Putnam patriot., 1920-04-23
PLAN MEMORIAL
DAY OBSERVANCES
Committees Appointed and
Plans Discussed At Meet
ing Monday Night
More Activity to Be Evidenced Than
In Some Years

According to plans being consid.
cred and devised, Memorial Day this
year will be observed with a large.
parade and a greater activity than in
some years. Owing to the thinning
ranks of the old veterans and the dis
banding of A. G.. Warner Post, G. A.
r., the matter of arranging the pro
gram of the day was entrusted to the
Anselm Mayotte Post, American Lee
gion. In response to an invitation
sent out by the post president, DIR. E.
r. Perry, representatives of various
organizations met in the Chamber OF
Commerce rooms, Monday evening,
when committees were appointed ana
plans discussed for a proper observ-
ance of the day.
There were about twenty-five pres
ent. The organizations represented
were the American Legion, Woman's
Relief Corps, Ladies of the G. A. R.,
Sons Of Veterans, Spanish War Vet
Grams, P. H. S. Cadets, and X. of C.
Each representative said that the or
ganization he represented would CO.
operate in every way to make the day
a success and would hold itself in
readiness for anything that may be
demarded of it.
DIR. Perry called the meeting to or
der and was elected chairman. Henry
Converse was elected clerk. The
plans as outlined will be along the
same lines as heretofore, but it is
hoped to have larger parade and
more impressive exercises.
Committees were appointed as fol-
lows: Teams, Augustus Cutler, Ar
thur Keith; flowers and flags at Grove
Street cemetery, Arthur Keith and
Chauncey Morse; Catholic cemetery,
John Lepire, James ]. Charron, Thorn
as Duffey; music, Kenneth Sharpe
exercises at outlying cemeteries, Geo.
w. Baker and Sons of Veterans; ex-
ercises at Soldiers monument, Sons
of Veterans.
A general invitation is extended to
all orders and organizations in the
city to take part. 1t is hoped to have
in line besides the veterans, members
of Sons of Veterans, Spanish War
Veterans. American Legion, High
School Cadets, Boy Scouts, Woman's
Relief Corps, Ladies' of G. A. R., Rec
Cross, X. of c.. representatives of the
Salvation Army and other local or.
carnations. All are invited and re
quested to take part to make the day
memorable one in honor of the vet
Grams, dead and living.
Charles Munroe, one of the veter
ans, said that in years gone by loca
musicians were imbued with a spiri
of patriotism and bands and drum
corps volunteered their services. Blu
this spirit has been waning and fol
| the past several years it was necessary
to hire musicians, and one year they
only ''played three times" said Mr.
Munroe. IF we have got to pay we
should make them play said Mr.
Munroe. Mr.. Munroe also stated that
| during the first years of the Memorial
| Day observance there were but IL SOL
der dead in Grove Street cemetery
Now there are nearly 200. "As then
| ranks have grown our ranks have beer
| depleted, and now there are but %
living members of the Grand Army
of the Republic in Putnam, Pomfret
and Woodstock" was the sorrowfu
| statement of this old veteran.
4 IL hot
| graves of veterans of the Civil war ir
| Grove Street cemetery, 81 in the
Catholic cemetery, 20 in East Putnam
| cemetery, "a in Putnam Heights Gem
etery, and two in the old cemetery
An effort will be made to have the
| ladies of the d. A. R. leok after tbs
matter of decoration and observance
! in the Old cemetery.
| Rev. Boynton Merrill of the Con
| gregational church was present anc
extended am invitation TO have this
veterans and other organizations at
tend services at the Congregations
church Memorial Day, which falls or
Sunday. This invitation was accept
ed. 1t is to be noted that Decoration
Day falls on Sunday and that the ex.
/ ercises viii take place on Monday. /
has been customary for the veterans
| to attend church in a body the Sun
| day preceding Memorial Day. This
Year they Will attend on Sunday, May
| 30th, as the observance Will take
place Monday the 31st This should
be borne in mind by all organizations
! who are requested to notify Mr.. Mer-
rill of their attention to attend so that
seats may be reserved for them.
DIR. E. f. Perry was elected presi-
dent OF the day. Charles A. Thayel
was elected marshal Joseph McKach-
| ME, Kenneth Sharpe and George W
Baker were elected a committee te
procure a speaker.
The plan in effect in former years
win be followed this year. This is a
parade to form and march to the
Catholic cemetery in the morning, fol
lowed by a dinner in Odd Fellows
hall. The W. r. C. will hold meet
| ing to see if they will undertake serv-
| ing the dinner again this year, and re-