The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-08-05
PATRIOTIC SUNDAY
ATTRACTS MANY
WEATHER WAS FINE
Big Tent Crowded At Afternoon and
Evening SessiOns-PatriOtic
Speeches and Patriotic
Music.


Riverside park was the mecca fOl
thousands of visitors here on Patriotic
Sunday and the big waterproof ten
was crowded with people both at tn,
afternoon and evening sessions. Thu
tent, which holds $500, was erected OF
Saturday under the direction of d. @
Grabill of Fort Atkinson, field secre
tary for the Jefferson County Council
Of Defense, under whose auspices thu
patriotic Sunday was planned, but thu
program was in charge of the loca
Council Of Defense No. 1, of which T
A. WOndreyka is chairman. Local peO
pie assisted in the work of putting VI
the big top and statesmen from lOca
stores looked after the deliberations
which were especially fine, the Ameri
can flag being used freely in the
scheme as well as the French colors
Mr.. William Sproesser directed the
Liberty chorus and contributed sole
number as did also the Elks quartette
Dr. and Mrs. E. J. Herman and Miss
part in the preparation of the program
The Home Guards attended to the re-
freshment booths and number OF
citizens under direction of T. B. Roach
looked after the parking of the cars.
Quite a number Of soldier boys from
Camp Grant were given leave of alb
sence for the day as we'll as some OF
the Jackies from the Great Lakes
Training Station. These together with
members Of Watertown Separate COM
pany added a military appearance to
the program.
Rain No Deterrent.
Rain which began falling at 1920
a. m. and continued two hours was no
deterrent to the people. 1t began to
clear at 1880 and the big Jefferson
County Council OF Defense band par
AIDED and marched to the park followed
by vast assemblage and at 2:3O
when the program started the tent was
completely filled and many stood out
side. From l to 2:30 the band enter
tanned with concert numbers and pa
triotic airs. The meeting was presided
over by d. O. Grabill of Fort Atkinson,
field secretary for the Council of De-
Tense. W. D. James of Fort Atkinson
chairman of the county council, was
present as were also other members of
that body. -
Musical Program.
The Liberty quartette under the di-
rection of Mr. William Sproesser took
part in the afternoon and evening pre-
gram. The afternoon number was con
ward Christian Soldiers" and the sole
number by Mr.. Sproesser was "Your
Flag and My Flag" In the evening the
Liberty chorus rendered "Old Black
Joe" and the Elks quartette rendered
God Be With Our Boys Tonight
There We're seventy-five voices in the
choru9 The community, singing in
which the audience Joined was led by
Prof. Edgar B. Gordon of the state uni
versity. The NUMBERS were rendered
in the following order: America,
There's a Long, Long Trail" solo by
Mr.. Barrett, Helping On "On Wis
consin," ION America" Smile, Smile
Smile" Keep the Home Fires Burn
ing" Mrs. William Sproesser lent hel
assistance to the success of the music
al numbers by presiding at the piano
which was furnished by the w. D
Sproesser Co
Pageant "For Liberty"
If the afternoon assemblage was
large the evening attendance surpass
ed it fifty percent The grand and spec
tacular pageant For Liberty" was
started at 1870 while thousands o
spectators viewed it in the open air.
was not alone spectacular but i'm
pressive, and the Liberty chorus in pa
triotic songs lent additional solemnity
to the occasion. The gathering of thu
nations represented by ladies in cos
tune and the finale when America
reaches the shores of the downtrodde1
nations was impressive. For the latter
tableaux a boat was improvised, pu
out from the opposite shore in which
were seated Columbia and her attend
ants with the stars and stripes at tn.
PROV. When the boat landed the cheer
ing and applause was tremendous. The
crowd was so dense that many were
unable to view the spectacle
The artistic dancing by Miss Laur;
Stapleton after the arrival of Ameri
ca on the scene was a most pleasin,
feature of the spectacular event
The theme of the pageant follows
The spirit of brotherly love embed
led in both Liberty and Justice come