December 24, 2018
This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society
By Christmas
of 1917, Junction City had taken in stride the impact of the 60,000 “doughboys”
in training at Camp Funston on Fort Riley.
The town’s population had grown by half, business was booming and
schools were so crowded that students attended only half a day and it took two
years to complete one grade’s work.
Churches and civic clubs took up war service and Red Cross work and
private citizens opened their homes to those in need of a place to stay while
visiting with sons and husbands at the post.
Rationing had been gallantly accepted and meatless meals, war bread and
the Hoover pledge were common topics of conversation AND the news as locals geared down to do their
part to win the war.
Headlines in
the “Daily Union” newspaper during the days preceding Christmas of 1917
revealed that Junction City’s first Community Christmas Tree was erected in the
City Park that year and entertainment was staged around it during the holidays
for the soldiers at the post and their families staying in town. Church members, school groups and civic
organizations provided concerts and inspirational dramatizations in the park on
Christmas Eve, when the tree was first lit as well as on Christmas night and on
New Year’s Eve.
On Christmas
day at Camp Funston, a huge “wild west” show or rodeo was staged on the
football field near the Golden Bell Road.
The temperature was only 20 degrees at eight in the morning. To some of
us this seems like an unusual way to spend Christmas, but apparently the holiday rodeo was enjoyed by soldiers
who participated and those who watched the “Wild West Show”, which concluded
with a fireworks display.
And… that’s today’s story on “Our Past Is Present” from the
Geary County Historical Society.
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