Lindenwood University Archives World War I Collection
This collection includes a letter from John L. Roemer, the President of Lindenwood College, to the Patrons of the school. In the letter Roemer explains that the state placed the college under quarantine as a preventative measure against the spread of influenza. He also detailed the steps that the College had taken to keep all of the students and staff well. Influenza, a highly contagious disease, spread quickly through the densely packed trenches of Europe. As troops came home from overseas, influenza spread to American citizens. To prevent the spread of influenza the public health authorities in the United States took fundamental measures to control the epidemic. To isolate the illness, quarantines were initiated to prevent the spread of influenza.
This collection also features a photograph of two Lindenwood College students at the St. Charles County War Conference exhibiting their war bread. To comply with the government’s request to conserve wheat and rye flour, the Home Economics department at Lindenwood made “war bread”. This bread was only composed of 50 percent wheat flour. Rice, barley, potato, or corn flour comprised the other half of these breads. The Home Economics department was featured in the Lindenwood College magazine in April 1918 to teach other students food conservation techniques to help American soldiers serving overseas.
