The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-05-15
MANY SERVICE
MEN PRESENT At
HOME WELCOME
Entertainment Provided by w.
R. c. and S. of V.
BOYS ATE AND DANCED
All of Three Hundred Partook Of Ban
quet Served Wednesday Evening
at G. A. r. Hall
BOYS ATE AND DANCED

The eats was better'n what we got
IN Boston after the big parade" said
one YD boy as he left the G. A. r. hall
Wednesday evening. He was one of
the nearly three hundred who took
part in the first. Welcome Home"
gathering extended to the Bennington
young men who saw service during
the great war. And it is safe to say
that he expressed the sentiment OF
every Yank who had an opportunity
to compare Bennington and Boston
hospitality. Perhaps the fact that
the fD boy was once more back among
his own people and the "eats" were
just like those that mother used to
make may have slightly biased his
opinion. However much the ex-
Yankee division boy may have been
influenced by surroundings, his yer-
dict on the excellence Of the banquet
provided by the patriotic women of
Bennington, members Of the local
Relief Corps, assisted by the Sons of
Veterans, their wives and sisters, was
endorsed by all who attended.
The women, as usual on occasions
of this kind, we're the real burden
bearers. They worked like dough-
boys digging in new front line trench
but they worked as though they enjoy
ed the privilege Of doing something for
the boys who had responded in the
great emergency. They had food
enough and to spare and they had
helpers enough to see that it was
promptly served, although it was
necessary to set the tables three
times.
The bill of fare contained baked
beans, rolls, salad, pickles and cheese,
brown bread, doughnuts, cake and
coffee.
While as previously stated, the wo-
men did the work they had material
assistance from the industrial con-
Germs in Bennington and North Ben
nington and from patriotic, residents
and for this assistance theTtwo or
ganizations wish to express their high
appreciation ~
p The Odd Fellows band provided ex-
cellent music both before and after
the banquet. i' ges
From the banquet hall the soldiers
and sailors with their mothers, sis
ters and sweethearts, as each individ-
ual case happened to be, proceeded
to Black Cat hall for the dance which
had been arranged as the final fea-
ture of the evening
Both at the banquet and at the
dance there was an atmosphere of
good fellowship that was actual
ly remarkable. 1t was plain that
many of the boys who had entered the
service as the different calls came
ard who had been scattered over
big portion of Europe and the entire
eastern section of the United States
were meeting for the first time since
they had left their homes. Each one
had many experiences to tell the 9TH
er and when they were not eating or
dancing they visited like a lot of mid
die aged women at a meeting Of the
sewing circle. Occasionally they
would stop talking long enough to
lower the delicious contents OF the
punch bowls concocted by Mrs. Paul
son and served by Mrs. Ruth England
Smith Mrs. James F. Scarey and
Mrs George Thompson.
The general enjoyment OF the
dance was in large measure due to
the inspiring and snappy music
gratuitously provided by Hurleys full
orchestra The use of the hall was
also donated.
A majority of the young men who
attended were in uniform but there
were a considerable number who pre-
ferred to wear "cits" On such an
occasion it does not seem as though
any young man who had part in the
war, no matter what 1t was, should
feel at all different over appearing in
the uniform of his branch OF service.
however much he may feel relieved
that he is no longer conforming to
regulations. More uniforms Wednes
day evening would have added to the