Welcome Home 1919 Arch

Welcome Home 1919 Arch

Three photos of the Welcome Home arches. The Tripp photo of the main arch on Main and Cass streets shows the bandstand decorated with bunting. Just one small truck, one car and one horse are parked on the Square, indicating that the photo was taken before the festivities began. Winged Victory statues are on each column and an eagle over a V is in the middle. The letters are illuminated.
The "Jane Dahm" photo shows the same location later in the day with a group of boys standing in the left corner.
The third arch was located on the East Jackson entrance to the park and was much simpler with no lettering and just a cross in the middle. This was the entrance nearest to "Flander's Field."

HOUR DEVOTED TO SOLEMN SERVICE FOR DEAD HEROES
With Bared Heads Multitude Pays Respect to Men Who Will Not Come Back
MINIATURE “FLANDERS FIELD”
White Crosses Shown Among' the Red Poppies
At two o'clock all entertaining; activities and jollity ceased and the people including soldiers and civil­ians gathered around the southeast corner of the park, when; a memorial arch had been erected and a miniature “Flanders field” had been laid out, to pay a silent tribute to our departed heroes.
“Flanders field" was a small plot of ground covered with a mass of red poppies, together with and among which fifty-eight white crosses were arranged, each cross signifying a McHenry county soldier who had died in the service. A six-pointed gold star, representing a hero of Jewish faith stood in place of one of the white crosses. The crosses were made by Rev Kaufman, while the poppies, each a perfect flower in itself, were the handiwork of Mrs. Gracia Mosher and Miss Margaret Newcomb. These crosses and flowers represented many hours of patient work on the part of both Mr. Kaufman and the ladies.
Over the speaker’s platform, as an entrance to "Flanders field," was a large white memorial arch, on the sides of which appeared two large tablets on which the honor roll was inscribed in letters of gold. Over the top on the arch were the words “Our Departed Heroes.”
The Memorial Service
The Memorial service began by a selection "Sacred March.” by Wel­don's band.
Rev. Kaufman, representing the memorial committee, made a few in­troductory remarks, after which the Woodstock Male quartet sang "Cross­ing the Bar.” A prayer was offered by Rev. Father D. J. Conway and he then announced the serious illness of Rev. John J. O’Heron, who had served overseas as chaplain with the 108th Ammunition train of the 33rd division. Father O’Heron had promised to be present for this service, but his illness made this impossible.
Father Conway spoke but briefly, but with tender, solemn words which touched the heart, he pointed out to those who mourn that the gold stars which are placed at the names of the departed heroes are but an emblem to represent the gold stars which shine in the life above.
Another number, "Comrades That Are Sleeping," was sung by the quartet after which Rev. Kaufman introduced Rev. William Kilburne as the speaker of the day. Mr. Kilburne served in the Y. M. C. A. overseas for a period of nine months and it is only such men as he who have been with the boys at the front, ministering to and bearing with them their hardships and sufferings, who can fully understand and read the inner soul of the soldier. Mr Kilburne spoke from (Continued on Page 12) [Woodstock Sentinel June 12, 1919 p. 1. Images of additional pages can be found on the shared drive in the History Digital Imaging folder, Scanwrite file]

1919