Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-06-01
Mem orial Day at Harrisonburg.

Memor Day at Harrisonburg.
Our much esteemed contemporary, the
Rockingham Register in reply to oul
article in reference to horse-rscing ant
other sports on Confederate Decoration
day says:
"The announcement that the PythiaI
Reunion at Assembly Park and the observ
anoe of Confederate Memorial Day In
Harrisonburg would take place on the
SAME day was incorrect, and. as will be
seen from the above, unfortunate and
misleading. When the Knights of Pythiss
announced their festivities at the Park no
date had yet been selected by the Ladies'
Memorial Association for Decoration Day
There was not only no intention to select
the same day, but any such conflict would
haYe been and was expressly avoided by
all parties. The misleading announce
was made, 30 we are informed, by in
advertence on the part Of an individual
and not by authority of the Knights Of
PyUhias Lodge.
1t is only proper to state In this con-
nectien that, admirable az the Herdlds
article is on general principles, the ladies
of our Memorial Association and our citl-
zens in general do not recognize Wood
stock censorship in respect to the manner
in which their dead shall be honored.
Year after year day has been set apart
here as sacred to the memory OF the heroic
Conlederates whose ashes lie buried in.
Woodbine Cemetery and the reyerentlal
spirit with which that day is observed by
all classes and conditions, military and
nj IL IN n
with the proud yet sacred memories OF
the past.
The eloquent phrases Of the Herald are
not needed to teach us our duty to the
dead, nor TO prompt US as to the manner
IN which that duty shall be performed.
Ungarnished graves Of Confederate sol.
diers my be found near home and a Ladies'
Memorial Association might be expected
to exist where such tender sentiments
find expression.
Any Confederate soldier or the son OF
an ex-Confederate who belongs to the
large order of the Knights of Pythias at
Woodstock can come to Assembly Park
on the 9Th of June and enjoy the fellow
ship of his brethren in the mystic bond,
and participate in the festivities OF the
day, without viol tnce to his affection for
the Lost CAUSE or his veneratlon for the
martyred dead. And that entire Lodge,
no matter how large it may be, could at
tend the reunion on the 5th, and our
Memorial services on the 9th, without in'
terferlnE ia the least with a Confederate
Decoration Day ia Woodstock.
Woodstock has no desire to e1crcls +,
any censorship over the ladies Of the
Hsrrisohburg Memorial Association or
the citizens of Harrisonburg IN respect to
the manner in which their dead should be
bonored; but they, as well as all COnfsder-
ats soldiers, have the right to protest
against the celebration of Decoration Day
by racing, and other sports as was ad e
vertised in the Harrisonburg papers.
When We read the advertisement, We
supposed, Of course, that it was genuine
and inserted by proper authority. Had
We for a moment supposed that the adj
vertsement that these festivities would
take place on decoration day, was in
serted through lnadvertence, We would
net have commented upon 1t. "1he
reverential spirit with which that day is
observed by all classes aud conditions"
should certainly have prevented any one
from advertising that horse races and II
number of other sporting contests would
b., given ON Confederate Decoration Day.