Omaha daily bee., 1891-05-30
LOVE FOR THEIR COUNTRY.
Extensive Course in Patriotism Given the
Omaha School Children.
FLAGS, SONGS AND SPEECHES THE MEANS
Exercises in Which Thousands of
Pupils Took Active Part--Excci.
lent Preface TO Memorial
Day Observance.

II VI NNb uhNS lfsvOD CuiluEtu III tuS Guy
schools have been subjected to a shower of
patriotic instruction. The school board Sc
lected speakers to present flags to the differ.
ent schools, and among them was Major
Clarkson. who was spokesman at the Pacific,
Hartman and Webster presentations.
At the Pacific school Major Clarkson was
confronted by over four hundred children,
who greeted him and his flag with "Amer-
lea" The major then being introduced made
such remarks Us became tho occasion. Tue
closing remarks were turned toward honor
ing the flag presented which had been Ised
at the reception OF the president.
The flag was then presented to Mary
| Smock, a beautiful little girl hardly five
years old. AS the flag fioated from the head
| of the tall hickory flag staff the children sang
| columbia" and the Star Spangled Ban
| nern
| The major then proceeded to Hartman
school, where at promptly 2:45 o'clock all the
| pupils, nearly five hundred, were marched
| into the yard and arranged in ranks on each
side of the walk. After the "Rally Round
| the Flag, ;" the major was introduced and
| spoke for some ten minutes. Here he re-
| hearsed the origin of the day and the cause
| of its observance. The flag was
| handed to Master VIII Hartman,
who in very becoming words thanked the
| donor for the gift. Here both speakers were
| presented with a beautiful bouquet. MIR
| Honza, as a representative of the Grand
Army of the Ripublic, also spoke for some
| ten minutes.
| At3 30 Webster school was the scene of
| rejoicing and patriotic songs. There all the
children, equal in number to any OF the
other schools, were marched into the hall
| and awaited with songs the coming of the
| time for the banner TO be presented.
Major ClariSson stood on the steps over
| looking the children and one of the prettiest
| sights that the day presented. The hall was
| filed to overlooking with little ones to whom
| the occasion was one of wonder and excite
| ment rather than of appreciation, to those
| who had reviewed in history ana had heard
| told the struggles of thirty years ago. The
| presentation speech here dwelt mainly upon
| the same themes as the others.
The flag was taken from the hands of the
| speaker and three lusty cheers from childish
| throats greeted il as it foated out at the head
! of the staff on the school house.
| With three cheers for the speaker the
children were dismissed from their first real
| lesson in houoring the dead.
| All of the school houses were decorated
| with bunting and when the children waved
their flags in their songs the sight was one of
| singular beauty. The teachers and principals
| seemed to have taken such hearty interest
| in the work that not single halt occurred in
| the whole of the proceedings.
| The exercises at the Central school were
| held in tho large auditorium of the high
| school building, which was filled to overflow
| ing with the parents and friends of the chill
| dren The room had been handsomely deco
rated and presented gay appearance. Miss
| Schlesinger, principal of the Central school,
| was in charge of the exercises, assisted by
| the teachers of that school. The programme
| commenced with singing America" by every
| body. F.. r. Mcconnell of the board of edu-
cation addressed the gathering and was fol-
lowed by Colonel G. S. Chase, who made an
interesting address on the history of tho
American flag and the significance of the
stars and stripes. He also spoke at length
on the origin and meaning of the Memorial
day services.
lie was followed by Dora Dunham in an
address of welcome Nathan Shiverick, a little
s.X-year-old rccitod a parody on ''The
Bridge" after which twenty-four little tots
executed a May pole dance. After a recitation
by Nettie Lancaster, song by the school,
and a recitation by Willie Stephenson,
twenty girls in white dresses with blue
sashes, sailor collars and cuffs, aud armed
with oars, went through several foot move
ments and fancy drill under the command
of Ethel Morse.
Then followed song by quartette of the
pupils, recitation by Alma Schmidt, song
by the school ana recitation by Russell
Bogue, after which sixteen little girls in
white, armed with large fans, went ttrough
a number of fancy movements aud showed
themselves to be experts Miss Jennie House
| acted as directress in this part of the pro-
gramme. A recitation by Glion Curtis, a Sc
lection By Fannie McEal, and an address by
Guy Ross completed the programme.
AT the lard school each cf the six rooms
was we'll filled with parents and friends of
the pupils. In the eighth grade room the
sixth, seventh and eighth grades he'd Joint
exercises under the direction of Miss Bunker
The room was elaborately decorated with
portraits of Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and
Garfield, surrounded by flags. The muni-
tions of war were arranged about
the room in an artistic manner. A
lengthy programme was presented
The essay OF II. \. stephens on Memorial
Day." of Nellie Wright on "Sheridan," and
Josie Cole on sherman were particularly
good. Anna Bennets recitation, The
Bivouac of the Dead" and Edith Jones rem
dition of "Sheridan's Ride" were very good.
Music was furnished by Randall Olsen,
Willie Rhyn and Charley Marley who played
pleasing number with two vIolins and a
harmonica. A vocal duet by Pearl Page and
Grace Bugbee and an Instrumental number
by George Soccer and George Aulabaugh
were well rendered.
The fourth and fifth grades were massed
in the room of the latter, which had been
prettily decorated with flags and bunting,
and patriotic pictures and notices adorned
the walls. a lengthy programme was pre-
sented containing many numbers viii III were
very well rendered
In Miss Wilson's fourth grade room the
third and fourth grades were gathered, the
room being decorated in manner similar to
the ones already mentioned
The second and third grades were gathered
in one room under the direction of Misses
Foos and Needham, the room having been
hung with decorations, Cons SDicuous among
the decorations was memorial tablet in
honor of Garfield, Here, as in other rooms
a suitable programme was presented in
highly salts sfuctory manner
In one of the rooms vacated by a higher
grade the little tots who occupy the rooms in
separate buildings were gathered AS they
marched in to music. each little face radiant
!, with happiness, they presented sight of
thrilling interest. They climbed into the
seats, which were many sizes too large for
them, and their bright faces oeamed over the
tops of the desks, which had been decorated
with small ESgs. They went through with
an Interesting p. 0Gramme which was carried
out without mitch. The exercises were
under the direction OF Miss Emma Rugh, ably
assisted by Misses Smaller, Allen and Con-
noyer.
Mr.. Maginn of the Grand Army was de-
tailed for an address at this building but was
unable to appear, and Colonel Chase filled his
place The colonel delivered au instructive
talk on the history Of the flag of our country
and also on the history and Significance OF
Memorial dav.
AT Lake school the little ones were all ar
rayed in their best and were decorated with
flags and other omblems OF national pride and
glory. At 2 p IN. the school drum corps took
a position in the main hall of tho building
and began to play. This was the signal for
oh if1raF, ~ ha c.ada 70 vnor,n ~.