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The staff of the Northern Illinois in 1899-1900. Alice Crosby is in the front row, fourth from the left. |
How familiar now is the title of our school paper, the "Northern Illinois"! The majority of us have accepted it all as a matter of fact, and do not realize that even the name was at one time the subject of the most ardent and prolonged discussion. Yet it is true that when the Board of Managers, the editor and assistant editor met with the chairman of the board, on Friday, October 20, 1899, the question of choosing a name for the new school paper occupied fully an hour of the evening - the name suggested by our president being finally decided upon. But this was not the first step taken. At the General Exercises of the same day the faculty had chosen from their number Fred L. Charles as chairman of the Board of Managers of the school paper. The Senior Section had chosen Minnie A. Hausen as their representative; Junior B, Adda M. White; Junior A I, Elizabeth Cody; Junior A II, L.W. Ragland, business manager. With this corps of workers the paper was to begin and it seemed like a Herculean task when the energetic chairman intimated that the first number should be issued the following Thursday; for the Northern Illinois Teachers' Association was to convene at the building on that day, and all agreed that it would be the most opportune time to bring Number I of Volume I of the Northern Illinois before the notice of not only the students of the N.I.S.N.S., but the visitors as well.
The first issue was to be a fourteen-page edition, and as it was the initial number it was agreed that its contents should be of a somewhat general nature. On Saturday morning the work began in earnest. The design for the cover was kindly taken in charge by the Art Instructor, and other ingenious ones of the faculty planned and executed minor headings. Articles on the various topics were furnished by the board.
There was another matter to receive attention, one which was of the deepest concern to the existence of the Northern Illinois. This was the financial condition. On Friday evening the paper was planned without any assurance that it could exist; on Saturday evening, through the effort of the chairman of the board, assisted by the business manager, the entire scheme had become possible. Not only could the N.I.S.N.S. have a paper, but because of the hearty response of the advertisers that paper could be of the best material.
Cuts were hurriedly ordered, barbs were contributed, and even poetry
lent its charm to the pages, so that the members of that body who had met
for the first time on Friday evening, were ready to offer the first edition
to the school on the following Thursday morning. The students, with three
exceptions, were unanimous in their subscription. Can any school make a
similar showing? The visitors at the N.I.T.A. received the paper heartily,
many carrying away the souvenir copy, while many others entered their names
as regular subscribers.
Later on came the choosing of the editorial staff. The management was most
happy in its choice of correspondents. Minnie M. Bush took charge of the
Practice School page; Lewis E. Flentje, Athletics; Olive A. Spence, Organizations;
Jessamine Crapser, Musical; Zuella A. Love, Exchanges; Edward M. Cornell,
Oaks and Barbs - oaks and barbs in the N.I.S.N.S. vernacular meaning personals
and jokes.
Throughout the year the policy of the paper has been to present that to its readers which would be worth the reading, something of real value. It has given in its lengthier articles the history of those men who have so generously equipped the Normal; an account of the dedicatory exercises as well as of the first public gathering of teachers held within its walls, the N.I.T.A.; also full outlines of those strong features which are essentially our own. Its editorial has been for the most part upon topics pertinent to the school, yet under its editorial correspondents there has been published very credible articles on the topics of the day. ...
While to some who have especially "stood by," the paper has meant much work and effort, yet the task has not been without its redeeming pleasures. The many obstacles overcome by those young people who were especially pledged to see the enterprise to the finish only served to cement the bonds of friendship and good feeling. Through the courtesy of their chairman these persons met occasionally in a capacity other than that of business. The members will never forget the jolly suppers at the restaurant in the winter and "under the oaks" on the beautiful moonlight evenings of springtime. Then jokes and fun went round and the toasts were of the most entertaining character.
"What we hope the Northern Illinois will become," to quote
from its first issue, "is parallel with what we hope the N.I.S.N.S.
as a whole may be in the cause of education - an influence far reaching
in its good results."