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18 W I L M E T T E L I F E September 18, 1947 Adventist Church Newest to Serve Local Worshipers B y E . C . Townsend, minister The Seventh-day Adventist congregation of Wilmette has barely a history; it is more truly a beginning. O n M a r c h 20, 1943, five persons met on a Sabbath morning, at the residence of the Misses Carrie and Ruth E l m e r , 825 P a r k avenue, Wilmette, to conduct an informal Bible study of the denominational Sabbath school lesson. The five persons were the hostesses and Miss Mildred H . Belden, Miss Mildred Knowles, and the writer. Movie Fans Had to Be Rugged Characters in Earlier Theater Days Thirty years ago Wilmette moviegoers were a good more rugged than they are now. Unlike the pushback seats and air conditioning of today, Wilmette's two theatres in 1917 had almost cushionless benches and no ventilation whatsoever. But double features were unknown. More History There wasn't enough room in the 120 pages of the historical section (Part II) of this issue to print all the stories of Wilmette history. On this and on the opposite page are the rest of the articles. Cub Scouts Trace Story to Meyers 'Del Lago Clubs 9 9 This is a 20-year-old souvenir of the original Cub Scout troop organThe original theatre was called F r e a k s i n Wilmette l a n d titles dis"Village" and it was located in covered by Herbert B . Mulford in- ized by M r . Meyers. In 1927 he realized that no orwhat is now the Encyclopedia B r i - cluding the following: ganization similar to the Boy Scouts tanica F i l m s building. Soon afterThe patent giving the land to wards the old Wilmette theatre was Archange Ouilmette by the Treaty existed for boys under 12-years old. opened on the same site that the of 1829 was not dated by Uncle He was unprepared for the recepAfter two or three repeating ses- theatre by that name now stands. S a m until October 27, 1842 (Doc. tion his little organization received after he engaged Lewis Simmel as sions, plans were laid for conducting The history of the Wilmette 32311). Nor was it recorded until scoutmaster to launch the first C u b a regular Sabbath school. In a few movies is also a history of the de-1 December 11, 1851. troop. months other members were added velopment of the modern motion However, the first white people The charter members of the troop and larger quarters for the meet- picture industry. The early films seemingly to buy land in the Wilings were found in the Brown build- were shown without accompanyment mette area bought it from the Ouil- were M r . Simmel's three sons. Withing, 1157 Wilmette avenue, i n the of any kind. In the early 20s a mettes J a n u a r y 21 and J a n u a r y 31, in a week the three boys had inreception room of the Battle Creek piano was added, and later refine- 1837 and recorded it M a r c h 28, 1839 ducted five of their friends. E v e r y Baths, which were operated at that ments included an organ. (Doc. 6696 a n d 6697). In other week after that each member was time b y the Misses Belden and words, some 26,000 documents were required to bring a friend and withF o r c e d to Close in five months the membership of Knowles, founders of the business. In 1922, George Sigel, owner of recorded between the first sales by In these new quarters our member- both the Village and Wilmette thea- the Ouilmettes and the recording the troop had grown to 200 boys. Ran Into Opposition ship started to grow. tres, was forced to close the"Wil- and even patenting by the United The organization was so popular States to the Ouilmetes. mette." F o r five years, until the In 1944, D r . E m i l Leffler of A l that it r a n into some opposition Misleading Date bion, M i c h . , became interested in Teatro del L a g o was built in 1927, Indeed, according to M r . Mulford, when the boys from surrounding Wilmette had only one movie house. the general objectives of the prothe misleading date of 1844 as that communities deserted their local That same year the village council ject, and came on several appointof first settlements in old Wilmette clubs to join M r . Meyers' "Del L a g o ments to preach On these and a passed an ordinance that prohibited was the date of the Ouilmette grant Cubs." the showing of movies within the few other occasions, we were grantof power of attorney to J o h n DeraOne of the key attractions of the ed the courtesies of holding these village limits on Sundays. However, shee (properly De Rocher) to act troop was a weekly travel film a poll of the village was conducted services in the chapel of the First in 1928 and the ordinance was re- for the whole family in sales. shown in the Teatro del L a g o and Presbyterian church, at Ninth pealed. This power was to dispose of sec- narrated by M r . Meyers. A difstreet and Greenleaf avenue. E a r l y The village theatre in the mean- tions of land "in Cook County, Il- ferent film was shown each Saturin 1945, we began holding regular time had closed its doors since linois, at Gross Point, on Lake day morning following the regular worship services at this new locait was unable to take the financial Michigan, about 14 miles north- meeting. "Join the Del Lago Cubs tionloss resulting f r o m the council or- west of Chicago, this applying di- and go around the world," was the Recognized by Conference troop's advertising slogan. der. F o r two years Wilmette proper rectly to the U . S. grant. On the eighth day of M a r c h , 1917, was without a theatre. The "Gross Point" d i d not i n During these early days, the our congregation was recognized those days mean the village along Teatro's ushers' room served as the Theatre Re-Opened officially by the Illinois Conference the ridge which later took that troop's meeting hall and the parkIn 1930 the Wilmette theatre rename. The entire area was called ing lot next to the theatre was used of Seventh-day Adventists. Theodore opened and in 1934 it was purchased Gross Point (or sometimes "Grosse as a parade ground. C a r i c h , president of the conference, by Sam Meyers, owner of the Pointe") after the bend in the lake with three officers of his staff con- Teatro. Official U n i f o r m shore where Central street, Evansducted the organization service. The uniform for M r . Meyers' The first "talking" movie in Wil- ton, now ends. Cubs was designed by Marshall The name "Seventh-day Advent- mette was shown i n 1928 at the Field's and was made the official ist" incorporates two doctrines of Teatro: "Desert Song." The sound uniform of the C u b Scouts after Scripture that is stressed as a de- was supplied by a record and more they were absorbed by the B o y nomination. These two tenets in often than not the record and the Scouts of A m e r i c a . Many of the particular have set forth as unique film failed to synchronize. In 1929, uniforms for the early members among all Christian bodies. As a 20th Century-Fox introduced the were purchased by M r . Meyers. day of rest and worship. Seventh-day present system of film track sound. In the spring of 1928, the Del L a g o Adventists observe the seventh day The Teatro's current $30,000 sound of the week commonly called Satur- outfit is a far cry from the Village The grocery store now known as cubs, whose membership was then theatre's first soundless epic. day. George B . Winter Inc. at 1144-6-8 200 with 140 boys on the waiting Central avenue has been i n exist- list, was taken into the Wilmette No one, according to the Seventhence since 1904, when it was estab- Boy Scout troop number 13. A cereday Adventists. who observes the of his coming, the year, the day nor lished by F r a n k Cook. T h e business mony was held in the Teatro parkseventh-day Sabbath in spirit and* the hour because it would be spehas changed ownership seven times ing lot at which D a n Beard, the unscriptural (Matthew in truth can be deceived by the cifically but one of the original clerks, original Scout, was present. man-made sophistries of evolution 24:36); but the proximity of that The ideal upon which M r . Meyers George Stuart, who was employed and modernism, which in essence great event is to be known because I by M r . Cook, has remained with organized C u b troop number one. signs deny that in six days G o d marip Christ openly taught that that of preparing 12-year-olds and the store 42 years. would be unmistakable of His the heavens and the earth. M r . Cook had formerly conducted younger for citizenship, still stands coming (Luke 21:28, 31). Await Second Coming' a grocery and meat market at the as the p r i m a r y purpose of the C u b Seventh-day Adventists accept the N a m e d by Public corner of Central avenue and Green Scouts of A m e r i c a . cardinal doctrine of both the O l d Over 100 years ago the denomin- Bay road, the present site of Nelson and the New Testament Scriptures ation received its name not by Bros. L a u n d r y . taken over the phone in greater that the second advent of Christ is legislation of its own organized When he moved to the present number. imminent in our generation. Jesus body, but by popular mention of us location of the Winter store, M r . First Delivery Car declared of Himself, "I will come by the world-at-large. They coulc: Cook went into the dry goods busiThe store changed hands again again." J o h n 14:3. A n d throughout distinguish us from other religious ness i n addition to the grocery and when it became known as Aspegren His earthly ministry He repeated bodies by no other means so effec- meat market. Instead of a sidewalk and Company. The first delivery car with emphasis the doctrine of H i s tively as to be called Seventh-ciay in front of the store, there was a was purchased during their ownercoming back again to this earth to Adventists. thus projecting the two large park way with a number of ship. receive unto Himself the sairits of all great doctrines of the church, the tall e l m trees. About 1913. the business was purages, to usher them personally into unchangeable Sabbath of the ages, H a s O w n Store chased by Henry Fields and Louis His Father's eternal kingdom. which "was made for man," and One of M r . Cook's butchers was A b r a h a m and became known as the the "blessed Hope" of all gener- George White, who now has a gro- Wilmette grocery. They sold out, With this new hope in their ations--the establishment of the cery and market at 821 Ridge road. however about 1923, to Louis and hearts the desciples went to all the visible kingdom of our God and his In 1908, M r . Cook sold the store H a r r y Radke and the store was known world preaching the truth Christ (at the second coming of to Charles F a r r a n and Josiah Ward called Radke Bros. that someday Christ would return to Christ to the world) to put an end and moved to Canada. Known as Wrecked by Tornado this earth; and their writings teem to all wars and to bring i n eternal F a r r a n and Ward, the store called George Winter bought the busiwith texts setting forth this hope. righteousness and everlasting peace for orders at the homes and made ness i n 1933, and it is now r u n by Seventh-day Adventists believe deliveries with horse and wagon. his grandson, Clyde F . Winter J r . that the second advent of Jesus The third owners of the store r A G E O F L E T T E R S One tragedy m a r k s the history of is near because of the fulfillment of were M r . W a r d and Oliver Aspe- the store. On P a l m Sunday, 1920, . .g letters commenting the all the leading prophecies of the gren, who changed the name to the glass was broken out of the on Wilmette's 75th andefinite signs of the time of the end. significance Sa Ward and Aspegren. It was during front windows and about two-thirds t i o n , written by and the coming of Christ. The faith ^M ol their ownership that the telephone of the roof was ripped off by the North Shore civic leaders, will be does not attempt to set the time became wide spread throughout the tornado which made a pathway found on page 22 of this section village and orders began to be through the village. Land Title Freaks Found in Research Sam Meyers, owner of Teatro del Lago and the Wilmette theatre, carries in his pocket a gold medal presented to h i m by "200 grateful boys" and bearing the inscription "Cub Troop number one." With 7 Changes of Ownership, Store Dates Back to '04 A a g e o f c e l e b r a