New Britain herald., 1917-08-28
YALE BOWL SCENE
OF GREAT FAREWELL
Fifty Thousand There to Bid Good
Bye to Soldiers

New Haven, Aug. 2S.-A vast
stream of $4,000 persons flowed into
the Yale Bowl last evening to pay tri-
butte to Connecticut's fighting sons
the 1O2d regiment-in the most
unique night event, probably that has
ever been sent out of doors in New
Haven or this state.
The occasion was New Haven's Of
fetal farewell to her boys and to her
neighbors' boys and 1t was in the ma
ture of a great outdoor carnival
wherein vaudeville acts of spectac-
ular turn held sway. From all over
the state came fathers and mothers
and sisters of soldiers encamped at
Camp Yale, in hundreds, to see and
take part in this extraordinary event.
They thronged through the city In
seeming endless streams of humanity
to the great, brilliantly Illuminated
Bowl, where a perfect fairyland of
electricity had turned it into some
thing that New Haven has never seen
before. Under the great flood of light
against the dark walls of the vast
structure sat the great dark human
lining of the Bowl, giving one of the
MOST remarkable and indescrihable
picturese possible.
Blocks of seats had been reserved
for the soldiers, and in the dim light
they could be. vaguely discerned in
their khaki uniforms. But all that
the observer from the stage saw was
a vast block of indefinite dark color
ing, like the blotch which futuristic
artist might make on his canvas.
f1ckered through the dense mass Of
people. Two huge lights at either
end of the 1mpromptu stage silhouet-
ted the actors and their movements
against the background Of midnight
darkness in giving wonderful effect
and a splendid opportunity to see
clearly the whole act.
And when, at the end of a seven
act bill of lively vaudeville the military
band of seventy-five pieces arose and
played 1.-The Star Spangled Banner,
the fifty thousand persons in the
Bowl, too, arose as one in the most
remarkable demonstration New Hav-
en- has ever seen. Small boys whistled
raucously, and women applauded Be-
fore the anthem was done, three num-
dred naval reservists, who had been
guests at the great open air circus
swung into line and marched across
the green grass that carpets the Bowl,
and out into the street that led to
their station. The cheers Of farewell
that greeted them nearly drowned
out the playing of the great band.
And even then the fifty thousand
we're reluctant to leave the great
structure, and it was only at the ur
gent requests Of soldier-ushers that
the long lines were finally started for
the exits and the march for home
begun.
Crowd Starts Early. |
Six o'clock last evening found the
crowd we'll started for the Bowl. At
even that early hour there were
MANY tiers of seats filled and trolley
carsjammed. An hour later Chapel
street from College far out into the
vicinity of the Bowl was a mass OF
pepole afoot, the throngs boiling over
into adjacent thoroughfares Where
walking was not so tedious and more
speed possible. At 8 o'clock, When
the free circus had been advertised
to begin, the Bowl was almost
filled. Only here and there, at the
upper tiers of seats, was there va
cant space. The people had peen
mindful of the warning that the pro-
gram would start on time and there
were few stragglers to arrive AFTER
the celebration had started.
Wn0n the CIOWuS DC6d1l w s"AA-'
the territory adjacent to the different
entrances to the big Yale structure
took on the appearance OF a circus
ground 1t was a democratic gather
ing, too, and men and women and
children of all ages and stations were
in evidence, Many families Travelled
in units. and in many cases parents
carried babes in arms that had but
lately felt their swaddling clothes to
the past.
Inside the Bowl the scene was one
of uuickening inspiration. The green
grass upon which Yale football glad
iators have fought for the mastery
of the gridiron took on deeper hue
under the glare of $500 candle power
of electric lights. And under this bril-
| lance the sea of faces, the uniforms
| of the soldiers, the staggering blue of
the naval reserves, the pretty gowns
of the women and the colorful Co.'S
tunes of the vaudeville performers,
! all, flashed upon the eye of the spec
| tator as panorama OF marvellous
| splendor and beauty.
Hardly a soldier was there alone.
| Each had a proud mother, father, sis
| ter or sweetheart on his arm. BY
reason of the fact that nearly every
| town and city in the state of conse-
| uuence is represented on the roster
| of the new 1O2nd regiment, many out
| siders were among the vast audience.