Armistice Day: November 11, 1919

All the steam whistles in the Santa Fe yards at Emporia sounded at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 1919. It was the first anniversary of the signing of the Armistice ending the Great World War (now called World War I).

It was a legal holiday. All the stores closed, the flags waved, and Emporians joined other Americans in honoring her soldiers and sailors.
Company L, 137th Infantry, sometimes called the College Company, had included 60 members from the Kansas State Normal School when it departed in the fall of 1917.

At least 20 had returned for classes in the fall of 1919. The company had been made up mainly of men from Emporia and Yates Center.

At 10 a.m. in Albert Taylor Hall on the Normal School campus, members of the American Legion, including those of Company L, sat on the stage, and Civil War veterans of Grand Army of the Republic were in reserved seats in the front of the hall.

Captain J. C. DeVoss of the Normal faculty presented the Service Flag to President Thomas Butcher who replied: "This flag is one of the most precious treasures that could come to the institution. We accept it with sadness because of the 18 men who will never come back."

The flag would have a place of honor on the campus.

Sergeant Ellis Christensen of Company L, briefly spoke of his experiences from the Battle of the Argonne to the end of the war, and the program ended with patriotic music.

In honor of Armistice Day, Kellogg Library displayed French and British war posters which KSN Librarian Willis H. Kerr had brought from Europe. Kerr had been in charge of distributing small libraries of 800 educational and recreational books for troops in France as part of a project of the American Library Association. He also had on permanent loan a similar book collection for display in the Kellogg Library.

Besides the posters and books, a German medal commemorating the sinking of the Lusitania, and other war souvenirs were displayed.

Also throughout the morning veterans addressed students in the various schools. Coach E. C. Theller, who had been a captain in the 117 th Ammunition Train, spoke at the high school. Others included Calvin Lambert of the 117 th at Walnut School, C. J. Patterson and Eugene Lowther of Company L at Central Avenue, Andrew Fry of Company L at Lincoln School, R. E. Boynton of the 20 th Division at Century School, G.W. Steckel of Company L at Maynard, and R. E. Boynton of the 20 th Division at Century School.

Among the songs sung at the schools were "Freedom for All Forever," "Soldier Boy," "Star Spangled Banner," "Just Before the Battle Mother," and "Columbia the Gem of the Ocean."

The members of Sacred heart Church celebrated Armistice Day with a mass that included in the processional Mary Wise dressed as "Columbia," and Eileen Marshall and Edna Redman as Red Cross nurses.

At 6 o'clock in the evening, about 70 members of Company L gathered at the Mit-Way for a reunion and dinner in honor of Arthur J. Ericsson "who was with Company L until he was wounded when he took Emporia boys over the top at the Argonne."

Following the dinner, the Homer J. Ball Post of the American Legion hosted the veterans of Company L with a smoker and entertainment. Music was furnished by the Walter Burton Post of the American Legion and by the College of Emporia. Speakers included Rev. Carl W. Nau who talked about the work of the Red Cross chapter in Lyon County during the war, and by George Plumb, commander of the Preston B. Plumb Post of the G. A. R. who reminisced about his Civil War experiences.

President Butcher of the Normal was the principal speaker. He congratulated the men of their heroism and urged them to continue where they had left when they went to war. The evening concluded with two boxing matches, and an invitation to attend the latest production of D. W. Griffith at the Electric Theater, "The Girl Who Stayed Home."

This was the first anniversary celebration in Emporia of the signing of the Armistice ending the Great World War. Other wars would follow as we continue on November 11 to honor all those who have fought for their country on what we now call Veterans Day.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>