During the war, service flags were proudly displayed in the
windows of more than one hundred homes in our
community, in places of business, in churches, lodge rooms,
and in our public school and library.
From many of our homes, more than one man had gone to the
service. Mr. and Mrs. Elick Johnson sent four sons; Mr.
and Mrs. James Kilday, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Olmstead, Mr. and
Mrs. U. G. Hartman and Mr. and Mrs. L. F. Osborne, all sent three
and sixteen families sent two.
A large community service flag, bearing 171 stars, was presented
to the city by the local Federation of Women's Clubs,
and was dedicated September 18, 1918. It had been planned
to hold the dedication ceremonies in the city park, but the weather
was too cold for an outdoor gathering. Although the people had
assembled in numbers that would have taxed the capacity of a
hall twice the size of our opera house, it was necessary to give
up the outdoor program, and as many as possible crowded into
the hall.
Mr. D. E. Hooker, president of the Federation, presided.
The Albany Band, which was engaged for the occasion, gave
several selections on the street, and the opening number
of the program. Rev. Hoffman offered the invocation. Miss Nellie
Halfhead presented the Flag, in behalf of the Federation. Miss
Halfhead spoke with genuine feeling of the soldiers of this community,
nearly one third of whom had been her pupils in the public schools.
The Flag was accepted by Rev. David Levin, in behalf of the city.
Mr. Levin gave expression to the pride of this locality in its
representation in the service and spoke eloquently of the meaning
of this Service Flag, which already bore one star of gold. Mr.
Levin said, "Like one voice, the stars of the Flag speak,
saying America has awakened to her responsibility."
The speaker of the day, Attorney L. H. Smith, of Jefferson,
gave a brief address of great force and earnestness. The
musical numbers added much to the impressiveness of the occasion.
They were given by a quartette, Mrs. D. C. Collins, Mrs. F. H.
Dedrick, Mr. Frank Ten Eyck, and Mr. C. A. Steele; and by the
Community Chorus of fifty voices, under the direction of Miss
Charlotte Preston.