Editorial: Larson's impact on Schaumburg and the Northwest suburbs

The Daily Herald Editorial Board

The iconic Woodfield Shopping Center and Al L. Larson arrived in Schaumburg at just about the same time - Woodfield in 1971, Larson in 1969.

Woodfield transformed the village, there can be no doubt, and in combination with O'Hare International Airport, transformed the Northwest suburbs too.

Larson can't take credit for Woodfield. It already had become a shopping mecca by the time he was elected to the village board in 1975 and was well established before he was elected village president in 1987. But it can be argued that Larson's long tenure in the village's formative years was transformative too.

Or at the very least, Larson understood better than most the transformation that was taking place in Schaumburg and in other suburbs in the land beyond O'Hare.

From their Loop towers, the sophisticates in those days would poke snide at the suburbs, dismissing us with ridicule or condescension.

And for the most part here in the suburbs, we all took it, maybe even believed it.

Until Al Larson.

This is what we'll remember of Larson most: When a Tribune editorial writer or columnist disrespected Schaumburg, Larson wrote to complain about it. When comedian David Letterman misspelled the village's name as Schaumberg, Larson took umbrage and set Letterman straight. He didn't just let these slights go.

A writer at heart, Larson always struck me as a bit of a romantic. And being a romantic, he understood that how we feel about ourselves is a big part of who we are.

During the Larson years, Schaumburg grew from a stereotype into a hub of activity, business, life and suburban culture. It wasn't all Larson's doing. But he was a big part of it.

During 44 years in office, with the last 32 as village president, Larson made a mark, both on the community and on its view of itself.

As he prepares to leave office, we wish him well.