Celebrating History: The Great War ends

By Emily Mayer

Lots of history was made at this time 100 years ago. A contentious election was finalized, but since I think we've all had enough of elections for now, this column will focus on another important event taking place at the same time, that being the end of The Great War.

News of an armistice had been announced earlier in the week, but it turned out to be a false one. So, when news reached stateside that the armistice had been reached with the unconditional surrender of Germany, the allied countries celebrated with great gusto. News reached Havre at about 1 a.m. through the Great Northern communications line, but the news was withheld until 6 a.m. - and everyone in town heard it!

There are two accounts of the celebrations in the Havre papers, one in the Havre Plaindealer's Nov. 16, 1918, edition and the other in the Hill County Democrat's edition of the same date. Information from The Havre Daily Promoter is not available-for some strange reason, there is no microfilm of the Promoter from late October 1918 until after the new year. (Please remember this for next week's column!)

Here is the Democrat's account, found on its front page:

SIGNING OF ARMISTICE CAUSES CELEBRATION

Begins at Six in the Morning and Continues Throughout the Day.

Great joy was expressed by the people of this city Monday morning, when the news of the signing of the armistice reached here. Gee whiz! Maybe you think Havre didn't go over the top in celebrating the glorious occasion. The news was received by the night force of the Great Northern railway about 1 a.m. Monday, but was withheld until a reasonable hour to awaken the denizens from the peaceful slumbers. At just 6 o'clock all the bells and whistles in the city were thrown loose. People began flocking to the downtown district as fast as they could possibly attire themselves in quest of the meaning of the great disturbance and when told of the good tidings, went wild with joy.

At 3 o'clock an open air meeting was held on the corner of First street and Third avenue. The principal address was given by Rev. Christler, and as usual, proved more than equal to the occasion. A collection was taken for the purpose of sending a congratulatory telegram to Gen. Pershing. The combined choirs of the city sang several selections, among them being "America" and other patriotic numbers. The event will long be remembered by the citizens of Havre.

And the Plaindealer printed on its editorial page:

ENTHUSIASTIC PEACE CELEBRATION AT HAVRE

Havre celebrated the advent of peace with enthusiasm on Monday, the premature celebration on Saturday afternoon having had no greater effect than to put the people in training for the real thing when it really arrived.

The news was received about six o'clock in the morning and all the bells and whistles available were put to the welcome use of proclaiming liberty to the world so far as their tones could reach. The day was given over to the most unrestricted rejoicing, all places of business were closed. An impromptu parade in the early morning hours was followed by one hastily organized, but somewhat more formal, at two o'clock. This was followed by an open air gathering at the corner of First street and Third avenue, where so many times in the last months, the citizens have gathered to bid farewell to the contingents of soldiers sent to help make possible the great event celebrated on Monday. This gathering was addressed by Rev. L. J. Christler and briefly by others, the band was in evidence and the audience joined in hearty and joyful singing.

In the evening, by special permission of the board of health, thanksgiving services were held in the churches. Large congregations were present at the Methodist and at St. Marks Episcopal services. The Presbyterian church did not receive notice in time to heat the church so a meeting was held at the manse.

Large gatherings had been prohibited for a few weeks due to the Spanish flu epidemic and Havre was under quarantine as were many other communities. More on this in next week's column.

I wanted to focus on the armistice of The Great War for this week's column as we will be celebrating Veterans Day this coming Sunday. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we pause to thank those who serve our country. Originally known as Armistice Day, the first celebration took place on November 11, 1919, the one-year anniversary of the end of World War I. In 1926, Congress passed a law making the day an annual observance, and in 1938 it became a national holiday. The name was changed from Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954 by President Dwight Eisenhower. An act of Congress in 1968 changed the date to the fourth Monday in October and it was enacted in 1971. President Gerald Ford, however, put the date back to November 11 in 1975 because of the historical significance of the day, and I wholeheartedly agree with President Ford. Historic and culturally significant days don't change due to someone else's "convenience."

We will also join our allied friends by wearing poppies in honor of our veterans. The origin of wearing poppies in remembrance of the fallen lies in the 1915 poem "We Shall Not Sleep," later renamed "In Flanders Fields," by Col. John McCrae, though they were originally worn on Memorial Day. The poem mentions red poppies growing on land in Flanders, a part of Belgium, where many men had died during the war. In 1919, Monia Michael read the poem and was struck by the idea of wearing poppies in honor of the fallen soldiers. In 1921, the American Legion Auxiliary started its Poppy Program, distributing red crepe paper poppies made by veterans through their therapeutic rehabilitation. The poppies are still distributed today in exchange for donations that directly assist disabled and hospitalized veterans.

And the poppies still bloom in the fields of Flanders.

Please take the time this Sunday to participate in the Veterans Day program.