Wednesday Was Truly
Transylvania’s Big Day. . . Transylvania Welcomes Her Heroes with Greatest
Celebration in History
Welcome home was the dominating features in Transylvania
County’s celebration of the return of her sons who went to the world war. The
celebration which was held here last Wednesday stands without precedent in the
annals of this county. Everybody came to town early in the day. Everybody
stayed late, and everybody was happy and determined to show the Transylvania
soldier boys who glad their neighbors, kinfolk, and friends were to have them
home again. While the boys have been returning for several months past, this
was the first opportunity the people have had to give them a real welcome home,
and Transylvania, from the youngest to the oldest, took advantage of the
occasion.
The day was observed as a holiday throughout the county. Business was
virtually suspended by all the business houses in Brevard and other towns in
the county. In the early part of the morning people began to arrive from all
sections of Transylvania. Those who had for several days been eagerly
consulting local weather prophets were happy on Wednesday morning to find the
sky clear and all sings indicating that the weather was the regular Brevard
brand. The morning was ideal. It was just the kind to make people feel like
celebrating if they had the chance. Transylvania had the occasion and the day
so they proceeded to make good at celebrating.
Interest centered first on the parade which took place at 11
o’clock. Every military, patriotic, fraternal organization in the county was
represented in the line of march. There were in the parade depicting
Transylvania’s service in the war a number of floats. Among the first of these
was the memorial to the Transylvania boys who died while in the service of
their country. Three of these, Boyd Ross, Fair Turner, and B.L. Glazener, died
in camp, and Monroe Wilson died of wounds received in battle.
It is estimated that more than 1,500 people were in the parade, which led by the Bagdad Temple brass band, marched thru the principal streets of the town last Wednesday morning in honor of the Transylvania soldier boys home from the world war. The parade was formed in front of the Franklin Hotel and passed thru Main Street, Oakdale Avenue, Probarte Avenue, and Railroad Street, to the Station. From the Station the line of march led by way of Depot Street, Caldwell Street, and Main Street to the Court House.
The floats and the long column of marchers made a fine
showing to the hundreds of people who filled the sidewalks and every available viewpoint
on Main Street. Transylvania’s heroes of the world war who marched in uniform
were greeted by storms of applause form the spectators at every turn. The
parade was interrupted by a shower of rain which didn’t last long however and
although the marching throng did not return to the square in military
formation, the crowd was there by 1 o’clock with keen appetites and enthusiasm
undampened. The housewives of the county had been called upon to make the
Transylvania solder boys forget the days of hard tack and bully beef and right
nobly did they respond to the call. There was a multitude to be fed and there
was enough fried chicken and plenty of ham sandwiches to feed the population of
half a dozen counties the size of Transylvania.
The afternoon was given over to games and athletic contests
which had been planned by the committee in charge of the welcome home
celebration. Every feature of the day’s exercises was carried thru without a
hitch, and expressions of satisfaction and pleasure were heard on every hand as
the crowds on the streets began to disperse at the close of the day’s
celebration. And it was a celebration that will linger a life-time in the
memories of those who had the good fortune to take part in welcoming home
Transylvania’s soldier boys.
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