Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 April 1918 — GREAT LAKES NAVAL BAND [ARTICLE]

GREAT LAKES NAVAL BAND

Will Play in Rensselaer Friday, April 19. BAND CONCERT ANU SPEAKING Both of Which Will Be In the Evening, In the Interests of the Third Liberty Loan. The detachment of the Great Lakes Naval Training Station Band which will be in Rensselaer on April 19 to aid in inspiring patriotism and stirring up enthusiasm at the Third Liberty loan meeting is a part of what President Wilson calls “the greatest band in the world. ’’ x Originated by Captain William A. Moffett, commandant at Great Lakes, and directed by the famous band leader, Lieut. John Philip Sousa, the Bluejackets’ Band of Youth has grown to an organization of over 700 pieces. Detachments similar to the one that will visit Rensselaer have toured the middle western and eastern states during the previous Liberty loan drives, where Liberty loan experts have credited their collective

work with selling $750,000,000 worth of Liberty bonds. Overflow meetings were the usual thing. Schools were closed as were stores and other places of businesss in order that everyone might see and hear the Bluejacket band. Leading citizens in the towns visited that the band coming, as it did at the time of the Liberty loan campaign, crystallized their patriotism into action. “People bought bonds because they were inspired by the fearless, clean and determined appearance of the boys in blue,” they said. “The. music from a band of real Americans like this thrills us more than we can tell you,” said one public official. “And,” he continued, "we have a closer interest in the navy, now that we have seen this wonderful manifestation of its spirit.’’ Within the last month three* detachments of the band have been sent to sea and another is now at a naval base in France. The very boys you will soon see and hear may within a short, time after their tour be either, on the high seas or in France.

Lieut. Sousa’s personality permeates the band. He is justly proud of his Bluejacket musicians and declares that to lead them is the greatest e?periencec of his life. Of course, the “march king” cannot accompany all the detachments that go on tour, but that does not prevent the bandsmen from playing his marches in the way Lieut. Sousa would have them played. All the detachments when at the station are • thoroughly trained in the spirit of the marches by Lieut. Sousa so that when on tours led by a real, live drum major they play with .the spirit instilled in them by their famous leader.