The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-06-05
SATURDAY WELL OBSERVED IN
T1ANKATO.
In His Address, Past Department
Commander WheeIock Compliments
the City on the Manner of Observe
and Exercises at Lincoln Park and
the Opera HOuse.


the day when grateful and appre-
ciative people do honor to the memory
of the fallen heroes of the Republic,
who shed their patriotic blood that
our country might be what it is today.
Nature condescended to bestow lit
tie warmth and sunshine, and every
thing passed off according to the pub
lished program and without a hitch.
The school children were out in large
numbers, over thousand being in
line, the new and excellent band in
it's fresh white uniforms leading the
way, and the boys drum corps organ
lied by G.. L. King making very cred
liable and inspiring march music.
At Lincoln Park the greensward
was surrounded, and the musical pro-
gram was carried out as follows:
Music. ............. Hail Columbia
Song. ........ Battle Hymn of the Republic,
| Schools, Directed by Miss Deem.
| Music. ............ Marching Through Georgia
Song. -. When Johnny Comes Marching Home
| Schools.
| : . .
| Band
Then the lice of march was taken
to the opera house, where large as
semblage was already waiting out in
| front All the school children carried
flags, and the girls were dressed in
white
! The interior of the opera house was
beautifully decorated for the occasion.
| The gallery, front of the stage and
boxes were draped with bunting,
and the stage was also beautified with
evergreen trimmings and floral de,
corations. A large cross for
| the unknown dead was
erected on the left. This was the
work of the Ladies Relief Corps and
a committee of Wilkin Post, headed
by Henry Holman.
The veterans had reserved seats in
the parquet, the Ladies Relief Corps
to the right, and the boys drum corps
and boys brigade to the left. The
boxes to the right were reserved for
the commercial and city Of
ficials, and those to the left
for the officers of Wilkin Post
and the speaker. On the stage sat a
chorus of nearly two hundred young
school children, who sang several
times under the excellent leadership
of Miss Deem.
The following program was carried
out:
Music. ...................Ba Battle Cry of Freedom
Band.
Post Exercises. ...... NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Chorus Father Abraham
Directed by Miss Deem
Floral Offering.
Salute the Dead.
Music .. Funeral March Remembrancy)
Band.
Boys Chorus. renting Tonight"
Address, Past Dept. Commander L. L. WheeIock
Snor9s. ..'...'.....'...........' america
benedctlon .......'.....-'
Music. ......................Ha Hail Columbia
DR.. Davis and Post Commander
Baker presided.
Mr.. Wheelock, of Owatonna, gave
an excellent address,. He said that if
the day was everywhere observed as it
was in Mankato, he had no fear for
the future of the country. After
speaking at length of the war, he
asked whether the country had
| crossed all of it's bridges, and whether
there was not yet to come another
great struggle. He, himself, did not
believe in the Byronic CIPHER, that
| the accumulation of wealth, vice, cor
ruptlon and finally barbarism
were to follow one another in
the future. He said that the
people of Mankato live in the best
city in the best county, in the best
state, in the best country in the
world. The boys and girls are just
as patriotic now as they ever were,
and would offer their services when
ever needed by the country. The
race, labor and unrestricted immi.
grafton questions are perplexing EN-.
ployes and employed must get together
Pc ople should think more and know
that they are here to make the world
better. The speaker closed by eulo.
| giving the flag.