Northern Illinois State Teachers College in DeKalb Gets a North American AT-6

From the March 8, 2022 MidWeek "Looking Back" (DeKalb County, Illinois).

1947, 75 years ago.

"A North American AT-6 used by the Army as a training plane has been purchased by the Northern Illinois State Teachers college for instruction purposes.

"The plane was flown here from Oklahoma and is at Taylor  airport where it will be  partially dismantled.  Sold at a low figure to  educational organizations, the plane cannot be used for  flying purposes."

Getting Rid of the Surplus.  --GreGen

Of Potlucks and Child Care on the Home Front in 1944

From the Dec. 4, 2019, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1944, 75 Years Ago.

"Women who have been working at the Red Cross sewing rooms in the Chronicle Building are having their December potluck dinner on Tuesday next week instead of Wednesday.

"It is hoped that the entire corps of workers will be present for the event.    A turkey dinner with all the trimmings will be served at 12:00 o'clock."

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"The nursery school being conducted at the Teachers College (NIU) is closing its first month of operation and parents of enrolled children are enthusiastic  in their reports.

"Opening of this school came almost exactly at the time of considerable reduction of factory employment of mothers in DeKalb but it is becoming clear that there is a great need for this kind of project at all times."

--GreGen

NIU in World War II-- Part 2: About "Vetville"

Well, actually this was postwar, but definitely a result of the war.

**  Nineteen barracks from Fort McCoy, Wisconsin,  were moved to DeKalb and placed on land at Lucinda and garden roads to accommodate the huge influx of students after the war.

**  A photograph accompanies the article showing the campus in 1949 with the barracks in full view.  The area by the barracks was called"Vetville."

**  Vetville housed not only male students, but often their wives and children.

--GreGen

NIU in World War II-- Part 1: Huge Impact

I have been writing about Northern Illinois University's (NIU) 125th anniversary this year in my Cooter's History Thing blog (click on that blog in the My Blogs section to the right of this).

There was a large display of photographs of service men and women from the school in the Altgeld Hall foyer during the duration of the war.

After the war, the number of male students exploded thanks to the GI Loan and required creative housing  solutions such as rows of bunks and cots in the school's Still Gym.

At the beginning of the war, NIU was the Northern Illinois State Teachers College (NISTC) and had  just over 1,000 students (370 men and 638 women).  Over the duration there was a constant exodus of students, both men and women,  going into service, leaving a wartime student population of just 500.

For those who stayed in DeKalb, the war loomed large.  Students and faculty sold war bonds, went without food and materials needed for the war effort.  Packages were sent to friends overseas.  A Faculty Defense Council was established, along with a Civilian Morale Committee, to coordinate volunteer efforts.

NISTC/NIU Was All In.  --GreGen

Pre-School Nursery at NISTC Closing in DeKalb in 1945

From the May 13, 2020, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1945, 75 Years Ago.

"E.A. Anderson, business manager at Northern Illinois State Teachers College, announced this morning that the pre-school nursery operated by the Federal Works Agency,  under the sponsorship of the college, will close on June 30, 1945.

"The nursery is located at the new science building  at the college. The nursery  was started to accommodate  pre-school children of mothers who are working, especially those engaged  in occupations in war plants."

Things Winding Down.  --GreGen

Lt. Wendell Merle Baie-- Part 3: Some More Information

Taken from a newspaper article.

He was not a lieutenant at the time of his death, but an Aviation Cadet.  Funeral service was held at Wirtz Funeral Home in DeKalb, Illinois.  Another one was to be held at the First Methodist Church in DeKalb and the American Legion Post  gave a military funeral  with a firing squad and ritual.

Burial at Greenwood Cemetery in Hinckley, Illinois.

He had been killed on a routine night time flying mission near Williams Field in Arizona, where he was stationed.

He had a brother, Ensign Warren Baie stationed at Corpus Christi, Texas.  Aviation Cadet Wendell Baie was to have been married to Joyce Olson of Chicago, who is a student  at Northern Illinois State Teachers College (now Northern Illinois University) at the present time.

They were to be married as soon as he graduated from his training program and earned his wings and commission as a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps.  He had met Miss Olson while attending the teaching college.

--GreGen

Lt. Wendell M. Baie-- Part 1: DeKalb High School and NISTC

I wrote about a memorial to him in the last post.

From Find-A-Grave.  Obituary

MILITARY SERVICES CONDUCTED TODAY FOR DEKALB FLYER  (Nov. 10, 1942)

Military funeral services were accorded  this Tuesday afternoon for Aviation Cadet Wendell Merle Baie, DeKalb flyer, who was killed a week ago in a plane crash on a routine night flying mission near Williams Field, Chandler, Ariz., where he was stationed.

Wendell Merle Baie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Baie, was born December 30, 1921, at Waterman.  Since he was sixteen years old he has lived in DeKalb, where he graduated DeKalb High school, later attending N.I.S.T.C. (Northern Illinois State Teachers College, now Northern Illinois University) until he was called into active service in the Army Air Corps.  He had worked one year, but was enrolled at the college,  when called for duty March, 1941.

--GreGen