Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-06-01
FLAG RAISED
.r
On Common by the Old
est Man In Gardiner
While 600 School Children
Sing Pathetic Airs.
Eloquent Memorial Day Address by
Mayor Wilt G. Atkins.

A novel feature of the Memorial day
observance in Gardiner was the rails.
ing on the common of the handsome
flag, the gift to the city of Frank E
Boston, by John c. Godding, 95 years
of age and the oldest man in Gardiner
while 600 school children sang patriot
c airs and the Gardiner Band ployed
1.-THE Star Spangled Banner" Follow
ing the exercises at the Soldiers mon
ument an eloquent Memorial day ad-
dress was delivered by Hon. VIII c.
Atkins, mayor of Gardiner.
The flag raising occurred at
o'clock. Massed around the flag staff
were 60G school children, some of them
carrying bouquets and all waving
small flags. Above the sea Of bright
little faces tile big banners of the
Plummer street and Central street
schools waved. Behind the children
were stationed the members of Pei
Clason Camp, S. Of ", while in front
of them was the Gardiner Band ready
to join with them in the rendering OF
the patriotic airs.
Prayer was offered by Rev. Langdon
Quimby and then under the direction
of Park Commissioner Walsh, the ven-
erable John c. Godding, his form erect
and his face. flushed with pride and
emotion, pulled the rope which raised
the flag. AS the flag went up the school
children under the direction of Miss
May Gould, teacher of music in the
Gardiner public schools, sang "The
Star Spangled Banner" their young
voices blending in perfect harmony.
The children afterwards sang "Red-
White and Blue" "Rest Soldier Rest, y
after which Past Commander A. w.
McCausland of Heath Post. G. A. r.,
who had been delegated by the State
department commander as patriotic
instructor. gave brief address to the
school children upon the proper OBJ
servance of Memorial day. The eXer-
cises closed with the singing OF
america" by the school children. Su-
perintendent c. o. Turner of the Gar
diner public schools had general over
sight of the children and saw that
each one was provided with small
flag.
During the early forenoon q detail
from the Sons of Veterans attended to
the decoration of 16 graves at the
Highland avenue cemetery. i. At l0
o'clock Heath Post, G. A. R., Pell Ga
son Camp, S. of ", and the Gardner
Band went to Maple Grove cemetery IN
Randolph. where Sc graves were deco
rated Prayer was offered by Rev. e.
f.. Jones, pastor of the Randolph
Methodist church and a dirge played
by the band. Details of members OF
the Post and Sons of Veterans also
visited the cemeteries in Farmingdale,
South Gardiner and Libby Hill. AT
South Gardiner 2 graves were deco
rated and at Libby Hill IA.
At 2 o'clock the line of march was
formed on Water street near Hotel
Brunswick as follows:
Marshal, Capt George w. Cross.
Aides, d. II. Jones. G: r. Moore and X
w. Hill.
Police
City Marshal S. w. Cults. Patrolmen Mi
chael Cusick and Walter X. Wakeheld,
Special officers Henry King. Wallace l..
Kimball and Warren L. Iozier.
Gardiner Band.
Twenty Men. James Bates leader, Henry
Roberts drum major r
Co. A. I'd Regiment. N. G. $. M
Fifty one Men, Capt. John J. Mckenna'
ond Lieut.. II. r. Peacock.
Pell Clason Camp. s. of ".
Fifty Men. Commander w. 0. Cobb. Sen
icr Vice Commander E. L. Mer-
rilI, Junior Vice Commander
William j. Morrison.
SECOND DIVISION.
% Heath Fost, No. 6, G. A. r.
Forty Men, Commander Leonard il. Mer-
Jones' Junior Vice Com
mander John L. Grant.
Disabled Comrades in Carriages.
City Government in Carriages.
The line of march was down Water
street, up Vine, over School and Lin
coin streets to Oak Grove cemetery.
The places of business on Water street
were closed by order of Mayor Atkins
from / to 5 +. NJ, and many houses
and stores along the line of march were
decorated with flags and the national
colors.
In Oak Grove cemetery 1911 graves
were decorated and three volies fired
by Co. A. Appropriate selections were
rendered at the cemetery by the Gar
diner Band.
After the exercises the line reformed
and marched to the common by way OF
Plummer and Brunswick streets. Then
came the usual exercises at the SOL
diers' monument, each member of
Heath Post and the Sons of Veterans
depositing q sprig of evergreen upon
the base of the monument. Upon the
platform in front of the monument
We're seated Mayor Atkins and the
members of the city government, Com
mander Leonard H. Merrill and Adju-
tant George Harrington of Heath Post
and Rev. John r. Clifford.
Prayer was offered by Mr.. Clifford
and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg ad-
dress was read by Adjutant Harring-
ton. An eloquent address was given
by Mayor VIII c. Atkins, who spoke
in part as follows::
1.-The causes which lead to the Civil
War had their beginning POO years and
more before the actual conflict began.
For 200 years and more the black race
had been servants in bondage until the
never-ending devotion of thousands of
Unoin men sounded the death-knoil of
slavery. Never before did a nation of
peaceful citizens spring to arms in de-
fence of a governmental theory, to
maintain inviolate, civil and consti-
tutional Union. You saw the old flag
in the field, that was enough for you.
iy,er lyo1 hi