Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-06-05
DECORATION DAY.
As Observed in the Town Of Mid
dIebury Saturday.


Decoration day in Middlebury and
East Middlebury this year passed off
quietly enough. The weather was un-
usually warm for the time of year and
the sun shone brightly most of the day +,
though light rains fell after three o'clock
in the afternoon. Evidently the sur
rounding villages furnished their full
quota at their respective observances of
the day for there were but few out-of-
town parties in Middlebury.
The first exercises of Decoration day
were begun at East Middlebury, where a
procession was formed near the Glen
house. The marshal of the day, John
D. Woods, with Philip Crane and Ben
jamin Wales as aides, got the line started
shortly after nine in the morning. The
Middlebury band with the new leader,
John NJ. Buzzell. came first in the line,
followed by VIM. P. Russell Post. 6. A.
R. Edward Cody, commander, and
members of the disbanded Needham
Post; then the schools, with Frank Rob-
erts as master of ceremonies; ladies and
citizens on foot and in carriages, many
with floral offerings to lay on the graves
of the nations dead.
The procession marched to the small
but neat cemetery, where, after prayer
by Rev. Hall and well-rendered recita-
ton by Miss Mildred Anderson, "The
Army of the Dead" music by the band,
the memorial service of the Grand Army
was carried out in an impressive manner.
The various bodies then marched to
the Methodist church, which had been
appropriately decorated for the occasion.
After prayer by Rev. A. C. Hall. and
selection by Mrs. w. S. Tisdale, the
Misses Laura Ross, Nora and Christie
Peck, with John Randall, Frank Roberts
introduced the speaker of the occasion,
DIR. C. II. Dickinson of the Congrega-
tional church of Middlebury, who han
died his inspiring subject in most inter-
esting as well as impressive manner. A
recitation by Miss Jessie Turner was very
well given. Another selection by the
choir and benediction by Rev. Hall con-
cluded the formal observance of the day
at East Middlebury.
The exercises at Middlebury began at
two in the afternoon, when Marshal
Woods and his aides formed the pre- ces-
sion a. follows: Middl. bury band; VIM.
P. Russell Post, G. A. R.; Volunteer
Hose company, Ezra Turner, forman, G.
F. Rich, fire chief; Memorial Baptist
church cadet corps, Clifford Bacon, COM
mander; VIM. p Russell Circle, No. 5,
Ladies of the Grand Army, Mrs. G. E.
Youtt, acting president; carriages with
clergymen and members of the citizens
committee, Judge j. E. Weeks and l. H.
LaFleur, Esq.
At the town hall, after prayer by Rev.
w. T. Forsy ythe-whose last year in Mid
dlebury is regretfully to be noted-a
quartet, Messrs. A. Woodward, p Mel
len, R. Stevens and J. Turner, rendered
selection. This was followed by an
extract from Lincoln's Speech at Gettys-
burg by Edwin Sunderland of the col
lege. L. H. LaFleur, ESQ.,. introduced
the orator of the occasion. Rev. l. G.
Smart, d. D., of Burlington, who favor
ed the large assemblage with a most in.
teresting discourse. The speaker touched
upon his topics in a lighter vein than
has generally been the case upon such
occasions and tinge of humor marked
his utterances, which, however, was not
carried to such an extent as to be out of
accord with the spirit of the day. His
views were optimistic and were stated
in highly attractive style. The ritual
work of the G. A. r. was well carried
out under Commander Cody and Ad-
jutant Cady; a selection by the quartet,
with benediction by Rev. w. H. Wash
burne, d. D., closed the observance at
the hall.
The procession then reformed at the
soldiers monument. where an eloquent
address, though short, was given by DR..
Dickinson. The various bodies proceed
ed to the cemeteries, where the ritual
observances were carried out and the
graves of the heroes of the several wars
were decorated. in the Catholic cemetery.
AS well as in the West cemetery. The
procession marched back to the village,
and disbanded. which closed the public
observance of Memorial day for 1908.