Iowa Old Press

Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette
Cedar Rapids, Linn co. Iowa
May 18, 1921

Dedicate Living Memorials in Honor of Iowa Nurses Who Died Over Seas
11 White Trees Are Planted This Week - For "Soldiers in White"
Des Moines, May 18 - Eleven beautiful white birch trees are being planted on the capitol extension grounds this week and on Memorial day with impressive services they will be dedicated to the memory of the Iowa girls who died while in the military service as nurses overseas. One of the eleven will be dedicated to Miss Jane DeLano of New York, chief nurse during the war who directed the mobilization of 26,561 nurses.

Iowa girls for whom trees will be planted are:
Marion Crandall of Davenport, the first nurse to die abroad
Mary Wieman [Weiman] of Fairfield
Marie Elsie Hatch, of Edgewood
Maude Holt of Sioux City
Kathleen Kennebeck of Carroll
Dorothy Elizabeth Koellner of Fort Madison
Lorraine Rawson of Burlington
Marie Beeman, Mary Mahoney and Ramona Bates, whose home addresses have not been learned.

The trees will be known as the "Soldiers in White" memorial trees since the nurses who served overseas are so designated. Through Mrs. Jarvis a "Soldier in White" day is observed throughout the United States on the last Sunday in January when especial honor and tribute is paid to the nurses who died overseas.

Big Boulder Marks Merle Hay Road in Honor Iowa Hero
Des Moines, May 18 - An immense boulder has been placed along the Merle Hay road just at the city corporation line as a marker and will be dedicated by appropriate exercises on the afternoon of Memorial day, May 30. Inscribed on the boulder are the words, Merle Hay road and the date, 1917. The boulder is to stand as a monument to Merle Hay, the first Iowa boy to lose his life in the world war and for whom the paved road leading to Camp Dodge was named. Lafayette Young, publisher of the Des Moines Capital, will be in charge of the dedicatory exercises. Mrs. Hay of Glidden, mother of Merle Hay, will be on hand at the dedication and will unveil the marker.

Body of Vinton Hero To Be Returned Home
Vinton, May 18 - Mr. and Mrs. Charles Waddle of this city have been notified by the war department that the body of their son, Leo Waddle, would arrive in New York from France about May 21. From there it will be brought to Vinton and will be given a military burial under the direction of George G. Luckey Post, American Legion. Leo Waddle died December 5, 1918, in a hospital in France, and was buried at Toul. His body will be the first of the Vinton boys who died in France to be returned home. As soon as definite news is received as to the time the body will arrive in Vinton, arrangements will be made for the funeral, in which the whole community will join in paying tribute to this young man who died in the service of his country.

Five Will Graduate from College For Blind
Vinton, May 18 - The 1921 graduating class at the Iowa College for the Blind in this city numbers five, and the members are: Helen Kale, Lemier Laian, Florence Reeves, Henry Schluntz and Claude Shannon. The commencement week exercises start Sunday, May 22. The class has adopted the motto, "Attempt, Climb, Triumph." The class flower is the red rose and the colors are old rose and gold.

[transcribed by S.F., November 2009]

Iowa
Linn County