Old Soldiers Will Lead The Way To Depot (1917)

Columbia City Post ~ Wednesday, September 19, 1917

The old soldiers of this community will lead the procession to the Panhandle depot Thursday morning when the forty-seven men leave to go to Camp Taylor, Louisville, Ky. The schools will also be dismissed for the memorable event. The Moose Band has volunteered to go to the west school building at 8:15 and there the school children will fall in line and march down to the east side of the court house square.

The old soldiers will meet at their hall at about 8 o'clock and they will be at the east side of the court house square not later than 8:30. The fifteen minutes allowed the school children from 8:15 to 8:30 will be sufficient time for them to get to the court house, and after the soldier boys have answered roll call, the line of march will be formed, with the old veterans of former wars leading the way, and the band will play while the new army men and the entire crowd march to the station.

The soldier boys will each be given a remembrance, which will be the gift of the businessmen of Columbia City. It will be something which the fellows can use wherever they go and it will serve as a little token which they may take with them.

The boys must answer to their second roll call Thursday morning at the depot, fifteen minutes before the train leaves. They will get there in plenty of time, and a special car will be carried to accommodate them.

The men are advised not to wear the best clothes as it might be a matter of a few days before they can be fitted out with full equipment. They are also advised to wear high shoes - not oxfords - because it may be a few days before the men can all be fitted out with the regulation army shoe. Marches in low shoes would be tiresome and there would also be danger of getting sand and dust inside the low shoes. The men should also take towels, tooth brush, cake of soap in a celluloid or metal soap box, underclothes, and toilet articles.