South Bend District Convention(WWI-Era Photo Album)

(Click on images to enlarge)
Images courtesy of the Hobart Historical Society.

In addition to the handwritten caption above the photo, a handwritten note behind it reads:

South Bend District Convention
June-18-1918
at Hobart

I believe that would be the South Bend District of the Epworth League, a Methodist association for young adults. Its convention took place in Hobart from 3 o'clock the afternoon of Monday, June 17, 1918, until the evening of June 18. About 100 young people came in from out of town to attend, and I gather that numerous Hobart residents opened their homes to these visitors for the overnight stay. (See "Methodist Episcopal," Hobart Gazette, 14 June 1918, 21 June 1918.)

The young lady at the right end of the back row looks like Miss Nickel Plate, doesn't she? And this gives us another clue to the identity of "Myself" — he was a Methodist. Well, that's not much help.

The second photo on the page is not identified, but general appearances suggest it is the same convention. The setting is the same — the grounds of the high school on Fourth Street — and the young lady at center in the front row looks a bit like Miss Nickel Plate, although it's difficult to tell, with the quality of the photo.

The women have borrowed the men's hats, and are evidently getting a big kick out of it.



In the background at left is the M.E. Church; at right you can see part of the library building, and behind it one side of the house that used to stand where the parking lot is now.