The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1918-05-24
FRY MEMORIAL IS
REDED|cAT|ON TO
NATIONS SERVICE
FRATERNAL ORDERS, ACADEMY,
SCHOOL AND CHURCH UNITE
IN PAYING TRIBUTE.
LIFE OF HERO EXALTED
Speakers EuIogize Young Aviator
Who Gave His Life For His Coun-
try-Gold Star on Three Service
Flags.

Stamping indelibly upon the minds
and hearts of his fellow townsmen
memories of the beautiful life, noble
character and heroic death of Lieut..
Clarence H. Fry, who died May In
England from an airplane accident,
the public memorial service held
jointly by the Christian church, the
Century club and the Columbia Mill
tary Academy at the High school Sun
day afternoon was attended by gath
ering Of friends who filled ever avail
able seat in the large auditorium.
Many were the tears that welled into
sympathetic eyes only to be checked
by the emotion of patriotism and the
knowledge that the one to whom tri
butte was being paid would have only
the happiest and the noblest thoughts
put foremost at such a service.
]. A. Sloan was master of ceremon-
les and addresses were delivered by
Hon. G. T. Hughes, ST., representing
the entire citizenship of the city and
county; Hon w. B. Greenlaw, repre-
senting the C. M. A.; Hon. w. c. Sal
mon representing the Christian
church; Hon. L. z. Turpin, repre-
senting the Century club; and Hon. J.
H. Dining, representing the Junior
Order of American Mechanics.
The stage was appropriately deco
rated in national colors with the three
service flags Of the Century club, Jun
ior Order and c. M. A.. each bearing
gold star in his memory, conspic-
ious in the arrangements. Selections
and accomplishments for the singing
swere rendered by the c. M. A. band,
directed by Capt. Nelson, and with
touching tenderness Mrs. c. A. For
gey sang, LET Not Your Heart Be
Troubled" Miss Mary McCary voiced
the aspirations of the great audience
as she sweetly sang that favorite song
Of camp and home, Keep the Home
Fires Burning" With intense emo
ton the audience sang America" at
the opening of the service, and "The
Star Spangied Banner" at the con-
clusion. DIR. Geo. o. Watts, rector of
st. Peters Episcopal church, said the
invocation.
Members Of the Junior Order
marched to the auditorium and were
steated in body. The Columbia Mil
itary Academy cadet corps, of which
Lieut.. Fry was once an officer, also
occupied a section of seats and form
ed an impressive part of the scene.
Mr.. Hughes, close person friend of
the Fry family and an admirer of the
heroic young aviator who gave his life
for his country, spoke of the life of
the boy and his devotion to his par
ents and his sisters and brothers, Of
his never-failing courtesy and respect
for men and women of mature age, Of
his notable business ability for man
so young, of his cheerfulness in his
associations with his fellows and of
his cleanliness of life and nobleness
of character. The tribute paid by
Mr.. Hughes was notable in that it
came from an elderly man who had
known and observed from boyhood
the daily life of this young hero who
had scarcely passed the margin Of his
majority, and could find no flaw in it.
He held up the life of Clarence Fry,
son of John w. Fry, as one worthy to
be made the standard of American
youth and the model for all the thou
sands of other soldiers and sailors
and aviators who have gone into the
service.
Mr.. Greenlaw, president of the
board of trustees of the Columbia Mil
itary Academy, spoke of the school
days of Clarence Fry. telling how he
was held in the highest esteem by the
faculty and cadet corps, how he stoou
high in the classes and on the mill
tary training grounds as a cadet, how
he was one of the first to volunteer
and became one of the first of more
than 200 c. NJ A. cadets represented
on the service flag. and how he had
made the sublime sacrifice Of giving
his own life on the altar of freedom
and had become the first within the
speakers knowledge to be represented
by gold star His tribute was one
of the most beautiful of the day, for
he, also, had known Clarence Fry
from boyhood.
Mr.. Salmon's eulogy was peculiarly
revealing the spiritual
side of the hero and exalting that
phase of his character that lifted him
from things of this earth to the realms
Of Heaven. Mr.. Salmon told about the
incident in the life of
Clarence Fry last September when he
was at home on a brief leave of abb
sence Immediately prior to his de-
parture for England. Knowing that
he was beginning a voyage that, per-
haps. would be into eternity, he ex.