The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1915-06-04
GRAND OBSERVANCE
| OF MEMORIAL DAY

No more beautiful or auspici6us day
could be wished for than that which
dawned Monday for the celebration Of
the annual occasion for the decoration
Of the graves of the soldiers who
fought to preserve the union in the
days agone. The rains Of the few
days before had given new life to ver-
+dure and the dazzling radiance of the
sun Monday morning served to imbue
even the pessimist with the sane de-
sire to take some part in the memorial
program.
Early in the morning each merchant
and practically every citizen might
have been seen placing the national
colors in conspicuous position. The
colors were unusually profuse in the
business part Of the town and remark
ably artistic.
AS to the parade, while in former
years, (and it may be said that this
is common with most occasions of the
kindly, there is always delay in start
ing; this year there was no delay. The
parade was scheduled to start at /
o'clock standard time, and it started
at exactly that time. Preceding to
Spring Grove cemetery on East Liber-
ty street the parade Of citizens enter
ed the sacred grounds and the pro-
gram of prayer, music and decoration
was carried out in full.
Returning to the public square the
immense crowd gathered to listen to
the address of Charles Wightman. At
torney Wightman is polished speak
er and one whose services have been
eagerly sought on similar occasions.
His address Monday is regarded as an
Especially able one and was listened
with more than ordinary interest on
account of what he would likely have
to say with regard to the pre-. ent
world war.
Attorney Wightman prefaced his
address with an allusion to patriotism
as it is taught in the public schools.
1T is the backward look that brings
to view heroes" declared the speak
Ter, as he referred to the valiant mer
whom we revere today. He remarked
\ the distinction between decoration anC
4 lmemorisl day. While they are on.
land shs alsae = sle rasuaE Tie#, tIaers
lis, nevertheless, the double signif.
cance, and which should not be lost
Isight of.
i Mr.. Wightman reviewed the chic
battles of the great internecine strug.
lgle, making a thrilling comparison be.
tween the famous charge of the Light
brigade at Balak:ava and the many
lfar greater ones in our own war of the
rebellion. For instance, GOT partici.
pated I'M the great French charge, anC
Eohly 1913 survived. The speaker citec
the First Minnesota regiment which
lat first numbered 1880 men and served
| throughout the war. At Gettysburg
| the regiment had been reduced to 26;
men and 224 of that number wert
either killed or wounded in that three
| days memorable engagement
| Here Attorney Wightman took oc
casion to remark of the bond Of broth
erhood and good fellowship that hal
arisen between the two sections O
the union in the half century that ha
elapsed since that awful time. HI
recounted the other momentous an,
decisive episodes leading to the clos
of the war and eliminating in tn
grand review of the war-scarred vet
erans when they passed along Pennsy
vania avenue in Washington before re
turning to their various homes an
callings.
Phe speaker paid eloquent tribut
as well to those of the old defender
) who are still with us, assuring ther
E that decoration and memorial da
shall be observed after they are gone
Great emotion was apparent in Al
! torney Wightmari as he referred i
closing to the present European con
fict. He is with our president in tn
] latters policy of peace, Mr.. Wight
man accentuated what President Wi
! son has oftentimes expressed; ths
there are heroes Of peace no less tha
heroes of war.
tl Both at the cemetery and the pavi
/ ion in the park a quartet composed {
! Miss Genevieve Brintnall, sopran
Y Mrs. M. G. Gage, alto; Mr.. Jack Dey
|, ell, tenor and Mr.. Fred Bohley, bas
4 sang, accompanied BY John Beck 1
y the piano. Among the vocal nun
2 bers there were two which were el
al pecially impressive "Tenting On II
y ~ ~. y. \. TS...s. ! & .A j ssn,r n II -. \