It Can’t Be Done…

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1919, America, ashes, attorney, Axle, bronze, Canton, civic, Clark, County, Courthouse, determination, Detroit, duty, funeral, George, It Can’t Be Done, Journey, July, Kenney, Kim, Library Loans, mock, ohio, parade, peace, Pessimism, plaque, speech, Spirit, Stark, The Great War, through, time, Timken, victory, War Bonds, WWI

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100 years ago on this day in 1919, the “Spirit of Pessimism” was laid to rest under a bronze plaque on the corner of the Stark County Courthouse. Today the plaque, which is known as “It Can’t Be Done” is laid outside of the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum garden on the right side of the main entrance.

Donated by the Timken Detroit Axle Company, the plaque states:

Here lies

“It Can’t Be Done”

Killed in 5th Liberty Loan

April 30, 1919

 

Buried July 4, 1919

By Liberty Loan Organization

Of Canton

May He Long Be Dead

In 1914, World War I began and by 1917, America became involved and had to come up with ways to pay for the war. This need was met by the “War Bond,” which sought to gain capital during the war. Through Liberty Loans, war bonds were made to invoke patriotism and to purchase one would often be seen as a civic duty to the country as a citizen. These bonds were not received well by the public and fear began to rise as the war continued. In the end though, the war efforts and the help of the American people proved to be successful.

This plaque was preceded by the support of World War I and the fear of many Americans who believed that money would not be raised fast enough or not at all. This was a trying time for all Americans who were suffering and in a state of despair as the war ended. However, in the end, victory broke through the negative perspective of the time. The spirit of pessimism dropped as the spirits of the people who grew in determination to knock down the naysayers of the day. Raising money for the national defense was met with the phrase, “It can’t be done!” Unafraid and full of hope, the American believers marched through the negativity to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

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From our own, Executive Director Kim Kenney’s book “Canton: A Journey Through Time,” she writes “It was said that “Can’t” was killed by the Liberty Loan Organization, murdered by a city who out sold its quota in war bonds. A mock funeral service was held in Public Square.”

The service was conducted by Attorney George H. Clark, who gave a speech that brought smiles to the people who were gathered around:

With the declaration of war, It Can’t Be Done saw the opportunity to justify for all time the existence of the doctrine of failure. We had to raise an army. It Can’t Be Done snarled at our heels. We had to raise money for national defense. It Can’t Be Done yelped discord and growled failure.

But, the people grew in thought, in spirit, in resolve, in spirituality. They wearied not of well doing. They joined shoulder to shoulder in mighty effort. They kicked out of the way the snappers and the yelpers. They chastised the big growlers and they interred the vicious and the malicious.

And so undeterred, unafraid and determined, they marched forward to glorious victory, and starved to death for lack of friends It Can’t Be Done in this community. It died, and we are met to bury it deep for all time.

It was a day of determination and the rewards of perseverance brought from the war.

It is a testament of its time and to this day, it is a symbol of determination and perseverance that withstood the negativity.

In memory of this plaque, remember these words by Attorney George H. Clark:

“In this community, “It Can’t Be Done” is dead and by these ceremonies buried.  Peace to its ashes!”

 

Star Struck… Sub-Title: Archives of Answers…

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Canton, Fred Astaire, Mckinley Museum, Ramsayer Research Library, War Bonds, WWII

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Star Struck… Sub-Title: Archives of Answers…

It was an amazing weekend! The Zoar Reenactment was well attended and a very satisfying event!

In my mind, I pick up the phone to call my mom to tell her all about it! In my mind, I drive home to tell my mom all about it! Then I realize that mom died over seven years ago, and I can’t tell her all the details of the magnificent weekend we all had.  Many of us as humans have had this experience.  Some people have told me these feelings never go away.  Many of us want to ask our relatives, who have passed on, intimate details about the objects and the photographs they left behind but that is not possible.  We can only go on the information we are left with.

Almost all of us have photo albums at home hidden away, and full of treasured photographs of family, friends and pets long lost.  Some of the albums are the type with the sticky pages and the clear plastic covering your photographs.  The type you’ve been meaning to take the photographs out and put them in another container that is safer for its preservation.  And as well you should! Other albums are more like a scrapbook with the photographs pasted on the soft black construction paper type pages.  This is the type of album I picked up at home last week just to look through and reminisce.

As I flipped each page over to look at the images of my family I noticed someone had written on the edge of one of the photographs deep into the album.  One of the markings said movie stars, and the other markings were dots that marked the people in the photographs.  There were five photographs in all.

In one of them I identified one of the buildings in the photograph as the Stern & Mann’s building on North Cleveland & Second Street NW.

When I showed the photographs first to my wife Alyson who is a classic movie buff, she immediately pointed out Fred Astaire.  I said “What!?!” Fred Astaire is in my Grandpa Rice’s photo album? Why?

One of our researchers who is getting proficient with keyword searches found the article in The Canton Repository on September 13, 1942.

Exactly seventy-five years ago today Hugh Herbert, Ilona Massey and Fred Astaire visited Canton, Ohio in 1942 to help sell war bonds to raise funds for The War.

The next photograph I was able to identify was Hotel Onesto on Second Street NW.

Hotel Onesto Main Entrance 1942

The star trio was set to arrive in Canton, Ohio at 12:30 pm.  They will be met at the corporation limits by a committee organizing this event.  Any persons purchasing $10,000 or more in war bonds may help escort the trio into the city.  The stars are on a mission working for the United State Treasury Department in an effort to raise one billion for The War.  Upon the group’s arrival they will be taken to Hotel Onesto for a reception sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.  They will then be taken on a tour of the city making stops at all of the major theaters.  At 2:30 pm the group will attend a rally in Public Square at Market Avenue and Tuscarawas Street.

This photograph was taken in the 1960’s, but it gives you a good idea where the event took place.

More Later…