Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-27
Memorial Day in California.

The honor belongs TO California of first
thinking that the naval heroes needed the
same honoring that, since the close of the
civil war, has been given to those men who
lost their lives fighting on the land For
two years beautiful ceremonies have been
held a Santa Monica, ceremonies in which
the school children have played prominent
part. Santa Monica has been chosen be-
cause it is near to a soldiers home and Mrs.
Forbes, the lady who first thought out the
idea, likes the old seamen to join her on
the beautiful beach and to do their part
in honoring the old comrades. These jolly
tars are as busy as the school children just
now rigging out various designs. The
sailors are at work upon miniature ship,
which on Memorial day will be trimmed
with flowers and launched from the wharf
among the other emblems sent out to sea.
After the naval veterans. the school chill
dren take their place in the parade as they
march from the exercises on land to the
! sea. At the first salute over the waves the
flower strewing begins. and thousands of
blossoms will be cast upon the waters, some
in garlands. some in shapes dear to the
sailors hearts, others loose, but all of red
and white and blue. The effect of the sea
blossoming with the national colors is most
beautiful and stirs the hearts of young and
old.
What ceremony could be more exquisite!
Bands of children, thousands in numbers,
marching to the beautiful California beach,
with songs and invocations, scattering
flowers upon the ocean sepulcher! Mrs.
Forbes has the support of all the leading
men in the navy, as she should have.
Dewey, Sampson. Schley, Evans and many
others have written to her expressing their
appreciation of what she is trying to do, to
honor alike those soldiers who fell on sea
and land.
1t is interesting to know how the idea
first came to Mrs. Forbes. These are her
own words on the subject:
THE idea occurred to me while sitting
my brain for some new idea to write about
newspaper woman) II was singing, but
not thinking of what I sang. until 1 acct
dentally supplied the word flowers in the
line, Cast thy bread upon the waters and
sang. Cast thy flowers upon the waters ;
The idea for which l was wishing found it's
birth. Instead of writing upon the subject
of casting flowers upon the waters l acted
upon the patriotic impulse that the words
inspired, and set about inspiring others to
show honor to the sailor-soldiers who lost
their lives at sea. The school superintend-
entS gave me hearty accord and month
later the beautiful ceremonies took place"
The procession up the pier was headed by
tiny boy dressed in a white sailor suit
followed by eight small boys carrying a
floral design twelve feet in length on which
were the words, REST in Peace" worked
in red geraniums. Everything bore the
stamp of the navy. Two sailor lads from
different training ships took the Offering
from the little ones at the pier landing
placed 1t in a skiff and rowed out a short
distance. Then they gently laid it on the
waves while the children on the beach
threw their blossoms upon the water, sing
ing song composed for them by one Of
their teachers. Wouldn't you boys and girls
like to have been there? Perhaps this cere-
mony will find its way to the Atlantic and
before many years you may have the pleas
ure of honoring the sailor-soldiers as the
children of California have done