The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-04
Soldier Sings
To Big Crowd In
City Auditorium
Hundreds Again Are \ Turned
Away Unable to Find Room
at Popular Sunday Service.

Again large numbers OF Sunday
singers were compelled when the
eighth session of that innovation was
held yesterday afternoon, but more
than four thousand men, women and
children met the occasion with a verve
and enthusiasm that has hardly been
equalled thus far since the iutroduc-
ton OF this popular service.
Long hours before the opening of
the doors. great crowds OF enthusiasts
had gathered In front of the building.
and patiently waited until allowed to
enter. They soon filled the seating
capacity to it's utmost, and late com
ers were forced to either stand or re-
turn hoNe. Probably more men in
Uniform were present yesterday than
al ~ny one sing In the past, and each
occupied a reserve seat,
Music Director Walter Mercer sue
ceeded in getting more cooperation
fl ON the heretofore n-singers. espe-
cially in the chorus of Over There
and Joan of Are" and others of the
more popular hits. than even these
vccalists themselves had ever dream
co they had. AS a-whole. IL was the
most successful sing yet held, and the
camp activity commission were ablaze
with optimism over the result.
Rabbi CaIisch Speaks.
DR. Edward n, Calisch. rabbi OF the
Beth Ahaha temple. was the leading
speaker of the afternoon, ana his pa :
triotic words were received with
vcctferous acclaim. His talk embodied
tho theme of sacrifice. and its para
mount Importance in the winning of
the war
Another feature OF the sing was
the rendition OF two popular soldier
song hits by Sergeant Henderson. of
the Three Hundred and Seventeenth
regiment. Camp Lee. Sergeant Hen
derson has pleasing voice and hi.
EFFORTS were cheered to the echo. The
Long, Long Trail" as sung by him,
was received with an applause that
fairly rocked the building.
The war savings stamps, the cam
paign that Is now being conducted.
ana the patriotic spirit with which thu
sale has been received in Richmond
together with what Is expected OF the
people here, was placed before the
coreourse by Samuel Kelley. former
member of The legislature and we'll
known lawyer
Collection Is Taken.
To meet the costs of maintaining
the Sunday sings, which amounts II
approximately SIPS at eacn service
which includes hand service and other
incidentally, an Offering was taken UP
among the audience Yesterday, and
more than $500 was collecred. This
amount brings the total collections re-
cctved thus far to something in ex-
ces: OF $500, or about one-haf OF the
total that Is needed by the commission
on training camp activities.
Alvin M. Smith took charge OF the
collection. and through his liberal ex-
ample and impulsive appeal that the
large sum was secured
Just what accommodations for the
large and growing crowds to these ser.
vices viii be made by the commission
Is not known. but some arrangements
are necessary. The auditorium has
the largest seating canacitv of any
building In town. and 1t has been
found Inadequate Either two ses-
s'ons. or an outdoor performance will
havc 10 he resortod to by thr commits
sion, for at each service more and
more are turned away n