Morse Institute Library, 1st Floor
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Artist James Montgomery Flagg, 1917. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. |
Natick Historical Society and the Morse Institute Library commemorate the 100th anniversary of this global conflict with a new exhibition: Wake Up, America! Natick in the First World War located on the 1st floor of the Morse Institute Library. Wake Up, America! explores the local stories of this conflict through photographs and documents, trench art, a uniform worn in battle, and an American flag that survived two world wars. The exhibition runs from November 6, 2014-June 5, 2015.
The title of the exhibition is derived from a 1917 U.S. Government propaganda poster (image left) created to raise troops, money, and support for the war effort. This poster is one of dozens created during World War I. A collection of these posters is held at the Library of Congress and can be viewed online at http://www.loc.gov/ .
The War to End All Wars
As noted above, World War I is often referred to as "the war to end all wars" but where did that phrase come from? The phrase was a result of a book titled The War That Will End War written by famed British science fiction novelist and social commentator H.G. Wells. The book is a collection of articles written by Wells about World War I. The phrase is often associated with President Woodrow Wilson who famously used the phrase "the war to end all wars" in a speech soon after declaring war on Germany.
The Yankee Division

The Natick Bulletin
Our local newspaper, the Natick Bulletin, ran advertisements related to national and local war efforts throughout 1917 and 1918. Below are just two examples of the many advertisements a reader could find on any given day. (All images courtesy of the Morse Institute Library)