When the United States finally entered World War I in 1917, the young men of the country enlisted in the armed forces, the older men made speeches and sold War Bonds and the women made arrangements to do their part "for the war effort" as well.

Saturday, July 28, 1917, designated as "Patriotic Day" by Missouri Governor Frederick D. Gardener, was selected as the official registration day for Missouri women "who desire to help win the war" to sign up for war work. In Adair County, the Sojourner's Club and women from the Normal School faculty organized the campaign under the sponsorship and direction of the Women's Committee of the National Council of Defense, Missouri Division. They began registration at the Normal School on Friday the 27th in order to catch the students while they were on campus for class. Kirksville ladies registered at booths set up all over town on the 28th and work in the rest of the county began the following Monday.

Registration was strictly voluntary and any woman 16 years of age or older was eligible. Completion of the form carried no legal obligation; it merely provided the Council of Defense with a roster of those willing to help out if a need arose. Newspaper accounts report about 600 registrations at the Normal School and another 300 in town.

The registration card calls for personal information: name; address, telephone, age, marital status, race, dependents; country of birth, citizenship status; current occupation, employer, references; level of education attained, length of time and place attended and specialized training. Each registrant was also asked to indicate what type of services she was offering to the war effort (volunteer, work for wages or work for expenses), for how long, whether or not she would be willing to be sent elsewhere if needed, areas in which she had experience or training and training she would like to be given.

The women ranged in age from 17 to 45 and identified themselves as teachers, students, housewives and involved in small businesses like millinery.