On this page we will look back at life in the city during the war years. Here we will provide the visitor with the stories making the news, what was happening in sports and entertainment, city politics, the social scene and the prominent people at the time. So, check back often for new editions. To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com

TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – TUESDAY JUNE 18, 1918

Today’s forecast calls for fair skies and cool temperatures. There was a brief drizzle this morning but the rain has now passed. The high today will reach 69° with the low tonight about 64°.

The South Philadelphia High School for Girls will hold its commencement this evening at 8:00pm in the school’s auditorium at Broad and Snyder Avenue. This will be the largest graduating class in the school’s history with 66 young ladies receiving diplomas. Religious exercises will be conducted by Rev. John Pastoret. The valedictorian is Miss Mary M. Wimenitz.

The Army has issued new regulations changing its standards for the acceptance of recruits. Now the Army will accept men enlisting with blindness in one eye, false teeth, a slightly clubbed foot, loss of one finger or one thumb, hammertoe or clawtoe.

In baseball yesterday the Phillies and Pirates had a high time smacking the ball around and out of National League Park. But the bats of Gavvy Cravath and Fred Luderus gave the home town team the win in 10 innings. Cravath hit his 101st home run and Luderus followed with his own blast to put the Phillies over the top, 9 to 8. The Phillies finish the series with the Pirates this afternoon. The Athletics were out in Cleveland yesterday where they lost their fourth in a row to the Indians, 6 to 3. The team opens a four game series in Boston on Wednesday.

Three more Philadelphia men have died for the cause. Lieutenant Harry Walter Prince of 55th Street & Springfield Avenue was killed in an airplane accident in England on June 11. Lt. Prince was born June 30, 1893 in Bryn Mawr. He was a graduate of Central High School and was serving with the signal corps of the aviation section. Lt. Prince was unmarried and had recently written to his mother where he said “War is the greatest sport in the world”.

Lt. Harry Walter Prince

Two Philadelphians serving with the Marine Corps have also given their lives. They are Corporal Charles W. Hewitt, Jr. of 5127 North 12th Street who was killed in action at Chateau-Thierry [Editor’s note: Corporal Hewitt would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross and a Silver Star Citation for extraordinary heroism on the day of his death, June 6.] and Private Harold D. Adkins of 304 North 41st Street who died from wounds received in the fighting in Picardy. Additionally, Louis Sandler of 221 South 6th Street and Herman Reichman of 1847 North 5th Street had formerly been listed as missing but are now known to be prisoners.

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