Sunday movies the talk of Elgin in 1908

"Did you hear they might open the movie theaters on Sundays?"

"I'm not sure a teacher can really tell a student's ability by the shape of their head." "Bringing back football will not be good for that school."

These are some of the comments people might have made after reading the newspapers of a century ago. Here's a look at the stories that made Elgin area news in December 1908.

• Enjoying a Sunday movie at the theater is a common occurrence today, but a century ago such pastimes were strictly illegal. It was time to change that said various members of the newly created Elgin Commercial Club, now the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce. To bring more residents to the theaters on Sundays - and subsequently to the downtown stores - the men planned to circulate a petition to local store owners which would be presented to the city council.

• Anyone who's had too much to drink had better not plan on taking public transportation into or out of Elgin, officials of the Chicago, Aurora, Elgin interurban line said. If a conductor sees a man waiting to board a car who he feels is intoxicated, he will signal the motorman to pass the fare by. Anyone on board who became unruly would be put off at the next stop by the conductor.

Officials acknowledged the policy could lead to potential litigation and directed their attorneys to research the matter.

• "We want football back," was the message from a number of Elgin Academy students who were planning to pass petitions to restore the sport to the school. Academy officials originally banned the game at the school several years earlier saying rules were too lax and there were too many injures. Elgin High School students also likely yearned for the return of their in-town rivals with whom they had played 0 to 0 ties in their last two outings.

• "Let's deal with our garbage problem," a concerned group of women told the Elgin City Council. A growing city like Elgin needs an incinerator; they told the trustees - who, in turn referred the matter to a committee. "Elgin also needs to provide weekly garbage pickup for the residents," they added. The common practice of dumping garbage at open lots "was quickly becoming a nuisance."

• Saying it gave them new insights into their students' abilities, a growing number of Elgin teachers were studying a new way to understand their pupils - craniology. Square jaws, they said, indicated a student who had a "fixed purpose," while round jaw indicated one who was "submissive." When the back of the head was perpendicular with the neck, the student was "not one of the best. While the classes were not officially required by the Board of Education, a majority of teachers said they planned to enroll by year's end.

• The removal of a clock - a longtime community icon - from a downtown tower not only raised the ire of many citizens, but it now appeared to be an issue headed to court. The clock, which was in an old woolen mill purchased by the Y.M.C.A., had recently been removed and sold by association officials. They had no right to do so, said city officials who produced old city minute books saying the clock was a city possession and threatened to take the Y.M.C.A. to court to resolve the matter.

• Finally, as the holidays approached and more residents prepared to spend more time in local churches, the Elgin fire chief issued some warnings.

"Christmas trees are combustible and their decorations of paper and tinsel are dangerously so." Though electric lights were being more common, many other tress were still lit with candles which can easily catch fire, he said. Many churches also had piles of rubbish beneath the tress.

On a positive note, the chief's recent inspections of downtown churches showed many congregations had modified their sanctuary doors to open outward and all had exit signs properly lit.