In March 1917, a great wave of patriotism swept over the village, and on the 27th of the month a patriotic rally was held at the Lyceum. 

     Soon after the declaration of hostilities, patriotic marching companies sprang up in Spring Valley. These were soon formed into Home Defense units. The Spring Valley platoon of the Home Defense Corps was mustered into State service on June 14, 1917 with one lieutenant and 38 men. Allen Sniffen and Harold Sherwood members of the Spring Valley high school senior class of 1917 enlisted before the end of the school term. 
When the first men selected through the draft were summoned to report for camp duty great efforts were made by the community to inspire in them the best possible spirit. On the evening of their departure they were given public banquets at which prominent men of Rockland County were present to speak words of patriotic inspiration. A service razor and a wrist watch were presented to each draftee. 

     The chief charitable work of the village during the war was the wcrk of the Red Cross. When the troop trains would pass throw the village, everyone at once would bring all available fruit, cookies, cakes, sandwiches, candy, cigarettes, magazines and newspapers and prepared to meet the train. As soon as the train pulled in there was a rush to distribute these evidences of goodwill before the train could pullout again. 
Anthony Moscarella was the first boy from Spring Valley to be killed in action. John Jacaruso was killed by an air bomb. Jack Leder was killed in action in France and Lee Fletcher was killed while doing outpost duty.

     Volumes could be written on the heroism of the people from Spring Valley who fought to free the world from autocracy, or as President Wilson put it "to make the world safe for democracy." 

     During the wars, the lives of the citizens of Spring Valley were enriched and vitalized by being brought into contact with the great problems of the world. The thoughts of the people were turned from self to others. Thus they were taught those larger and more fundamental social lessons which the best minds of the past had tried to instill. They lost their narrower, self-centered life for the larger view of living for the world.