Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-06-06
DECORATION DAY
EPOCHAL EVENT.
Finest Parade in Years and Unusual
Iy Strong Address in
Evening.

Decoration Day, 1917, will long be
remembered as one of the biggest and
/ best ever witnessed in Barton. The
] forenoon was cloudy and threatening
/, but the sun came out about noon and
| the weather was ideal for the parade
which formed at the school grounds
at 2 o'clock.
/ The parade was headed by the Bar
ton band of Is members and many re-
marks about the quality of the music
| furnished were heard. J. A. Pearson
was marshal of the day and per-
| formed his duties with his usual abili-
ty. Following the band was a depu-
| tation of 40 Sir Knights in full re-
gala of plumed hats and drawn
swords under command of A. H.
Grout of Newport. About half the
number came from Newport for the
parade and the rest were Barton Sir
Knights.
Following the Sir knights was a
large number Of Boy Scouts in charge
of John Batchelder. These were In
uniform Then followed the Campfire
girls in charge of Miss Marion Red
| field and they were all in the dress of
the tribe The school children were
in line to the number of more than
| 200 and were in charge of Supt. G. l..
Erwin and Prin. F. Jay Bates. Last
came the veterans themselves in two
automobiles, driven by II. r. Barron
and z. T. Dunn, numbering nine.
The parade was exceptionally well
formed and stretched from postoffice
square to the passenger station. The
column proceeded from the place of
/ formation to the cemetery via Main
! street, returning the same way but
! proceeding as far north as Hotel Bar
ton.
After the line returned to the place
of formation and disbanded, each
/ member of the parade was invited to
| Alumni hall and served with punch
and sandwiches by the associate
members of the G. A R. post under
the direction of Miss Pierp0nt, and
/ to say that the lunch was appreciated
is putting it mildly.
This completed the afternoon event
but the treat of the day came IN the
/ evening when SeaXer's hall was
crowded to listen to the exercises
which were IN charge Of j. A. Pear
son. Rev. J. A. Ranney offered
prayer. The Schubert club rendered
splendid orchestral music and several
/ selections were sung by the audience.
/ Elgie Warner read a selection telling
/ the meaning of the flag and its colors.
Rev. Ozora S. Davis of Chicago
was then introduced and gave an ad-
dress showing thorough knowledge of
! today's situation across the water
and giving a clear view of America s
part in the conflict. He spoke of the
delicate situation in which person of
German blood was placed who was
now a resident here and thought the
great mass Of such persons were, af-
ter all, loyal to this country, but to
understand their situation one must
| know and appreciate the German
mind and the atmosphere in which
the German had been reared for gen
erations past. Mr.. Davis spent two
years of study in Germany and grad
uated from one of their universities
paid a high compliment to the knowl-
edge, science and art of the country
and spoke of his love and belief in the
people of the country, but condemned
unreservedly the Kaiser and his pro-
gram as an official state which recog-
nized no moral obligation. His ex-
planation of EFWhy We Are at War;
was lucid and his plea for the mobil-
ization of the whole family ought to
be heard and answered by the entire
population. He made an especially
strong plea that the people of the
country, especially the children, enter
into a partnership with the govern
ment by the purchase of Liberty
Bonds. Those who were not able to
be present and hear his address miss
ed a rare treat.
The exercises closed with the sing
ing of America by the entire audi
ence, not in a perfunctory way but
with a zest that left the blood ting
ling in the veins.
The members of Quinby Post are
appreciative to all who in any way
assisted in making the day the splen-
did success it was.