The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-05-16
An Appeal.

Three years after the close OI tne
greatest civil war the world has ever
seen, on May 30th, 1868, in accordance
with the order OF Gen. John A. Logan,
Commander of the Grand Army of
the Republic, the first Memorial Day
was observed and a few years later
our government, for whose perpetual
tion such an enormous and cruel sac
rifce had been made, set apart one
day in the year to be held sacred to
the memory of the heroes who had
fought and bled and died. 1t has since
been a beautiful custom with us on
the 30th of May to lay tribute of
flowers upon the graves of the de-
parted soldiers, and we hope the Gus
tom will continue as long as our gov
ernment stands.
We often read in the newspapers as
Memorial Day approaches request
made by the Post of the Grand Army
that everyone refrain from decorat-
ing the graves of departed loved ones
on this one day unless they were
soldiers, and yet it is not needed.
You say there are flowers enough any
way-yes, enough for ounch or two
on each long mound; but even If we
covered every grave with a beautiful
blanket of the choicest blossoms, how
very little that would be In return for
the services rendered our beloved
country when the government was on
the point of dissolution
But that is not the only point to be
considered. The 30th of May is dis
tinctly a national day-a day set
apart to remember and honor the
nations defenders, and does it not
seem much like a lack of patriotism
to insinuate that on this, their own
day, the nations dead must share their
honors? Let us, this year, decorate
our friends graves before and after
the 30th of May If we choose, but on
this day may we not as patriotic citi-
zens show our loyalty by making the
graves of our fallen heroes each a
perfect mass of the most beautiful
flowers the season affords
This is only one way to show our
loyalty. There are other ways not
less important. AS we watch the
marching veterans each year and see
by the ranks how many are thinned
we are brought face to face with the
question, "Who will carry on this
work of decoration when these few
men have answered the last roll call?'
Who will pray The boys and girls,
young men and women who are now
in the habit of attending base ball
gameY 1t Is to them we must look,
but how can we expect them to do
something they have no heart for
And how can we expect them to have
any heart for service to which they
have not been trained? All tho beau
tiful sentiments of patriotism and the
inspiring lessons and theories of love
for our flag and country are taught
our children all thru the public
schools, but when the school Is dis
missed how far do we as parents fol-
low up those teachings by urging
their practical application and in
sistiDg on actual service being given
to bis country by every child, large
or small. Let them do something.
Don't carry your own flowers to the
committees unless you have more
than all the boys in the neighborhood
can carry. With a little encourage
ment they will, no doubt, enthusias-
tically form in line and make a small
floral parade to the headquarters of
the decorating committees and would
be proud of having actually done
something. Instead of the back yard
circus for that day the children will
enjoy having patriotic celebration
of their own and at the mere sugges-
tion many young orator will be
ready to volunteer his services, and
their enthusiasm will put that of
many older ones to shame. Many
other forms of patriotic entertain
ment for the younger citizens might
be devised,
Let us, this year, look forward to
Memorial Day with a feeling of the
deepest reverence and with all our
hearts make this 30th of May, indeed
and in truth, sacred to the memory of
the soldiers who fought in the great
Civil War. G. 81. B.