Library program

Leo Landis, a curator at the Iowa Historical Museum in Des Moines, presented a program on Sept. 14 at the Monticello library: “Iowans & WWI.” Landis mentioned several Jones County veterans who served during WWI: Charles Miller and August Gerdes, both of Monticello, and Arthur McCullough of Anamosa. All three died during or shortly after their service. Pauline Quigley was also a nurse during the war from Jones County. Landis said 114,242 people served during WWI; 3,576 died, both men and women. Iowa is home to two forts association with the war: Fort Des Moines where African American men trained and Camp Dodge. He said across the country, people were angry with the Germans due to the war, which caused issues in counties like Jones County were many German descendants lived. German banks refused to solicit the sale of liberty bonds. Gov. Harding also proclaimed Iowa an English-speaking only state, not allowing German to be spoken in public. Landis concluded that WWI was known as the “Great War” because no one ever thought war would happen again. Twenty years later, the U.S. entered WWII. (Photo by Kim Brooks)