Immigrant faced many tests in 1908 Elgin

With over one-third of the nation's new immigrants in 1908 coming to Illinois, according to reports, there were bound to be some assimilation issues, and Elgin was no exception to the rule.

A group of women decided they didn't want to follow a leap year tradition, the Elgin school board said "no" to a past practice of teachers, and some area youth remind us that children of years ago had a way of getting into trouble, too.

Here's a look at what was making headlines in February 1908, as recorded in the city's newspapers of the time.

• "We want to learn English," adults of Hungarian descent said in a petition to the Elgin school board.

The group, which hailed primarily from the southeast portion of the city, wanted both a room and teacher to instruct them in speaking and writing in their new language.

Their request met with disfavor by school officials, who said school laws did not support such new programs.

• Those darn teenagers. One young boy who was playing cards at a downtown store -- apparently to win cigars -- saw his luck run out when his father arrived at the business and whipped him with a barrel stave.

Another Elgin teen, who left the city at the age of 16 four years earlier, returned home after spending his time at odd jobs while touring the west.

And, finally, a 15-year-old girl who was reportedly being "harbored at a resort" east of the city moved onto a new refuge as police closed in on her whereabouts.

• "This practice has to stop" was the message sent to the district's teachers by the school board. Educators who have been in the habit of buying school supplies and then asking for reimbursement from the board needed to start doing things differently. In the future, only those materials procured through the "proper channels" would be reimbursed, they emphasized.

• Area Catholics, including those from Elgin, could now worship at any parish they chose under a ruling by the Cardinal.

Previously, church-goers whose native language was not English might be restricted to a parish that offered services in their native language even though an English-speaking congregation might have been closer.

The new ruling gave them free access to any church, regardless of where they lived.

• "This play is an offense to people of Irish descent" was the message sent by some Elginites who were upset about a play at a local theater. Responding to their concern, the management quickly dropped the performance.

And, not to be outdone, Elginites of German heritage revived the German-American Republican Club after learning of the successes of a new Swedish Republican Club. Their goals included supporting people of German descent for public office.

• Finally, have you heard of the old custom that allows women to propose marriage to men during leap years?

Twelve area women who did said they were not going to honor the tradition and formed a club called the Women's Protective Society.

The ladies pledged that none of them would propose marriage to any man during the year, and anyone caught doing so would pay a fine of $50 to the treasurer. At year's end, they were free to do as they pleased.