January 2006                                                                       The Megaphone                                                                                   Page 4

Elwood's Finest Hour

by Dick Cleaver

When Marv Crim sent out the reminder to get Megaphone articles in to him, I knew I wanted to do something on to start the new year off with some of Elwood’s past glory. Of all the great moments in the history of our hometown of Elwood, I have always thought that Willkie Day in August of 1940 had to be the greatest. Elwood became the focus of the nation through the national press, the radio and Life and Time magazines… and I was there.

In 1940, Wendell L. Willkie, born and schooled in Elwood, was nominated for President of the United States at the Republican National Convention. He was the only native Hoosier to have that honor. His nephew lived in my neighborhood on the 1500 block on South N Street and his son Bobby was a close childhood friend. At that time, I really never thought to much about the Willkie families that were visiting Bobby’s home. Elwood people have many memories of this man who spent his boyhood there and returned to Elwood for his presidential nomination acceptance speech in August 1940. Willkie had requested that the ceremony be held on the front steps of the Central School Building under the motto carved on the entrance, "The Hope of our Country." As the plans progressed, the committees soon realized that only Callaway Park could accommodate the number of people who would be attending this great event. The evening before Willkie arrived, top entertainers from all over the nation staged three hours of entertainment. All through the night, people moved up and down the streets enjoying the coolness of the night, too excited to sleep. I remember as a 12 year old boy being in the crowd that next day. 

When Indiana’s "Favorite Son" motorcade entered the city at 1 o’clock, bells began to toll from the Central Building tower. LIFE MAGAZINE took a picture of Willkie standing, with arms waving, in a convertible sedan as it slowly moved down Anderson Street. The auto was surrounded by police cars leading the parade while the tremendous crowd shouted and waved him on. This photo shot was considered one of the best American political campaign pictures of all time. It was reported that he was so overwhelmed by the excitement of the moment that he stopped in a classroom to rest and compose himself for a short while before going on to the formal ceremony at the Callaway Park. The town fathers had a chance to greet Mr. Willkie and Doc Hinshaw, Bob’s dad, presented Mr. Willkie an honorary lifetime membership in the Kiwanis Club.

From downtown Elwood to Callaway Park, traffic was forbidden so the people could move freely and in safety. The temperature was approaching 100 degrees and there was a thick layer of dust everywhere. Everyone was sweating, but the mass of people were too happy and excited to care. Vendor’s booths and beer cans lined both sides of the streets on the routes leading to the park. Vendor supplies of campaign memorabilia, food and refreshments soon become scarce. It was estimated that more than 300,000 people were present at the park to hear Willkie’s address. After the address, the crowd boarded the trains, buses and cars and gradually departed happy that they came. By late evening, the cleaning crews was quickly restoring Elwood back to normal.

Although defeated in the general election by incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Willkie remained a national figure as long as he lived. His book, ONE WORLD, was a plea for international peace keeping after the war and is still widely read. Mr. Willkie died of a heart attack in his late fifties. Nancy Sumner told me a copy of this book is in the Indiana Room at the library. I have always thought that very few towns in Indiana the size of Elwood can claim such a rich history of such notable events. 

Dick Cleaver, '47

Colorado

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