DeKalb High School Cadets Get Guns in 1920

From the April 22, 2020, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1920, 100 Years Ago.

"The High School Cadets are not marking time since they received the new equipment of guns and rifles  from the government.

"Wednesday two squads  of the company were out for target practice and used the bank of the Kishwaukee River as a backstop.  The boys used the regular ball ammunition and some of them made very good scores."

Students with guns?  Well, it was a different time, wasn't it?

These students were probably the forerunner of today's JROTC at DeKalb High School.

Target Shooting.  --Cooter

Judge Orders Wine Barrels To be Poured Into Kishwaukee River in 1919

From the Nov. 27, 2019, MidWeek  (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1919, 100 Years Ago.

"Groans from both court attaches and spectators were audible in the county court room on Monday when Judge Pond rendered his decision in the case against an Italian resident of Kirkland, accused of selling intoxication liquor against the law , and who was the first person arrested in DeKalb County under the state search and seizure act.

"The groans came  when the judge ordered two whole barrels of perfectly good wine, seized from the defendant to be pored into the Kishwaukee river."

--CootWiner

NIU's New Music Building Gets Funding in 1969

From the March 27, 2019, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1969, Fifty Years Ago.

"The federal government has approved a $1 million grant to be used for the construction of Northern Illinois University's planned $5 million Music Building.

"The structure will be built  on a site bounded on the north by Lucinda avenue, on the east by the Kishwaukee River, and on the south by the new Art Building.  Gilbert Hall men's dormitory is directly west of the planned structure."

I don't know what happened, but the proposed site for the new Music building is now the Art building.

--Cooter

A Program for the Dead of Past Wars in 1917

From the May 31, 2017, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back.:

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"A Program will be given by Hattie Chesbro's eighth grade of the Haisch school at 9:30 o'clock at the Lucinda Avenue bridge over the Kishwaukee to commemorate the memory of the many dead in the past wars.  (DeKalb, Illinois)

"The program is always very appropriate and the public is invited to attend.  While a reading is given by Lola Maxwell, flowers will be scattered on the water and a salute to the flag given."

This, of course, would be Memorial Day/Decoration Day.

And, the United States was just weeks away from declaring war and entering World War I.

--Cooter

Looking Back to 1941: Something Fishy in DeKalb County

From the November 2, 2016, MidWeek, (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1941, 75 Years Ago.

"About 58,000 small fish, including bass, crappies, blue gills, and perch were placed in the Kishwaukee (River) in the northern section of the county."

No doubt, these fish were hatched and raised at the Spring Grove, Illinois Fish Hatchery which supplied fish for the northern part of Illinois for many years.  It has been turned into a park by my town now.

--Cooter

Looking Back 100 Years Ago: Kishwaukee River Rampage

Feb. 1916, 100 years ago.  "The old Kishwaukee (actually more of a creek than river) was on the rampage last Friday and Saturday.  The ice went out and considerable damage was threatened for a time.  Both Kirkland bridges escaped serious injury, but one of the abutments of the Cottrell Bridge was undermines, causing serious damage."

--DaFloodedCoot