The Oskaloosa herald., 1910-10-06
FIRST ANNUAL
33RD FLAG DAY
Stars and Stripes Float Over 48z
Rural Schools.
MADE POSSIBLE BY A VETERAN
Yesterday, Sept. 80, the Forty-elahth
Anniversary OF Formation of Reg
iment Designated as First.
Annual Flag Day.


stripes were raised over every one OF
the VT rural school houses In Keo-
kuk fahaska and Marion counties,
and each place program OF exer.
cises appropriate to the occasion was
rendered by the children of the
school, At as many places also, as
was possible, a. veteran of the civil
war, and a member Of the 3Srd regi
ment attended and made brief re
marks to the children. The songs,
lessons and recreation of the day were
of a patriotic character, and every
school room was decorated in some
special way for the occasion.
The flags thus raised are gifts of
George w. Schee, of Primghar, Iowa,
a member of the old regiment and one
of the youngest soldiers that saw SER
vice in civil war. Mr.. Schee was de-
MED e privilege of early schooling
anG ang intensely patriotic he has
turned requests into channels that
will rebound to good of every country
school and serve as patriotic inspir.
alton for every child brought under
their influences.
1t was largely from'the rural schools
that the soldiers of the civil war rail-.
led to the defense of the flag. On the
first day of October, 1862, the old regi-
ment was mustered into service, for
three years, or during the war. 1t was
deemed proper, therefore, by the com
mittee that the nearest school day to
the anniversary should be designated
as flag day. Friday was selected and
the 48th anniversary of the formation
of the regiment marks the first ami
versary of the flag day fund. Mr..
Schee has not only paid for all the
flags thus raised but he has set aside
a large fund, the income from which
will be used in maintaining the flags
and adding new ones as occasion may
demand. Hon. John F. Lacey, Mr..
Oren F. Schee and Mrs. Harriet M.
Cruzen have been named as trustees
of the fund, and they together with
the county superintan1ents of the
three counties pr led the exercises
that turned out so auspiciously ron
Friday afternoon. p .-
A Typical Program. p
( + II fell to the lot Of Hon. John +.
Y Lacey, a member of the board of trus-
tees to attend the exercises at West
Center school house, and the program
here was no doubt typical of all the
4S7 meetings held in the three coun-
ties. The flag had been put in place
and at 2 o'clock the program was
opened in charge of the teacher, Miss
Lucy Van Corp. Patriotic songs were
rendered by the school and recita-
lions AMI orations given by a number
of schools. Mr.. Lacey gave the as
sembly a patriotic talk, mingling his
toricsI facts regarding the flag with
incidents OF the war in which Mr.
Schee and the other members of the
33rd regiment had a part. Always re-
sourceful, Major Lacey opened up two
big boxes of candy and the children
enjoyed the additional and unexpected
treat The older children then all
enjoyed an introduction to Major La
cey and the program was over I'M
the course of his talk Mr.. Lacey said
he felt especially privileged in being
sent to West Center, for it was here
as teacher of the school that he met
the young lady who afterwards be- |
came Mrs. Lacey. -.
At Forest Grove school the children
went through several drills, sang pa
triotic songs ani gave Rotations. w.
r. Cowan, of Oskaloosau gave the chill
dren a brief talk, telling them of the
Clys when he attended school in this
district away back in the tifties. He
also served in the same company of
the 33rd Iowa in which Henry Drinklei
grandfather of the present teacher OF
the school, Miss Marguerite Drinkle,
served.
w. H. Shaw, of the 33rd, was pres
ent at the East Center School, Miles
Prime at the Prime school house, John
Shannon and William Lafollett at the
Walker school, Comrade Oakley at
indianapolis, Mr.. and Mrs. B. F. Cru
zen at the Hawkeye school and so ON
throughout Mahaska and sister coun'
ties.
At White City.
Almost every school in Mahaska
county celebrated the day. So far as
heard only two schools in the county
did not have a program. In these
cases the schools were small and not
being able to secure the attendance
OF old soldiers they either joined with
with schools in other neighborhoods
or raised the flag without program.
The pupils invariably wanted to go
where they could see and hear the old
soldiers.
At White City an elaborate program
was planned andsthe entire commun-
ity became intensely interested In the
affair. The ceremonies of dedication
were held in the evening at O'Clock,
that more of the people OF the place
might have opportunity OF attending.
The school house, building OF more
than ordinary size, by reason of the
large attendance was filled to over
iiowe6g and late Corners could not getld
into the building The anthuaiasm
OF the seolars was reflected in the i'm