
Losing his control of the auto in making a turn on the slippery pavement, a Milan resident driving on College Avenue yesterday afternoon skidded and smashed into a tree on the curbing, breaking a wheel, his windshield, and doing much damage to the front of his car. It had to be hauled to a garage for repairs. Several minor accidents have been reported the past several days because of the slippery pavement. One automobile skidded into the curbing on North Fourth Street yesterday, breaking a wheel and doing damage to one fender.
According to E. E. Becker of the Pierce Trust & Savings bank, elaborate plans are being made at this time for the formal opening of the institution following several months of alterations and improvements. The bank has undergone considerable improvement within the last few months and while many people have gone over the place the officials feel that everyone interested in a first-class bank should be invited.
Mayor J. J. Kingsley, answering requests to have the normal pond given attention so that skaters could use it, has announced that at the present time the pond is in such a condition that it would be impossible to make it fit for skating without using thousands of gallons of water, which the city cannot do at this time. The pond is rough and mushy, stated the mayor, and under the present condition it would not pay to clean it. The mayor also voiced the opinion that the community swimming pool be changed to Pershing Park, and in the winter flooded so that skaters could use it.
Cortland, laboring for many years under poor electric light service, now has a service that can be compared with cities of the size of DeKalb and much larger.
1950– 75 Years Ago
A number of new students who came to the Illinois State Teachers College this fall with the scholarships provided by the Legislature, were those interested in preparing to teach by studying at one of the five schools at Carbondale, Charleston, DeKalb, Macomb and Normal. This was more than 40 per cent greater than last year.
On Thursday and Friday, the DeKalb police enjoyed a couple of days of quiet with but little activity being recorded on the blotter. Three ambulance calls, two minor complaints and an escort completed notations on the police book.
Washington D.C. – We have got some of the dumbest people in our government. I know seven of ‘em personally who can’t spell a simple word like “zeuctocoelamata.” As anybody with a Ph.D. known, that means “an extensive division of animals, including worms and mollusks.” All of this ignorance among the wheels in our governmental system came out in a fancy spelling bee last night. Seriously we ought to be proud of the clerks and the underlings who have to put pencil to pad and take down the gobbledygook pitched at them by their brass.
Pins placed on a large map of the City of DeKalb are used to record locations of traffic accidents which occur throughout the year as reported to the police department. At the close of a year the map is photographed and becomes a permanent record.
Cora Miner, art instructor, supervised the first meeting of the newly organized art classes Wednesday evening. At present there are 18 members in the class and instructions were given from 7:30 to 9:30 o’clock.
Lancaster, PA – The head of the Fulton Detective Association, this area’s version of the old west, thinks people are getting more honest all the time. The group, organized 55 years ago to track down horse thieves, now confines its activities to recovering stolen farm property, such as pigs and chickens. Elected to his tenth term as president, Edgar Kirk said: “There haven’t been any thefts reported for more than a year.”
Clare Koch of Fairdale is having a bathroom installed in his home.
Sycamore’s veterans’ organizations have agreed to pool their efforts and resources towards the building of a Sycamore Veterans Memorial Home. Both organizations, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, have voted unanimously at recent meeting to combine their efforts in this direction.
1975 – 50 Years Ago
An issue which led to a 1971 teacher’s strike will be considered again by the DeKalb Board of Education Monday night. At issue is what role teachers should play in the hiring, firing, and reassignment of other teachers. A teacher was added to an organized team at the middle school without the prior approval of team members. The other teachers do not dislike or disapprove of the new teacher. But the team members question why they were not consulted before she was assigned to their team.
A DeKalb man told police someone broke into his home Friday night and took $60 in coins and bills. M.P. of 408 S. Eighth St., said entry was made through a bedroom window.
If you’re about to enter the golden years retirement, you’ll find the entry much more pleasant if you make three decisions before you retire. First, decide how you want to spend your time. Then decide where you want to live and finally, decide whether you will change your type of housing.
The Sycamore City Council will address itself to two off-street parking issues Monday night. An ordinance to prohibit people from parking their cars in their front yards will go up before the council. The council will also consider giving parked motorists more time for their money in the State and Somonauk street parking lots.
2000 – 25 Years Ago
The DeKalb County Rehab and Nursing Center will be reinspected by the Illinois Department of Public Health within the next week or two, according to the DeKalb Couty Building Commission. The building failed the state department’s first architectural inspection late in 1999 due to a short punch list of minor items.
Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka toured Hope Haven’s newly expanded homeless shelter Monday morning. The shelter benefited from a $340,000 loan through the treasurer’s Target Initiative Program. Hope Haven, with a capacity of 72 people, is the only homeless shelter in DeKalb County.
I’d like The Chronicle to take notice and the people to congratulate Sheriff Scott and his deputies for the way they do not engage in high-speed chases but use common sense and good police work. This has happened twice in the last three months where officers were able to get the bad guy, basically, without causing danger to the citizens of this county. It is good judgement it is good police work. It’s the responsible action and I think Sheriff Scott has once again shown the quality of himself and his staff. I for one appreciate the fact that he doesn’t endanger other people’s lives.
Compiled by Sue Breese