The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-05-31
Give Up Marching in Memo-
rial Day Parade for
the First Time
AN ENTHUsIA iC
RECEPTION s BARRE
Decorating G s es, Parade,
Public Exer ! IS and Din
ner, Fes ! es of Day

One of the finest May parades in
decade, an eloquent address with impress
sfve supplementary exercises in the opera
house, big dinner for the veterans and
their guests in the Congregational
church vestry, and what was more,
cessation of rain with here and there a
streak of blue through which the sun
made the most OF it's opportunity to pour
warmth, Were among the essential ele-
ments which went to make up success
full Memorial day observance in Barre
yesterday. The official observance cen.
tered naturally enough around the parade
and the opera house program, in which
the speaker of the day was Rev. Edgar
Grassland, pastor of the First Presbyte-
rian church, but there were diversions
enough for those who make of the oc-
casion first day of reverence for the
nations soldier dead and then a holiday
respite from work "a day duties.
Toward noon the sun chased away
most of the clouds, the wind slackened
and If plans among those who made up
motor parties, picnic festivities and FAM
! lily reunions were not too ambitiously
| laid they were not unpleasantly dis
| turbed by the weather, for conditions
out OF doors, although the morning out
| look was dubious grew more agreeable
as the day advanced. There were morn
ing and afternoon baseball games and
for the day Barre was a rallying point
for Vermont letter carriers and postal
clerks, who were here for their annual
state meeting. Apart from the organized
observance, Memorial day was a day of
remembrance for many people whose kin
were not directly connected with national
sacrifices. Early in the day the ceme-
teries were visited by many persons and
in more or less out of the wav places
where soldiers or sailors are buried. grave
decorations were in charge of school chill
dren or their teachers. Here in the city
children paid tribute to the memory of
the sailors by strewing with flowers the
water in the City square fountain.
More than ordinary and casual signifi-
cance attached to Memorial day this year
for the reason that thousands of young
men in khaki are beginning anew the
battles for democracy. For this genera
tion it had q new and more serious
meaning and the spirit of the day no
doubt sank deeper Gov. Graham's re-
quest for an individual flag salute at
noon seems to have been very generally
honored here in Barre and there was an
uncommonly large number of people who
saw to it that flags were flying near their
homes or places of business.
The Parade.
Spirited music for the parade and ex-
ercises was furnished by the Christopher
Columbus band and fraternal orders in
conspicuous instances patriotically did
their bit by adding their numbers to the
marchers. George F. Mackay acted as
chief marshal and he was ably assisted
by Lawrence Campbell, both of the young
men being mounted. The parade formed
in North Main street and Church street
along the City square. At 10 o'clock
most of the units were present and for
nation was gotten under way immedi-
ately. First came the marshals and
Gordon of Barre policemen.
The young Italian musicians and their
leader, P Gropelli, making up the Chris
topher Columbus band, followed the po-
the line of march by heavy detail of
plumed knights from st. Aldemar COM
No. IL, X. I. The next frater-
nal division was Canton Vinton, No. Q,
Patriarchs Militant, whose bright uni
forms lent another touch of color to the
There were energy and numbers
in platoon of Spanish American vet
Grams and the spirit of '9S lived again in
L. Is ,.bo
to Chiekamauga. Major l.. A. Abbott
amp, Sons of Veterans, was well repre-
,ented and after them came coach
,arrying Mayor f. c. Glysson and the
speaker of the day. For the first time |
n years none of the veterans were afoot,
,ut r. B. Crandall post, G. A. r. turned
,ut a fine delegation of its membership
ind they were accorded the place of
lonor in the parade. However feeble
heir steps might have been they formed
he center of the days enthusiasm and
Ipon them rested the days chief meaning
o the manhood of this generation.
A carriage bore the aldermen and the
ity clerk and then came the Barre ffe !
nd drum bands, leading large repre-
entation from Clan Gordon. II was
ew spectacle in this parade, the pres
nee of the pipers and drummers, some
( whom were in kilties. but with the
lansmen they formed distinctive fes-
nre of the parade and were warmly re-
eived. A troop of boy scouts in khaki
rom the Congregational church added
myth and variety TO the parade, thu
ounger fellows marching in good order
nd acquitting themselves in a manly
,shion School children carrying flags
rought up the end of the procession.
he Stars and Stripes waved over every
elegation in the parade. but the chill
rem contributed the most solid block Of
,lor along the line of march.
After forming at City square. the pa
Ide passed down the street as far north
Depot square, where it wheeled and
,unter- marched to Washington street.
inding its way up the hill to Elmwood
metery Hundreds Of people had an
cipated the arrival Of the marchers and
ere gathered at Elmwood when the van
iard appeared at the end OF the avenue
trees leading from Washington street.
be ceremony at the cemetery. although
-ief. retained its customary impressive.
Continued on second Pagel