Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-07-30
Dance and Entertain.
ment At City Hall
Auditorium Thurs
day Evening Attend
ed By Several Hun
dred Dough boy S
From Camp Reyes

Such was the Characterization of the
grand military ball for the enlisted
men OF the Camp Keyes group of
Maine National Guardsmen and troops
of the 5th Infantry u S. A., by vet
eran member of the crack regiment as
he Joined his buddies for the long hike
UP over the two hills to the encamp-
ment on the muster ground a few
minutes after midnight, speaking of
the complimentary party staged at
City Hall auditorium last night for
the enlisted men of the big militia
training camp.
Capital City young women to the
number of several hundred were at
City Hall in their gay summer dresses
to extend genuine welcome to the
doughboys of the 1O3rd Infantry, the
seth Infantry Brigade Headquarters
Company, and Companies H and L, 5th
U. S. Infantry. The party was ar
| ranged by representatives Of Augusta
service club to indicate the pleasure OF
Augusta folks at the presence in this
city for the Is days tour Of field
| training of the stalwart young mer
| from the towns and cities In every Sec
| ton of the State.
Besides the words Of welcome from
Mayor Ernest L. Mclean, which were
responded to by Brig. Gen. Albert
| Greenlaw, commanding the seth Infan.
| try Brigade and Camp Keyes, the eve.
ning's program of dance numbers and
J selected vaudeville acts made dis
| tinct hit with the guardsmen, and il
| goes without saying that every one OF
| the several hundred clean-1imbet
young men In attendance at the hall
which was given in their honor, en-.
| joyed himself to the utmost and has
clearer conception this morning OF
! the hospitality and cordially of Au.
| gusta people.
1t was pretty party with the hun.
| dreds Of National Guard soldiers anG
! the other hundreds of local girls
mingling on the auditorium floor, and
| besides the program of general dane
| ing with music by the Douglas Melody
men, splendid evenings entertain.
| ment had been provided by those ir
| charge Of the affair including several
surprise acts Of amateur vaudeville.
The entertainment features were
staged between the dance numbers and
were a revelation to the soldiers OF
| the extraordinary talent within the
| city where their annual summer en-
campment IS being held.
The troops were transported to and
from the scene of the grand ball in the
big Liberty motor lorries from Camp
| Keyes, and they were particularly
| pleased at every feature of the splen-
did evenings entertainment as plan
ned and executed by the general COM
mitteet of which Captain Arthur S.
Merrill was chairman.
In his words of welcome Mayor
Mclean mentioned the fact that SOL
diers of the Civil war, the Spanish
American and the World war had
been given welcome, by this city, and
that in greeting the boys of the 103rd
Maine Infantry and their associates
he felt that the splendid traditions OF
this State were being upheld. Gen
oral Greenlaw, who was accompanied
by members of his staff. in few
brief words. graciousiy responded for
the enlisted men, after which the
| Grand March was carried out and all
officers were requested to leave the
hall and leave the enlisted men in
full enjoyment of the evenings pro-
! gram.
Talented Augusta performers ap-
peared in a series of entertainment
numbers which were presented be-
tween tn dances and were received
with real pleasure by the hundreds of
soldiers and young women present
Miss Thelma and Mr.. Cecil Haskell
gave an Interpretation of the Charles
ton, which made a distinct hit with
the honor guests. Peter Gonnella
with his accordion won salvos of APP
preciative applause, and Miss Devina
Slosberg, In her presentation Of spe-
cialty dance numbers in costume
scored one Of the individual hits OF
the evening.
When Eddie Beechard appeared in
soft shoe dancing and q presentation
of F'riscoe steps. a real furore re-
suited, and the young entertainer was
called back several, times before his
audience would permit of his retiring
from the stage. Buddy Robinson
made his saxophone talk, Groom and
sing to the doughboys, and this mum
Der also was exceptionally we'll re-
ceived by the doughboys. Leo Dou-
cette accompanied the sax artist in
his several numbers.
During the evening and at inter-
mission, punch was served from an
attractive booth by members Of the
James Fitzgerald post, American Le-
gion Auxiliary, and by the quantity
of liquid refreshment dispensed by
the energetic corps Of women. 1t was
quite evident that the khaki clad
young men and their partners were
quite thirsty.
City Hall auditorium was most ap-
propriately and attractively decorated
for the occasion in the national col
ors, mad large welcome" signs were
conspicuously displayed. This part
of the arrangements for the bid func-
ton were carried out by Norman
Fowler of Gardiner.
The invitations to ladies for the
party of last evening were looked af-
ter by the Augusta Business and Pro-
fessional Women's Club, and the re-
Spouse to the invitations to meet the
members Of the famous regiment So
cially was general and mutually en-
joyable.
Frederick G. Davis, secretary of
the Augusta Rotary Club introduced
several feature numbers of the eve
ming, while Arthur s. Merrill was as
sisted in the direction of the monster
party by several members of the
Kiwanis Club, including Blaine Owen,
Walter Chernowsky, Frederick owen,
Edwin II. Ingraham, Chaplain ALI
son H. Hayesmond, Bonnie Marston
Horace 1ngraham was treasurer of
the military ball and his assistant
was Maurice Leighton.