With a rousing rendition of “Sweet Georgia Brown,” the Maine West High School Jazz Band kicked off the recent Des Plaines Public Library’s 90th Anniversary Celebration.
All the ingredients for a great birthday party were on hand: an enthusiastic crowd, cake and ice cream, live music, an auto show, historical exhibits, a Cubs memorabilia display and special guests.
“For any city to be first class, it must have a first-class library — and we do,” said Mayor Paul Jung to the hundreds of people who came out for the festivities on the bright and balmy afternoon.
With a big smile, Marvin Cohn from Skokie was the first in line to see former Chicago Cub Andy Pafko, who visited with the crowd and signed autographs. “I remember him,” Cohn said.
Leland Biddle of Palatine went to school with Pafko in Boyceville, Wis. “I came to see Andy,” he said. “I had my picture taken with him and got his autograph.”
When the Des Plaines Public Library first opened, the Cubs had just won the World Series against Detroit. Pafko, who played with the Cubs from 1943 to 1951, played in the 1945 World Series.
Organizers, dressed in period garb, were pleased with the turnout.
“We’ve been planning this for several months, and we’re fortunate to have such beautiful weather,” said Martha Sloan, coordinator of public services and head of the 90th anniversary planning committee. “We checked the front page of the Oct. 5, 1907, Tribune, and it was a beautiful day then too.”
Sloan attributes the event’s success to the contributions of individuals, organizations and businesses throughout the community.
“This celebration is a tribute to our community,” Sloan said. “It took a lot of community support to make this possible.”
Part of the celebration was a portrayal by historian Jeffrey E. Smith of industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who contributed $5,000 to fund the original Des Plaines Public Library in 1907.
For Mary Wajer of Prospect Heights, who worked for the library for 15 years, the day meant coming back to visit with old friends. Wajer was with her 88-year-old mother, Lillian Hagan, also of Prospect Heights. “It’s great to still be on my feet and get around like this,” Hagan said.
Gayle Cunningham of the Des Plaines Library showed visitors the new mobile unit and gave away books and stickers to the children. “(The mobile unit) is only a year old, and a lot of people haven’t seen it, so it’s a good time to show it off,” Cunningham said.
Library administrator Sandra Norlin was pleased with the weather and turnout as well. “Everything is just perfect,” she said. “People seem to be having a wonderful time.”
