The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-05-29
THE PRo.cATHEDRAL.

THE PRO.CATHEDRAL.
Last Tuesday afternoon was a red.
letter day in the calendar Of the
school; day to which the children
had looked forward with anticipations
of pleasure; day which they and
their parents and hundreds of guests
will look back upon while memory
lives with thrill of patriotism and
a glow of love for the flag that
floating over their school and their
homes, is the emblem of liberty from
tyranny and freedom for progress in
a greater degree than ever or any
where blessed a nation.
Arrangements had been made to
hold the ceremonies of aag-raising in
the open air on the ground in front
of the Pro-Cathedral, but the weather
being unfavorable for that, the pro-
gram was given in the auditorium on
the third floor of the schoolhouse.
When the audience had been seated
and the overflow packed into every
inch of standing space; when the
speakers fanked by more than fifty
veterans of the Grand Army of the Re-
public had been accommodated on the
stage and more than fifty members of
the Ladies' Relief Corps had been CIV
en- places of honor in front of the
stage, the school children entered,
bearing in slow and solemn march,
the beautiful flag presented to them
by the William Mortimer Post. This
impressive ceremony was accompanied
with martial music on the cornet,
played with the elan-the fire and
swing and go of a master by the Rev.
FIR. Kern, who besides being the choir
leader in the church is an enthusiastic
and versatile instructor in instrument
tai music in the school. The effect
was thrilling; the hearts of the chill
dren beat faster and the eyes of the
veterans moistened as memory on her
magical carpet carried them fifty
years back and further still to the
bounding steps of youth and the con-
secration of sacrifice and the crown
of victory. 1t was the bugle call of
1861. It was the flag of 1861. 1t
was the rosy cheek and merry laugh,
the applauding thousands; the toll and
strife; the women's tears; the stained
and torn flag of 1861. 1t was the
peace between brothers of 1865. And
as that bugle of 1915 shrieked de-
fiant notes, at least one prayer rose
to the throne above that those fair
children were about to unfold their
flag not to the smoke of battle but
to a life, a generation, century OF
heaven-sent peace.
The Rev. J. E. Cullen, the pastor
of the Pro-Cathedral, addressed the
audience on the loyalty all owe theil
flag, and the obedience they owe theil
government and the service they owe
their nation. He impressed his list
eners with his usual forceful clio
uuence that all authority is from above
whatever the form of government
men fashion for it's exercise, and
therefore, all must respect and ODE!
it as being the Divine Will. Hif
address was followed by patriotic
words from members of the G. A. R
The national organization was repre-
scented by Mr.. Levi Longfellow, tn
state organization by Captain A. F
Connolly, a nephew of Archbishop
Connolly, and the city was represent
ed by Commandments Harries of tn
Soldiers Home, and Hunt of Mort
mer Post.
Professor B. B. Jackson, assistan
superintendent of schools, was presen
to hear the greetings OF the Mime
apolis public schools to the parochis
schools, and especially that of tn
Pro-Cathedral of st. Mary. Professe
Jackson stated that he was familia
with the work of the Pro-Cathedr'
school: that he knew it, too, throug
the bi.annual examinations OF Its p1
nils during the past ten years, an
that it was fair statement to ga
that this school is unexcelled by ar
school in the city; not only had tt
pupils always passed the examination
with high marks, but they had alwa!
shown in their demeanor that the 81
ters. their teachers, had nodded the
characters and their manners to e
emplary conduct. All pupils going