Mark Glanvill and Charles Palmer

This lantern slide shows two signed portraits of International YMCA College, now Springfield College, alumni juxtaposed: Mark Glanvill (left) and Charles Palmer (right).They both served in World War I and are both from the class of 1916. Mark Glanvill (also spelled “Glanville”) was commissioned to join the First Canadian Contingent before he could graduate from Springfield College. He was assigned to the 9th Platoon, 3rd Company, 14th Battalion, 3rd Canadian brigade, 1st Division of the British Expeditionary Force. He was also part of the YMCA depot in Flanders, France. During World War I, Glanvill was gassed and consequently suffered for eighteen months from a rare bronchial asthma. When the war ended, he did not return to Springfield College to complete his degree. Instead, he moved with his wife and son to Cape Town, South Africa. His death on May 24, 1936 is attributed to the gassing's lingering effects. Charles A. Palmer grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, and graduated from the Silver Bay Summer School in 1909. He served as the physical director and then general secretary for the St. Johnsbury YMCA (Vermont). Palmer then traveled back to Canada, where he attended the Quebec Provisional Military School. After graduating with a captain's commission, he served as captain and adjutant to the Highland Cadet Battalion. It appears that Palmer graduated from Springfield College in 1916, before he was called to fight with the 5th Pioneers, Overseas Battalion. During the war, he was promoted to captain. After the war, Palmer taught physical education and coached at Stadium High School in Tacoma, Washington. His swimming team and tennis team both won several state championships. During this time, he also coached the Tacoma YMCA team on to win several Pacific Northwest championships. He died on June 25, 1945.Text on border reads, "European War. Mark Glanville, G. A. Palmer.