Celebrating History: More draftees off to training

By Emily Mayer

Havre sent another contingent of draftees to Camp Lewis to train to go fight the Great War this week 100 years ago. A lengthy article in the Aug. 31, 1918 edition of The Havre Plaindealer outlines the send off for 30 more young men. Several hundred citizens witnessed the parade starting at the Hill County Courthouse, led by the local Spanish American War veterans accompanied by the Havre Band, and marching up Third Avenue to the corner of First Street for speeches. Judge W. B. Pyper presided over the event and included patriotic presentations and musical numbers. Names of the men were included in the article:

… The following are the names of men who left last night.

Anthony Allen Chartere, William F. Casey, Emil Delzor, Leon C. Fields, Evald Forsland, Herman Gagel, Rudolph R. Habeck, Paul E. M. Lauch, Kenneth William Moe, Ernest Ira Myers, Thorvold Nelson, Murdoch Nichlsn, Frederich C. Peters, Earl Pewitt, Mack Hbart Phillips, Fred Pippy, William Purdy, Henry Bernard Saure, Harry Schloz, Otto August Scharfe, Albert Stratton, Daniel Clifford Smith, Clarence Bunde, Julius Van Dessel.

The following were transferred from other points to entrain at Havre:

Floyd C. Barnett, Ralph W. Emerson, James H. Lynch, Charles Pewitt, John Stellen, Straga Svabain.

The Plaindealer also reported another 19 young men signed up for the draft.

NINETEEN REGISTERED FOR DRAFT LAST WEEK

Nineteen young men in Hill county who have just attained the age of 21 years, registered for conscription service last Saturday, according to the returns made to the county exemption board. The list follows:

Articles regarding the war effort included urging by the federal government for male students 18 years of age to enroll in the Campus Army Corps; the Army was in need of stenographers and asking young women to consider this option; and an article titled “Older Men Are Given Opportunity to Serve” stated there were positions available for those 45 to 55 “for the ordnance department, quartermaster and for certain branches of the signal corps.

Regarding agriculture, more applications had been received for the seed loan fund and an announcement from Hill County Agricultural Agent Paul P. Banker stated the money for fall seed would be coming in early.

The women of Hill County were also busy contributing to the war effort for both soldiers and those less fortunate. In the “Doings of the Hill County Red Cross” column, the names of women contributing one pair of knitted socks each was printed, with some ladies contributing two pairs of socks and Mrs. Rose Callahan sending in three pairs of socks with a combined 50 pairs to her credit. Some women knitted sweaters to give to the Red Cross. And, as announced in the article:

… Other work was returned as follows: Mrs. G. A. Hulfish 3 pairs boys pants; 3 hospital shirts; 1 undershirt; 6 petticoats, 19 bed socks.

Mrs. Skaar 2 hospital shirts; Bernice Skaar, 2 knitted squares. Mrs. Wallace, 1 pajama suit; Ethel Greiner, quilt scraps; Mrs. Ira Kennison, 17 bed socks; Mrs. Geo. W. Brown, 2 petticoats; Mrs. F. K. Clark, 6 girls’ petticoats, 18 bed socks, 1 summer suit, 1 boys day suit; Virginia Morrell, 7 afghan squares; Anna Lepper, tinfoil; Mrs. N. G. McQuary, 6 pajama suits; Mrs. F. F. Runkle, 3 suits pajamas; Mrs. J. A. Black, 1 boys’ suit, 1 petticoat; Mrs. Almas, 5 hospital shirts; May Pepin, 4 hospital shirts; Mrs. C. M. Pulsipher, 5 pajama suits, 1 boys’ suit; Mrs. Lulu Livermore, 3 hospital shirts; Mrs. Mary Roney, donated two Belgian dresses.

Other auxiliaries throughout Hill County also contributed socks, hospital shirts, “pajama suits,” sweaters, wash cloths, and women’s chemises.

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Please celebrate safely this Labor Day weekend and take the time to remember why this holiday exists — for the American worker.