Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-05-31
MAY THIRTIETH.
An Ideal Decoration Day-Many People From
the Country Witness Ceremonies.

pants were plainly intending to cele-
brate the national holiday which the
| 30th of May has become. There is
glory in the Fourth of July and JOY in
the celebration of Christmas and New
Year, but Decoration Day is dear to
the people for the memories it
awakens of comrades and friends no
longer active participants in our joys
and sorrows. The members OF the O..
A. r. are largely responsible for the
now universal celebration of the day
in America, and all well-meaning peo-
pie rejoice that there are SO many OF
them left to head the procession and
to take part in the exercises of the
day.
Business was generally suspended in
the city during the greater part of the
| day and all classes of citizens united
in the celebration.
The procession formed at the Scott
Free Public Library building at 10
, O'Clock for the march to the ceme-
teries. 1t was made up first of mem
bers Of G. A. r., Cuban Veterans,
FOresters, Catholic knights, members
of Woodman lodge, scholars of Howe
High school. First Ward school and
many children from the West Side
school, and last by citizens in carriages
and other vehicles, besides many
| pedestrians.
| The march to the cemeteries, though
a long distance, was made without ac-
| cldent or other noteworthy occurrence.
Hundreds of people had preceded the
| procession and were scattered over the
cemetery when those who accompanied
| the procession reached the grounds.
Both cemeteries presented the appear
ance of flower gardens, so profuSe were
the decorations OF graves with flowers.
The ceremony at the cemeteries was
| confined to the ritualiStic service of
the G. a. R., excepting at the CathO-
lie cemetery the Lords Prayer was
said by ]. A. Gaynor at the grave OF
Rev. Father Beyerle, joined in by the
members of that church who were
present-a very pretty and appropri-
ate service. The graves of fOrty-fOur
! old soldiers in Forest Hill cemetery
and eleven in the Catholic cemetery
were prOfuSeIy decorated with flowers
| by a committee of young misses select
ed for that duty, This ended the pro-
ceedingS at the grounds.
In the afternoon many people
| attended the services in the Grand
| Opera House, which consisted of a
program of musical, literary and ora
| tOrical numbers, that was very enter
| tanning and much enjoyed by all in
attendance, as follows:
Original Poem-"TheG Grand Army
and the Flag. .Comrade Alter
Recitation-''Pride of Battery B''
Minnie GRAY
| Oration-Ab braham Lincoln. 49,.
....... Alice Alter
| Address of the Day. dy...........
-. ..... Prof. II. L. Van DuSen
The above numbers were inter
spersed with music by fine chorus of
singers and the male quartette of the
NJ. E. choir, and the balance of the
services was confined to the ritual of
the @. A. r.
The civic societies of the city have
usually been cordially invited by G..
A. r. people to take part in the parade
and exercises of Decoration Day, but
until last year none have ever re-
SpOnded to the invitation. The
Catholic knights, FOresterS and
| WOOdmen took part last year but
their showing in the ranks this year
was much more extensive and better.
and the Veterans feel grateful tC
these orders for their kindly partici-
patton in the exercises. COmrade
| Pratt, the commander of the post
here, also informs us that never in the
history of the order have the members
of the @. A. r. as body been invited
to banquet or reception until this
year, although peculiarly fitted by
nature and experience for such fes-
tivities. This year, however, under
the leadership of Mrs. W. B. Raymond.
the librarian of the Scott Free Public
Library. program was prepared and
an invitation extended to the G. A. r.
to attend a reception and entertain
ment in their honor at the library
rooms Wednesday evening. Another
object of the meeting being to create
an interest among the young patrons
2f the library in the reading and study
of books on the history of the civil
war The meeting was largely at
tended and proved to be a most enter.
tanning and instructive one, and
created much good feeling among the
old soldiers and patrons of tie library.
The following program was much en-
| joyed by all present:
Song-Comrades. s............,A Audience
Address. s..................M NJ. S. Pratt
| d