History Series: Kayte Casebolt and Latah County and WW1

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:12):
This is the Kestrel Country Podcast where we discuss
the people, places and eventsall around Kestrel country

(00:40):
podcast.
We are very excited to bepresenting a history series with
Kate Casebolt, who has been alongtime writer now for the
Kestrel Post.
And if you don't get theKestrel Post yet, head over to
movetomoscocom and sign up toget our free newspaper.
But Kate is going to bepresenting her past articles,
which is a lot of history aboutour area, so looking forward to

(01:03):
hearing what she has to saywhich is a lot of history about
our area.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
So looking forward to hearing what she has to say.
Many of the men from LatahCounty were sent to Camp Lewis
during World War I.
These men trained at theUniversity of Idaho first and
then boarded a train at theNorthern Pacific Railway as
crowds of well-wishers gatheredaround to say their goodbyes.
Camp Lewis was named after noneother than Meriwether Lewis.
It was the first National ArmyCantonment for draftee training,
with its first arrivals onSeptember 5, 1917.

(01:33):
By the end of that year therewere already 37,000 officers,
garrison and trainees thereDuring the war.
It was the largest militarypost and it did its best to live
up to its name.
Subscribers of the Tacoma DailyNews for Camp Lewis helped
purchase the largest flag everflown at the time.
The flag weighed 257 poundswith dimensions of 60 by 90 feet

(01:56):
.
On their first attempt to raisethis flag at Camp Lewis, the
weight of it was too heavy forthe pole to hold up and the pole
broke under its pressure.
The weight of it was too heavyfor the pole to hold up and the
pole broke under its pressure.
After another unsuccessfulattempt, the flag was finally
raised on December 7, 1918.
But the men at Camp Lewisweren't the only ones from Latah
County that did their part forthe American war effort.

(02:17):
Since the men had left behindmany open positions at the mills
, like the Potlatch Mill, womenhad to step up and fill in these
roles.
Before World War I, many of thewomen were homemakers.
They rarely worked outside ofthe house, but when they did, it
was usually a job at themercantile or as part of the
company clerical staff.
Some became maids, post officeworkers or boarding house cooks.

(02:38):
As they worked at the mill,their jobs were in
administrative support roles orflunkies those who prepared
meals for the loggers.
But that all changed duringwartime.
Early fighter planes needed thespruce from the lumber company,
since the planes were builtfrom wood trusses.
In order to continue providinglumber, women became loggerettes

(02:58):
.
During World War II, around 40women worked at the potlatch
mill.
Women also served as Red Crossnurses during the wars.
Some went to serve in France,while others stayed local and
helped make bandages and carepackages.
They also played an importantrole in raising funds and
marching in Liberty Bond parades.
Often they carried blue starflags in the parade, with each

(03:21):
star representing a familymember in service.
Liberty Bonds were debtsecurities issued by the
government that helped pay formilitary expenses.
William Giz Mikadu, secretaryof Treasury, worked with the
Division of the Committee onPublic Information to develop
this campaign.
The division was called theFour Minute Men and they often

(03:41):
included patriotic language intotheir posters to motivate
people to purchase these bonds.
Famous artists were hired tocreate the posters and famous
actors and actresses hosted bondrallies to support the war
effort.
Like Ethel Barrymore andCharlie Chaplin, american
viewers all over the countrywatched Charlie Chaplin's the
Bond, a short film that Chaplinmade with money out of his own

(04:03):
pocket.
Even kids got involved in thiscampaign.
Both the Boy and Girl Scoutssold Liberty Bonds to raise
funds for the war.
The government was able toraise about $17 billion from
Liberty Bonds.
This was about $170 perAmerican citizen.
At long last, world War I cameto an end and the people of
Potlatch were among the earliestto celebrate.

(04:24):
Most of the country was stillunaware of the end of the war,
but Potlatch had frontlineconnections.
Their celebrations began onNovember 9, 1918, even before
the official documents endingthe war had been signed.
While Potlatch provided muchlumber for the construction of
fighter planes, they also usedthe wood for their sidewalks,
but since these sidewalks haverecently been torn out and piled

(04:46):
in the street.
They lit the planks on fire fora huge bonfire celebration.
Their party lasted two fulldays and two nights.
These warriors shaped ourcommunity as people stood
together through the mostdifficult circumstances.
Today, the memorial in EastCity Park reminds one and all
that this is the land of thefree because of the brave.

Speaker 1 (05:08):
Thanks for joining us .
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We'll see you next week.