Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-29
SIGNIFICANT OBSERVANCE
Participation of Public School Children in
Decoration Exercises.
Destined to BE the Future Strewers of
Flowers on the Graves of
the Patriot Dead.

The observance of Memorial day tomor-
row will have a new significance in many
directions, but in none will it be more
touching and inspiring than the participa-
ton of the children of the public schools.
The surviving veterans of the civil war
have grown gray and griZZled; their ranks
have become steadily diminished and the
wounds of time have added their inevitable
visitations to the wounds of war until there
are few left who can exercise the physical
Vigor requisite to placing the blooms of
spring upon the little green tents that hold
the dust of their felow-comrades. Loyal
ardor and stirring memory has long upheld
them in this annual recurrence of patriotic
devotion, but they have felt that time must
come when the sacred duty must be be-
queathed to others.
Tomorrow the first step toward this pur-
pose will be substantially taken in the ma
tons capital, and wherever soldiers dust
lies buried little children will be present to
lay upon the mound above 1t the tokens of
nations love. Most appropriately, too,
the children will be the pupils of the public
schools who, with each days lessons, take
in the incultations of patriotism that as
sure their becoming as American in every
purpose as the dead who they will honor.
Arrangements have been made by Super
intendent Powell and the principals and
teachers of the public schools to have
body of scholars, equally divided to the
sexes, at every cemetery in the District
where an American soldier is buried. The
children were informed of the intention and
impressed with the fact that their services
would he entirely voluntary, and they re-
sponded with enthusiasm. They were told,
too, to bring lots of flowers and to streW
them on every grave where soldier lies,
no matter what war he fought in, and SO
tomorrow will see lines CT little ones rev.
erenty placing blossoms on the mounds
that mean SO much. The children boys
a pink carnation. Thus will be inaugural
ed the new memorial day, and the future
Tar away will see the children of these
children of today doing the same patriotic
duty. All details have been completed,
and appointed places and times have been
hxed Tor the children to meet and be con-
Veyed to Arlington, Congressional GEM
etery, Soldiers Home and the other GEM
eterles where the brave slumber in ever
lasting silence.
An Advance Celebration.
The pupils of the Anacostia schools from
the fourth to the eighth grades inclusive
assembled this afternoon at / o'clock in the
Masonic Hall, Anacestia, where exercises
of an elaborate nature in connection with
the visit of speakers from John A. Logan
Post, No. 13. G. A r., were held. There
was large gathering of the parents of
the pupils and of members of the Grand
Army Post, and the following program was
IeHueleu uiueT the ulfectlOn OF PRINCIPAL
S. NJ. Ely:
Flag salute and chorus of THE Star
Spangled Banner" chorus, 20, Come, All
Ye Children" recitation, THE Blue and
the Gray" Emma Ash; flag drill, sixteen
boys; chorus, Columbia, the Gem of the
Ocean, address, Rev w. G. Davenport;
chorus, Battle Hymn of the Republic"
geniuses of war, with chorus of soldiers,
from 10 to '9S, the geniuses being portray
ed by Frank Chase, Roland Reed George
Simpson, William Barse Percy Barse and
Edgar tombstone; chorus America"
wreath drill, sixteen girls; address, Mr.. A.
B. F'risbie; acrostic Memorial day, eleven
boys; chorus, Hail Columbia flower
tribute, with chorus and quartet, those
taking part in the pretty spectacle being
Irene Davenport, Rom Tilgham, Robert
Mundell, Louisa Danforth, Marie Simpson,
Edith Tew, Teresa Taylor Martha Nun
dell, Edith Hamill, Leah Tilgham, Ethel
King, Mabel Pyles, Lydia Milstead, Annie
Summers and Emma Ash.