Born in Kentucky in 1840, Beard lived the life of a slave until early in the Civil War. In 1862, when the Northern army gained control of most of Kentucky, Henry was given his freedom.

As would become increasingly apparent in the coming years, Beard, like all newly freed blacks, was hard-pressed to find work and start a new life.  Henry Beard was fortunate.  The conquering union regiment stationed in his part of Kentucky, the 105^th Illinois, was from the DeKalb-Sycamore area.  Their commander hired Henry to work as a laborer, but he was eventually chosen to serve as under cook for the adjutant general of the army in command of that portion of the western theatre of war.

Sometime after the war, Henry decided to follow his original regimental commander to his home town Sycamore, and start his new life.  Beard was, as reported in 1924 by the Sycamore True Republican in a story about his life, “the original colored citizen of Sycamore.”  He settled north of town, in the area then called the “North Woods,” where he purchased five acres of land from local abolitionist, David West.

Henry was married to Julia (Judy) Jones.  Together they built a two-room house and they raised 14 children.  He was unable to read or write but wanted his children to be educated.  The Beards sent their sons to the only school in the area, North Grove School, a one-room schoolhouse where the language of the local settlers was Swedish.  Thus in order to learn reading, writing and arithmetic, the Beard children had to first understand the teacher, who spoke only Swedish.

The children and grandchildren all eventually moved out of the area.  Judy outlived Henry by 22 years.  She eventually moved into town and made her home on North Avenue, still today a tight-knit community where many African Americans live and attend church. 

Recently the descendents of one of the Beard children made their way from Detroit to see the schoolhouse where their grandfather was educated.  Members of four generations of Henry and Judy’s son, Raymond, travelled to celebrate the North Grove School Association’s fourth annual North Grove School Days.  Not only did they get to see the school and meet the descendents of other school attendees, they were provided a bus tour arranged by the City of Sycamore and the NGSA.  The visiting members of the Beard family were able to see the original five acre farm where they had settled.  They travelled to the Fairview Cemetery in DeKalb, where their grandmother Judy was buried 1942.  Also, the Sycamore History Museum and the Sycamore Library provided programs and exhibits for the Beard family to learn more about their ancestors.

Next year, another branch of Henry Beard’s family, living in Aurora, Illinois, plans to attend North Grove School Days.

To learn more, contact the North Grove School Association by visiting www.northgroveschool.org or writing to the NGSA, P.O. Box 244, Sycamore, IL  60178 to receive a brochure. The North Grove School Association is a not-for-profit organization and donations are appreciated.

www.northgroveschool.org

The answer is:  Barbara Turner. Turner is also the mother of actress Jennifer Jason Leigh.

It’s back to school time! Check out the August issue of New Values Magazine for great Back2School values. The magazine is loaded with other great information like puzzles, trivia and community annoucements. Check out DeKalb County’s leading monthly coupon magazine.

And be sure to visit our web site throughout the coming weeks — we’ll have great stories and articles from our advertisers, updates on community events and much, much more.

Our mission at Paw Lickin’ Good Treats is to help people select food, treats, supplements, toys and accessories for their pets that will optimize health, happiness and well-being. We all want the best for our pets, but often pet owners are unsure as to which products are best for their needs. We are passionate about constantly educating ourselves and seeking out the best products available. In turn we strive to pass that knowledge to our customers. Knowledge is power.

We regularly get customers in the store who are seeking information about selecting the best food for their pets. Dogs and cats are individuals with their own special needs. There is no one food that is the best for all dogs and cats. That being said, it is clear that there are some general guidelines that set better foods apart from the less healthy options.

There are many options to consider when choosing a commercially prepared pet food. Some say that a frozen raw food is closest to dogs’ and cats’ natural diet. However, not everyone is comfortable with raw or can afford raw. Many people choose to combine a canned food with a dry kibble diet, but most people tend to feed a diet of primarily dry kibble. Dogs and cats can live healthy lives with any of these options as long as the food they consume consists of high quality ingredients. But how do you choose the best brands for your pet?

We have learned in recent years to carefully read the labels on the food we feed ourselves and our families. The wise pet owner will study the ingredients listed on the label of pet food as well. Begin by looking for a named protein source as the first ingredient. This can either be a specific meat or better yet a specific meat meal (the meal is the meat with the water content removed). Protein should be the majority ingredient in the food. Beware of labels that divide up grain sources to make it look as if meat is the main ingredient when actually the main ingredient is a variety of grains in different forms scattered throughout the list. Many dogs are allergic or sensitive to certain grains. We generally suggest avoiding corn, wheat, soy and gluten in food. The second most prevalent ingredient should be easily digested vegetables. One should always avoid bi-products, artificial preservatives and artificial coloring and sugar. Some people prefer to avoid grains all together and fortunately there are several grain-free options. Not every dog, however, needs to avoid all grains and there are many high quality foods that use such grains as barley, oatmeal, or brown rice as binders.

Unlike dogs, cats are true carnivores and therefore thrive on a diet of meat. Sadly, many cats spend their lives chronically dehydrated because they live on a diet of dry kibble that has many ingredients that are frankly unhealthy for a carnivore. Cats’ digestive systems are simply not designed to digest grains so a totally grain-free diet is best. In the wild, cats exist on eating prey that provides them with necessary water. This is not so for our domestic cats, which is why renal failure is one of the top medical problems from which cats suffer. We suggest feeding cats a diet that consists at least partially of a quality canned food. As with dog food, ingredients to avoid in cat food should include bi-products, artificial preservatives, artificial coloring, and sugar. Again, it is best to avoid all grains.

Basically, when deciding on a good food for your pet it is best to remember that health comes from the inside out. Whether your dog is itching, or simply lacking a zip in his step, changing his diet to include a holistic approach can often make a huge difference. And while you are at it, don’t forget that the same goes for treats.  When selecting treats for your pets, it is best to avoid the same ingredients that you avoid in food. It all adds up!

We are happy to help you make a food selection that works for your pet!