Bringing joy and happiness to others through his music and his encouragement had made a full life for Herbert Clarke who died January 30, 1945, in Long Beach, California.
In 1948 a monument was unveiled and dedicated to Dr. Clarke in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D. C. It was erected by the Pennsylvania Bandmasters’ Association in collaboration with the American Bandmasters’ Association and the Sousa Band Fraternal Society. On this monument not far from that of his beloved friend, Sousa, are these words: Herbert Lincoln Clarke, World’s Premiere Cornetist and Bandmaster.
This memorial was erected to a man who had never had a cornet lesson in his life, to a man who was known the world over as a great artist and a great gentleman.
KARL KING
“Mister, can you tell me where the circus lot is?” asked the tall lanky eighteen-year-old Karl King.
“Yep, it’s right down that road, son. But if you’re looking for the show, it left a week ago—where it went I don’t know,” answered the old man as he walked on down the street.
Karl, laying his baritone horn carefully on the ground, sank wearily to the curb. Taking a crumpled letter from his pocket, he read it again. “Yes, the Yankee Robinson Show bandmaster did say that I was to report here in Emporia, Kansas, today for a job,” he said to himself. “And here I am with just eighty-seven cents in my pocket, and the circus has left town.”
Fortunately for him a circus follower, who had been left behind, came along the street and stopped to question the dejected-looking young man:
“The Yankee Robinson Shows? Come on with me. I’m following them too. They went off without me, but we’ll catch them.”