The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-06-29
ENTIRE CITY BIDS
MILITIA GODSPEED
COMPANY c AND 4TH REGIMENT
BAND ENTRAIN FRIDAY MORN.
ING FOR REDFIELD
DEPARTURE PRESENTS TOUCHING SCENE
Commercial Club rendered Splendid
Reception Thursday Might
Largely Attended
DEPARTURE PRESENTS TOUCHING SCENE

More than a thousand Brookings peo-
pie gathered at the railway station
early Friday morning to bid farewell to
the young men of Company C and the
Fourth Regiment Band and to see them
e~ntrain for the concentration camp at
Redfield.
The vast crowd Of anxious fathers,
mothers, brothers, sisters, sweethearts
and interested friends stood quietly
with no show of enthusiasm like that
generally seen on similar occasions.
Tears and hesitant farewells took the
place OF %outbursts Of enthusiasm. The
manly young fellows went about their
duties incident to e%ntraining and bid
ding friends and loved ones farewell
with a strong face fired with the con.
seriousness that they were going forth
to Willingly and freely serve their
country and uphold the principles upon
which it was founded. When the train
pulled out at 1880 o'clock, more than
an hour late, n lone Civil War veter-
an with tears streaming down his face
waved his hat and shouted Justify to
give vent to his feelings and patriotic
approval of the departure of the khaki
clad lads, while the vast throng quietly
waved flags, handkerchiefs and hats as
its sincere approval.
Long before time set for departure
of the boys the crowd began to gather
at the station and waited a~nxiously for
them to arrive from the armory at
State College. Shortly before time for
them to enter their two cars Company
c, beaded by the Fourth Regiment
Band, marched down Main street to
the station. Captain Clarence P.
Evers and Lieutenant Carl Christen-
sen halted their men and permitted
them to mingle with the crowd until
the bugle was sounded to go aboard.
At no time were the people made TO
feel more consciously the meaning of
the great struggle now going on in
Europe than when they stood silently
and saw the two cars loaded with our
boys leaving the yards.
Splendid Reception
When President Culhane, of the
Commercial Club, learned definitely
when the Brookings quota would leave
the city he Immediately notified var.
ious committees of the club to arrange
an informal reception Thursday night
at the Commercial Club in honor of
the boys Of Company c and Fourth
Regiment Band. Despite one of the
heaviest downpours of rain this year
more than 800 people gathered at the
club. The council chamber and the
rooms used by the club were thrown
open permitting the people to pass
through and bid the young men fare
well. The fire station on the ground
floor was cleared of equipment and
serving tables arranged to serve re-
freshments to the guests. The build
ing was profusely decorated inside
with flags and red, white and blue
bunting.
A musical program was arranged
under the direction of Mrs. James
Thompson. Miss Fay Holiday gave
two whistling solos, Mrs. James
Thompson two piano solos, and a quar-
tette, Robert Elliott, Sam Sloan, Roy
GOtthold and Leslie Ausman, members
of State College class of 1914, sang sew
eral numbers. Several other numbers
were arranged for but on account of
the rain were not given. The program
was hurriedly arranged and those who
appeared are due considerable credit
for the splendid manner in which they
performed without preparation.
A light lunch of sandwiches, pickles
and coffee was served in the fire sta
ton following the program to 681 peo-
pie. Anticipating a large crowd quite
a quantity of sandwiches were prepar-
ed. The committee neatly packed
three hundred sandwiches in a box and
sent it down to the train for the boys
to assuage their hunger on their trip
to Redfeld.
Our excellent Commercial Club was
anxious and glad Of the opportunity to
aid In giving the young men an ovation