The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-06-02
HONOR MEMORYJF
NATIONS HEROES
INSPIRING TRIBUTE PAID TO
SOLDIER DEAD IN MEMO
RIAL EXERCISES
|. |. STEPHENS OF PIERRE, SPEAKS
Special Honors Accorded to the Few
Surviving Members of Grand
Army Of Republic.

In spite of the rain which fell
steadily Monday morning, the city of
Brookings paid the greatest and most
impressive tribute to the nations he
roic dead in the history of the city
at the Memorial day services, parade
n program. If it had not beer for
the rain, the crowd would have been
so great at Greenwood cemetery,
where the special services were held,
that they could not have been accom-
modated. Even in the rain there was
a crowd present larger than ever be-
fore. On account of the dripping rain
the parade vas delayed somewhat in
getting started, but the members of
the Orr Hoffman post, who were in full
uniform ready to march, scoffed at
the rain and said, I'VE have marched
in worse than this, let's 60" They
lined up on the school house grounds
under the command of A. E. Anderson,
officer of the day. The Womans' Re
lief Corps, the Sons of Veterans, and
Woman's Auxiliary also formed ranks
and marched with the ex-soldiers. The
line of march was down Main street
past the federal building where the
twelve surviving members of the
Robert l.. McCook post of the Grand
parade. The place of honor in the
parade and throughout the services
was given to these grand old veterans
who are in their declining years and
but a fragment of Lincoln's mighty
army, that means so much to all Amer
leans. When the parade reached the
railroad tracks, the column opened
ranks and the Grand Army veterans
marched thorugh and boarded automo-
biles to be driven to the cemetery.
The services at the cemetery were
touching and impressive. Floral
tributes We're offered to the unknown
dead of all wars. Graves of soldiers
were decorated with flowers and flags.
The special services Of the American
Legion was given for the first time
and 1t was beautiful and inspiring.
In the afternoon a special patriotic
program, arranged by the Womans'
Relief Corps was given at the opera
house. Rev. B. A.. Benson gave the
invocation. Robert Blakeslee rem
derred LincOln's immortal Gettysburg
address in a pleasing manner Miss
Gladys Caldwell gave an especially fine
patriotic reading, when the Fleet
Went By" Miss Byrne Smith sang n
beautiful solo. George Blakeslee gave
a patriotic Grafton. The memorial adj
dress was given by Attorney L. l..
Stephens of Pierre, a prominent law
yer, speaker, public official, and ex-
service man. He was brought to
Brookings by the local post of the
American Legion. Attorney Stephens
though a middle aged man, volun-
teered his services in the World war
and served as an officer in France
with the 10th and 91st divisions and
participated in major engagements.
his sun dlSo SClNCu III llC dlluy uuI-
ing the World war, enlisting right
after his father did. His address
was not long enough to tire the audi
ence, and on the contrary left a good
impression to hear more. He paid
a fine tribute to the veterans of the
Civil wal and their auxiliary, the
Women's Relief Corps. He spoke of
the origins and purposes Of Memorial
day. He left the thought with all, that
an awful waste of life in the recent
World war and in the Civil war could
have been averted had the nation been
prepared for conflict. In accordance
with the inevitable cycles of history
he predicted that fifty years hence
would find us emerging from another
war equally great or greater than the
past war.
Wv. G. s.