The Bismarck tribune., 1921-10-28
OYSTER BAY
PAYS TRIBUTE
TO ROOSEVELT
Residents of Little Hamlet Bow
Heads in Loving Memory
of Statesman
1As KlDDIEs' FRIEND
Elm and Oak Shade Final Rest
ing Place of Great
American ,...

Oyster Bay, N. Y, Oct 2S-(By the
Associated Press)-Residents of this
little hamlet yesterday bowed their
heads in sorrowful memory Of be
loved fellow villager.
While the rest of the nation had
dedicated the day to celebrating the
sixty-third anniversary of Theodore
Roosevelt, statesman, president and
man OF letters, Oyster Bay remember
ed the familiar, sympathetic, big
hearted Teddy" whose grave on the
hilltop is an ever present reminder
OF their loss. Dr. ,.. ...
The little wooded cemetery had be-
come the object of pilgrimages from
alk over the world and thousands were
in attendance. 'e .r
Among them were hundreds of
former friends and thousands of
admirers, besides formal delegations
: of Spanish and world war veterns and
boy Scouts Of America. They came,
for the most part, to lay flowers
or flags on the grave, while diplO-
mats from foreign countries brought
testimonials Of respect from their gov
ernments and peoples abroad.
but old time neighE'ors and inti-
mates OF the Colonel say that of all
tributesSto his memory, he himself
would most have appreciated those of
the, children whom he loyed, and 50
theirs was the part Of paying hon.
age in the name Of Oyster Bay.
The older children of Oyster Bay
Cove School, which nestles in grove
of trees few hundred yards from
R0Osevelt's grave, remember HIM best
as the Santa Claus Of their annual
Christmas celebrations. Some OF them
now sit in the, seats and use the desks
once occupied by the elder Roosevelt
children, Kermit, Theodore, Archie
and Ethel. None of these has forgot
ten the red pillowfattened figure,
rosy cheeks, powdered mustache and
grotesque false beard of the principal
actor in their Yuletide pageant.
Three weeks before Christmas it
was Colonel Roosevelt's custom to
summon the teachers to Sycamore
Hill, a mile away and there instruct
them to have all the children write
letters to Santa" telling what they
wanted him to bring them. Then, at
ter all the scribbled requests had
come in, the Colonel and Mrs. RC.ose-
welt would go in to New York and buy
the gifts asked for, adding in each
'toot' of rock candy, a confection OF
which the Colonel recalled he had
been inordnately fond as boy.
On Christmas Eve he and Mrs.
Dn@,,x,ol+ ,,o,,1J I,,;vo pvor n tho
school, where, under a great elm tree,
he would distribute the presents to
40 or more youngsters and then join
in singing carols and romping and
laughing with the spirit of play that
never quite deserted him. From the
time his own children were old enough
to go to school, he missed playing
Santa Clause but twice-once when
he was in Africa. and again during
his illness at Roosevelt hospital.
Even on that last Christmas Eve
the children were not forgotten. Col.
Roosevelt delegated Archie to attend
to his annual duties, telling his son
what kind of candy to buy and how to
play the part of Saint Nicholas. The
night Archie played Santa Claus his
father told friends who visited his bed
side how much he missed participat-
ing in the event.
So yesterday these children, many
of them grown ups now, with chill
dren Of their own, carried Oyster
Bays message of respect to the grave
side. The present school pupils
marched to the cemetery in a body
and laid wreath on the grave. Then
they sang the Colonels favorite songs
and their teacher told of his good
deeds and eXhorted them to follow his
example,
Though Roosevelts birthday has be-
come recognized as the appropriate
time for paying formal tribute to his
memory. thousands of people have
visited his grave during the year.