Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-17
Thursdays Daily.)

(lQurSuay DdllyJ
Patriotism was the keynote and in
fact inspired every feature of the day
and evening program. Old Glory was
hailed and honored In song, speech.
band selections, drills, formal flag
raising and in being carried by the
thousands during the day aside from
the sea of flags and streamers Of red,
white and blue that decked the bust
mess houses and homes of the city by
the hundreds.
The manufacturing firms and their
hundreds of employees, merchants and
wholesalers and their workers, mill
tary. patriotic, fraternal and club or
ganization of both men and women.
the scores Of happy school children and
scores of persons in decorated autos
were all part of Ottumwa's pilgrim
age to the shrine of Old Glory that
was erected in the city park. There
the flag staff standing 100 feet high
had been erected and Wednesday 1T
flung to the breezes for the first time
handsome flag, the gift of Mr.. and
Mrs. w. r. Daum, presented by George
Washington to the city of Ottumwa IN
the person of Mayor F. H. Carter.
George r. McElroy In the role OF the
father of his country and Mrs. Edward
Songer as Miss Columbia were actors
in the pretty little patriotic dialogue
that was enacted in the presentation
Of the flag to the city, Miss Columbia
reciting short poem in honor of the
flag. Master Charles William Davis
as Uncle Sam unfurled the flag which
was raised by G.. A. r. veterans.
Program In Afternoon.
Rev. David Van Dyke, D. D., deliv.
cred the invocation that opened the
program at the city park in the after
noon. The prayer of the we'll known
minister breathed patriotism in every
sentence. Following the raising Of the
flag. cheers in volume were given and
the men and boys with heads uncover
ed we're Joined by the women and
girls in waving flags which each car
ried az the guardsmen fired the salute
and the First Cavalry band played
The Star Spangled Banner. The
scene was impressive and very pretty
The veterans, D. A. R., w. R. G. and
D. OF " then proceeded over to the
stand erected at the southwest corner
of the federal building and the special
vocal number for the occasion, Your
Flag. My Flag, by Nesbit. the music
for which was composed by Prof.
Cleveland Dayton, director of the
band, was then beautifully sung by
Mrs. N. B. Blish The singing took
place in the band stand in the city
park where the full band was seated
and played the accompaniment
Then followed the flag drills by
children of the Adams and Jefferson
schools and military drill by the
Agassiz school cadets These exer-
cises were excellent and merited the
generous applause accorded them. Els.
pecially difficult were the figures exc
cuted by the company Of young girls
from the Adams school. The patriotic
exercises by the Jefferson pupils and
the military drill by the cadets Of the
Agassiz aroused the patriotism of the
sea of spectators present A selection
by the band followed and then the
address Of the day by John w. Lewis
which teemed with the spirit of the
occasion and paid homage to the flag.
Evening Program.
A delightful band concert nlleu Win
patriotism was attended in the even
ing by one of the largest crowds that
ever thronged the city park. The i'm
mense throng, crowded into the park,
on the steps Of the court house, library
federal building and in every avail
able space and the efforts Of the band
and chorus Of women and men were
loudly applauded.
The band opened the evenings con-
cert by playing The Stars and Stripes
Forever (Sousa). This number was