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 – MONDAY APRIL 8, 1918
The skies will be overcast and cloudy today with probable rain this evening and tomorrow. Today’s high will reach 63° with a low of 43°. Today marks the beginning of a series of lectures to be given to school children throughout Philadelphia entitled “How to Sneeze”. The lectures are delivered under the auspices of the Philadelphia committee of the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis. Today’s lecture will be delivered at the Benson School, 27th & Wharton Streets. Sneezing is being compared to the giant “Paris Guns” trained on that city from as far as 70 miles away. The children will be shown how sneezing hurls germs much like those guns hurl shells. A half dozen other schools will also receive the lecture this week with more added next week.
Nine of America’s most renowned artists visited Hog Island today for an inspection of the facility and to view the work there in order to create posters celebrating the shipbuilding industry. The artists include Charles Dana Gibson, Joseph Pennell and Frank Walter Taylor of this city, Early Horter of Germantown, Jonas Lie, Howard Helm, Charles Chapman, Adolph Triedler, and Guy Fangel.
In baseball, the Athletics have packed up and said goodbye to Jacksonville, Florida. The team will barnstorm its way home playing exhibition games in a number of locations. The team is sharing a train with the Pirates and the two clubs will play each other in Augusta, Greenville, Spartanburg and Charlotte. The A’s will play one final game in Petersburg, Virginia against the team from Camp Lee before returning home on Saturday.
The Phillies have also de-camped from St. Petersburg, Florida. Manager Pat Moran said his team was able to get into fine shape and enjoyed the weather very much. Bad news did come today when Ben Tincup told Moran that it was likely he will be called for the service. The big Indian pitcher had thought he was way down in the draft but last night he received word he had been placed in the first class.
WAR NEWS
The 2nd battle of the Somme has now entered its 19th day. The brutal fighting continues. British forces have reportedly advanced slightly east of Vaire and south of Corbi. However, the entire British line has been subjected to pitiless artillery attack of both high explosive shells and gas. North of Toul, American troops repulsed two attacks on their positions last night. The first was an infantry raid driven back by superb rife fire. The second attack was preceded by gas bombs and hand grenades. This was followed by another infantry assault. The Germans were beaten back by heavy American machine gun fire.
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