The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-06-09
A Wichita Woman
Mrs. Forbes Creates
a National Custom

gt9tes This is the custom of throwing
Eoses on the ocean waves Memorial Day
ID memory OF the sailor dead.
She who originated the idea was Mrs.
a. c. S Forbes, formerly Miss Harry
Smith, of Wichita.
Everybody here remembers Harry Smith
She was one Of the brightest Of Wichita
Girls She lived with her parents on the
northeast corner OF Lawrence and Third
rtreet. 1t was her brother. Kay Smith.
now in Japan. who in an early day alb
1tracted from his fathers barn, a lot Of
old ship tackle and started for the ocean
qfoot to lead a seafaring life. he was
overtaken at Valley Center
Miss Forbes lives now in Los Angeles
and the Times Of that city. leading out
with fun length portrait of her and
quotations from notables, says:
Scatter the fairest flowers Of spring
Upon the waves, while children sing
A requiem with the murmuring sea,
For men who died to make them free.
captain JACK CRAWFORD.
1t gives me much pleasure TO learn of
the proposition of the Californians to cast
towers upon the ocean, as q means Of
decorating the unknown graves Of those
who sleep beneath the waves. The idea
seems TO me to be a beautiful one, and
hope it may be carried cut in many
places.-George Dewey.
At this time when monuments are being
erected to the unknown dead, buried IN
recognized from many battlehelds. it
soems especially fitting that someone
should remember the unknown and un-
named dead of the navy, whose resting
places viii bear no monuments, and
whose sacrifices must be remembered by
their grateful and patriotic fellow citizens
Allow me to congratulate you on the
beautiful way in which you have done
this I hope that the good citizens Of
the Pacific Slope VIII accept il as an es-
tablished custom and repeat the exercise
next year and in all years to cOme-W. T.
Sampson
1t was a sweet thought to strew the
waters with flowers the waters of the
restless seas in memory of those whose
bones lie along every ocean highway
around the world; every home in the
land that has been saddened by the loss
OF some loved one at sea must have felt
deeply touched by the sweet thoughtful
ness Of our grateful countrymen. might
add that no eulogium Of mans courage
IN war for his home and country could
be complete that does not include wo-
mans part and Woman's sacrifice also
". s. Schley.
Thus wrote "the Poet Scout and the
three great admiraals OF the United States
navy in response to q request for their
opinion of the custom Of strewing the
surface Of the ocean with flowers on
Memorial day in honor of the naval
heroes asleep in unknown graves, be
meath the sea
Hon. John D. Long, secretary Of the
navy, and a host Of other distinguished
Americans have made similar responses
TO Q circular letter. asking them to use
their influence to make the ceremony of
strewing flowers on the bosom of the
pecan q permanent feature of the Mem
orial day exercises. along the entire coast
line of the country.
To a patriotic California woman, Mrs.
Arnitage S. c. Forbes of Los Angeles.
is due the credit of originating the idea
of kissing the waves with blossoms in
honor Of the sailor dead whose unmarked
graves are in the ocean depths. The
Thought came to her as a sudden inspira-
tion a few weeks before Memorial day.
1900 She Immediately started to carry
it int effect by sending a printed circu-
lar to the school superintendents of Cal
ifornia. suggesting that the school chill
dreu. wherever practicable. in addition TO
decorating soldiers graves, repair to do
like honor to the memory Of the heroes
whose last resting place is in the vast
deep.
The response to the suggestion was so
pronounced as to quite astonish the little
woman who made it, tt received the
hearty concurrence of the state superin-
tendent of public instruction. Hon Thos.
J. Kirk, various. county and city superin-
tendents of schools. principals and teach
ers. The result was that on Memorial
day last year, ladies and children at
nearly an the California coast towns
with appropriate ceremonies. sent gar
lands adrift with the ebbing tide as a
sweet memorial 90 the heroes asleep in
old oceans embrace.
The floral designs with which the
waves We're decorated took the shape
chiefly of armors. shields, flags and OF
wreaths. composed as nearly as possible
OF flowers OF the hues most resembling
the national colors. The casting off the
flowers was timed SO that they were
borne out TO sea with the outdowing tide.
Patriotic songs We're chanted by the chill
dren as the flowers glided away. and the
sight of the garlanGed waves was q
pretty one
With such signal appreciation was Mrs
Forbes idea received thar the Veterans
Association OF California, the Womun's
Relief Corps and similar organizations
viii this year participate in decorating
the waves at practically an the coast
towns of California. Nor win the sea-
mems memorial be confined To the Pacific
coast Judging by letters received by Mrs
Forbes in response TO a thousand circu-
lars which she sent out recently 10 army
and navy men throughout the country.
From an parts OF the land have come as
suvances that the dead heroes sleeping
meath the rolling main VIII not be for
got in this years Memorial days exer-
rises. Not only viii flowers be cast on
the waters along the Atlantic. Gulf and
Pacific shores. but word comes from the
interior that at many places floral tokens
viii deck the waters of the mighty riv-
ers and The INLAND seas which have en-
E'lfed mtu whoa7 Uvc- we're consecrate6
u the scr,ic- OK tkeir co5atrv.
Mrs Forbesi. originator OF the idea
has the blood OF a long line OF American
patriots n her veins. she is d direct de-
scendant of John Kaye. The nrst born in
The city OF Philadelphia. Hayes parents
came over with William Penn ana helped
10 found the city eli Brotherly Love 4
block - land now in The very heart eff the
fennsylvania metropolis was decided 10
Ars- For5e ancestors on account of his
opportune birth. aad lhe FIRST male child
81 the Quaker colony. ard the property
still remains In rna ,...ee.,.s.,,- 10 l,-