Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-20
SONG FESTIVAL
MEETS SUCCESS
First of Series of Community
Sings" Takes Place at the High
School Sunday.

The largest crowd ever congre-
gated in this community for the
purpose of singing, gathered yes
terday afternoon in the auditorium
of the Rock Island high school for
community singing.
A crowd of $50 people gathered
to sing in honor of he boys, for
mer high school students. who
have Joined Uncle Sans forces so
that the ideals of democracy might
live forever The fervor with which
the patriotic songs were sung has
never before been equaled in this
city
h. c. Fisher. superintendent of
the public schools, h. l.. Phllbrook,
music instructor of the schools led
in the sing. assisted by members
of the Rotary club. who were seat
ed on The assembly platform.
The program opened with a stir
ring address by Mr. Fisher In
part Mir. Fisher said, There are
two reasons for this event, first. in
honor of the boys formerly of the
Rock Island high school who have
Joined the service ard are fighting
your battles and mine: secondly.
to start and establish. as is gen
orally known, q community sing.
He expressed his appreciation for
the fine turnout and expressed
hope that the audience would leave
with an inspiration that will not
only help the boys over there but
those here. He spoke of the spirit
ual uplift that comes from song
and reviewed evidences of historic
settings that proves its immortal
ity
Mr.. Fisher introduced Mrs Mae
Richard Casey Mrs. Casey sang
Keep the Home Fires Burning
and at the request of the audience
rendered an encore. Miss Charlotte
Huesing. editor-in-ch of the
Watch Tower. the high school pa
per. unveiled the beautiful honor
scroll Miss Huesing delivered
sincere and inspiring talk. She
read the names of 1873 former and
late high school students now in
the field Of battle or in the canton
ments She unveiled and present,
Gu LIlt SNiOll " Tic SSiOOl OH DC-
half of the Watch Tower staff. vhs.
have kept the scroll until all the
boys names were obtained Out of
the 1S3 names. one boy, Anderson
Dove, has met death from the guns
of the Huns. A gold star is placed
next to his name on the honor roll
Henry. Roberts. graduate OF the
school in the class Of IA. painted
the tablet. An American soldier
and sailor. and between them the
American flag and painted on the
tablet and below them the names
of the boys
The singing opened with The
Star Spangled Banner" Other pa
triotic tunes sung were Pack Up
Your Troubles" over There.
Battle Cry of Freedom" "Tipper-
airy. There's Long, Long Trail"
and America" As a demonstra-
ton of community singing, mem
bers of the Rotary club pleased the
audience with several song para
dies of which several were original.
Music was furnished by the
school orchestra and nine members
of the orchestra in former years.
AT fitting ceremony for the one
local high school boy who was kill
ed in action in the battle OF Verdun
in 1917, the audience bowed in
prayer.
H. ". Crawford offered the sug-
gestion that the affair be held in
two weeks again to which the audi
ence unanimously agreed. It is
urged that the spirit OF community
sing be created among every man. !
woman and child in the city. Sun
day. June ?. the second of the series
OF singing will be held in the high
school auditorium. II is the pstri- /
otto duty of everyone to attend
-RuV War 81 rirrs