100 years ago in The Record
Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1919
Another Troy soldier has earned a citation for distinguished service for heroism in action during the world war, The Record reports today. Lieutenant Earl C. Schermerhorn joined the old Second New York National Guard regiment in 1916, when the Troy-based regiment performed border-patrol duty in Texas. He reenlisted when the U.S. declared war on Germany in April 1917. After basic training at Camp Wadsworth in Spartanburg SC he attended officers’ training school and was assigned as a lieutenant to the 328th U.S. Infantry regiment. He is the son of Mrs. Warren Schermerhorn of 61 Middleburgh Street. Schermerhorn earned honors on October 9-10 near Cornay in the Ardennes region of France. “After successfully driving off the enemy his attacking force was counter-attacked and surrounded,” the official citation explains, “The officer in charge decided to surrender to the greatly superior numbers, but Lieutenant Schermerhorn, refusing to do so, made his way to our lines through deadly fire, though severely wounded while doing so.”
Impressive Service For Dead War Hero
While the military honors a survivor of the war, an “impressive and beautiful” service at St. Paul’s Church honors the memory of First Lieutenant Francis Y. Van Schoonhoven of the 101st U.S. Infantry, who was killed in action in France in late October 1918. “The solemn procession of vested men and boys of the choir, each with his closed book, was most impressive, while the beautiful flag held aloft behind the cross told a special story of a life sacrificed by others,” The Record reports. Rev. Edward Dudley Tibbits of the Hoosac School, where Van Schoonhoven studied, delivers the eulogy. His text is John 12:24, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit.” “All who have helped to win this great war have made sacrifices and deserve honor, but as one star differeth from another star in glory, so this heroism is greatest that gives all, even life itself,” Tibbits says.
Laureate Boat Club
After “virtually a re- election of the entire list of last year’s officials” tonight, Troy’s Laureate Boat Club announces its intention to “make one of the greatest bids for a place in the athletic sun that any organization has launched in a long time.”
Members plan to “revive interest” in numerous outdoor sports this summer while fielding football and soccer teams in the fall. The Laureates appoint Edward P. Stickney, “one of the greatest baseball enthusiasts the club has on its roster,” as manager of the 1919 baseball squad, while Seth Smith will coach the football team.