Day in history for May 20, 2003

1853 -- 150 years ago

Twenty-six steamboats stopped at Rock Island during the past week.

1878 -- 125 years ago

D.R. Candor of Hamlet was a guest at the Commercial House.

1903 -- 100 years ago

It was announced that Dr. C.E. Lindberg would preach the baccalaureate sermon to the graduating class at Augustana College May 24. The English address is to be delivered by Dr. G.A. Brandelle.

1928 -- 75 years ago

A field meet of Rock Island public schools, the first in the city's history, will be held Friday afternoon at Douglas Park, Harry Behnamann, director of athletics, announced today.

1953 -- 50 years ago

Although television is blamed for cutting into the reading habits of the American public, Rock Island adult residents checked out 2,446 more library books in the 1952-53 fiscal year than in the year before. However, television may be the cause of the decline in the number of juvenile books circulated. Six thousand, two hundred and ninety fewer children's books were loaned during 1952-53 than the year before.

1978 -- 25 years ago

It has become fashionable to put down Kewanee. A citizens group in the self-proclaimed Hog Capital of the World is fed up with the bad-mouthing it's been hearing about its city. The group, led by the Chamber of Commerce, has hired a consultant to eliminate the town's inferiority complex and give it a new self-image.

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