Lusk's Main Street Flagpole
The Lusk Herald, August 8, 1918
NEW FLAGPOLE DEDICATED WITH IMPRESSIVE SERVICE
Day Was Auspicious and the Crowd Was Receptive, Patriotic and Enthusiastic---the Speeches Were Full of Snap, Fealty and Patriotism Throughout Entire Ceremony
Flagpole is 70 Feet High and Made of Six-Inch Steel Piping
Chairman Hawthorne Handled the Ceremonies in Fine Shape, and Mr. Clark, the Orator of the Day Expounded Patriotism in it's Fullest Sense---Weather Was Fine
Saturday, August 3rd, 1918, was a proud day for Lusk, when “old Glory” was unfurled to the breeze and raised to the pinnacle of the flag-pole which was dedicated before a large audience. The flag-pole and flag were purchased and erected from subscriptions by the business men and private citizens of Lusk, consequently they are community property.
Mrs. Lena Henry, of the Henry Hotel, granted the use of the spacious hotel porch as a platform and here the speakers and musicians assembled while the audience lined both sides of the street.
Dr. Hawthorne was chairman for the occasion and summoned the participants in the program as follows:
D. E. Goddard, the first speaker, was down for a four-minute talk and discharged the obligation with pith, pathos and patriotism. Then followed the National anthem, “America”, rendered by the singers to the accompaniment of the Lusk band. At this juncture County Attorney Hartwell was announced and gave a short patriotic talk and summarized the work that is up to us to make our army heroic and successful and waxed enthusiastic in his denunciation of Prussianism. The Rev. J. Coleman Horton was next called to the rostrum and he gave a short dedicatory speech which was well received.
Chairman Hawthorne, at this period of the dedication exercises, introduced Mr. Clark as the orator of the day and it goes without saying that he did ample justice to the subject at hand. Mr. Clark took for the text of his speech the Bible story of the Good Samaritan, working and fighting in behalf of the nations of Europe now at war with Kaiserism and Kultur. At a point about midway in his address the speaker was pleasantly interrupted which the flag was raised to the top of the pole amid the cheers of those assembled, the band meanwhile playing “The Star Spangled Banner with a patriotic peroration, his effort being loudly applauded by the audience. Mr. Clark is an exceptionally good extemporaneous speaker with a pleasing personality.
Rev. O. E. A. Blenkarn closed the ceremony with the rendition of a poem entitled, “Your Flag and My Flag,” followed by a short prayer.
There was quite an assemblage at the dedication, but the gathering was not as large as it might have been owing to the fact that farmers are busy at this time cutting grain, hence the attendance from the rural districts was somewhat limited.