Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-08-29
COMMUNITY SING is
HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL
Audience of 500 Enter Enthu-
siastically Into Excellent
Patriotic Program


and educational event as the Com
munity Sing held Friday Eve, Aug.
23d in the Congregational Church in
East Canaan, under the direction of
R. C. Ware of Philadelphia. Patriot
ism was the keynote from start to
finish and Mr.. Wares Introductory
remarks explaining the object of
Community Singing touched a popu-
lar chord and it is now up to US to
continue this fine work of summon
ing all our patriotism to the front and
keep our "Home fires Burning" that
we may pass this enthusiasm on to
our boys in the Service, for the
winning of this horrible war.
Our Boys sing in the environments,
they sing as they go across, they sing
on the other side, they sing in the
trenches and often we read, they sing
as they go over the top. The Gov
eminent asks US to sing, sing, sing,
as the most inspiring element for all.
Community singing particularly, as
then the rank and file can be reached
in all communities.
This surely was carried out on Fri
day night, with capacity house and
scores, unable to get in the building,
stood in the vestibules or outside
looking in the windows. The total
number will approximate 500 Every
one entered into the singing with
will, to do their best-and all felt the
swaying power of song. Several
fry io+r Oh
worked in we'll with the occasion.
The ringing of the church bell, the
singing by the men, then the ladies
then the Red Cross, then the State
Guards, gave each part to do.
The cheering proved the fact that
the audience was composed of full
blooded Americans as it frequently
was spontaneous and always enthu-
siastic. The first round of applause
greeted the entrance of the Home
Guards led by Capt. J. Clinton Rora-
back followed by the Red Cross led
by Mrs. N. L. Jackson and Mrs. Cam.
comb of Philadelphia, with flags and
bunting and presented veritable
picture together with Red Cross in
uniforms filling the west gallery and
Home Guard in uniforms filling east
gallery completed the picture. Every
one participated in a very novel col
lection which was composed of each
person writing their name on a card
which was then collected.
The solos and duets by Miss Mar
guerite Gaylord, Mrs. Howard Law
renee, Miss Elizabeth PIERCE and
Robert D. Peirce met with frequent
rounds of applause. Miss Philinda
Stevens presided very acceptably at
the organ.
A marked feature of the evening.
was the mastery address by J. Henry
Roraback Esq. which wildly portray
ed our war activities and the impor-
tant part taken by the State of Con-
nectlcut. Interrupted by frequent
applause as climax after climax was
reached he held his large audience
spellbound to the very end. His ad-
dress in full follows:
Any attempt to discuss or even
think of the war seems to pass all
human effort. It is so tremendous
IN its magnitude, so appalling in its
consequences that the first efforts
seem to produce a mental aphasia
But whether we will it or not, it
exists and we must realize that there
IS no alternative which can be con-
sldered by any man fit to be an Am
eflcan citizen except to see it THROUGH
to the end
A few days over forty-nine months
@go the possibility of the world on
IKE, as it is today, cold not have
been conceived by ordinary man.
while the possibility that oar own be.
loved United States, the home OF
peace and of peaceful industry
should again be forced, in the preser
walton of the principles which were
the foundation of our government, tt
enter the arena of military combat
where man Stays his fellow man
would have passed all comprehension
To be sure there were some mer
With trained and especially schooIec
vision in international matters VIII,
for long time had foreseen and at
tempted to prophesy to US the hap
pen1ngs of today. These men in pub
nc print and public speech had en-
deavored to make US realize the i'm
pending possibilities, but when l say
that none of US realized these awfu
possibilities, l speak for the men ant
women of the great majority, for
believed that armed conflict amons
nations belonged to the barbaric past
that civilized christianity had pro
crossed so far that no longer could :
nation by force of arms enforce it
will upon another nation, more thai
could an armed burglar go unpun
ished when detected.
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