The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-05-31
BENN|NCTONP PAYS
SOLEMN TR|BUTEEE. ~
To SOLDIER DEAD
Patriotic Hosts Gather at the
LONE Of Civil War Vets.
HEROIC DEEDS RECALLED
Exercises at Cemetery Marked
BY Simplicity-ElOquent
Eulogies Delivered

Eul0gies Delivered
Bennington paid fitting tribute, Mon.
day, to her soldier dead In fact the
towns Memorial Day observance
really began Sunday night, when
members of the local American Legion
post, the women of the Relief Corps
and G. A. r. veterans gathered to.
gether in the Second Congregational
church, where exercises appropriate
to the occasion were held. And as a
further tr butte to Benn ngton's heroes,
living and dead, the other Protestant
churches Of the village abandoned
their usual Sunday evening services,
that all might attend the ceremonies
at the Congregational church. The
Rev. George S Mills was the orator
Of the hour, and a, worthy one he
proved to be The eloquent doctors
remarks were a brief. but inspiring
resume of the nations conflicts, from
the immortal Revolut on to the last
gunshot in France But more Of that
late'
The parade of Monday was led off
by Bennington incompatible police
chief, Pat Brazel AS he marched
through Main and North streets at
the head Of the column many people
were heard to say Just like them;
the Irish are always at the front in
America" Then came the CHIEF
marsha William f. Frost, and his
dignifed bearing ind Gated that the
right man had been selected for the
honor Following the chief marshall
and his aides was the Bennington
CITY band and their excellent work
was complimented along the entire
1 line of march. Behind the band the
pageant was formed in the order fol-
lowing Amer.ca Legion. World
War veterans; Spanish-American war
veterans; Capt. Frank Ray camp No.
! 8, Sons OF Veterans; George A Gus.
ter 9Th Corps post; children Of the
graded and parochial schools; Dr.
John d. Lane, president OF the day,
clergy and invited guests in automo-
biles.
cemetery Exercises
The procession formed on Sdhoo:
street and moved into Main street,
thence to North. thence TO the Sol.
ders Home At the home the first
ceremonies were held at the Soldiers
burial plot. where Joseph A. Pellern.
officer of the day, and Commander A.
w. Downs of the G. A. R, made re-
marks and Chaplain Houk Of the Sol
ders Home offered prayer. Bene-
diction was pronounced by the Rev.
| ]. A. Perry. And then the Woman's
Relief Corps held service for the un-
known dead This ceremony was par.
lc'pated in by Mrs, James Scarey.
president; Mrs Addison Stewart, sen.
or vice president Mrs. Francis Hol.
lister. Junior vice-president Mrs. E,
! A. Marsden, chaplain: Mrs. Will am
Houran, secretary and the following
! color bearers-Mrs Bertha Rudd, Mrs.
Ruth Smith Miss Beulah Marsden and
Miss Laura Chase.
The gathering then proceeded to the
speakers stand in front of the Sol
diers Home. where DR.. Lane in fitting
and oquent words introduced the
speaker OF the day, the Rev Vincent
Ravi.Booth, pastor of the Congrega-
tional church at Old Bennington.
After the brilliant address Of Rev, Raw
Booth. Earl Chase read Lincoln's
world famed "Addres at Gettysburgh" %,
And the days celebration was over.
One of the conspicuous figures at
the home was Col. Thomas Hannon
former manager of that institution
and still the idol of its war-scarred in
mates
Address by Rev. Mills
Mr.. Mills theme at the Sunday
Memor al services was The Greater
Memorial Day" which he conceived to
be a day whose meaning has been
broadened with the year. 1t was not
in the beginning even a national day.
But it has become an international
day. First it was a perpetuation of
the memory of the soldiers of the
north alone, and then of their brothers
of the south and also, " tn the fading
of the old bitternesses At last, he
said, we have included the remem.
brance of all the soldiers in all our
wars who have died for their dear
country, especially now calling to
mind in the vividness of our emotions
the young men in the world war, He
said we should not forget, besides, the
hosts in other countries who fought
and fight ng, fell for the land they
loved and the cause of freedom and
democracy
Mr.. Mills remarked that it was not
necessary in honoring the American
lag to put away the flags Of the ma
tons who so recently side by side
with us withstood "the ugliest peril
In all history"
We should remember, he said, that
On the morrow the graves of our
American sold ers lying in France,
$4,000 of them still, would be tended
by the women of France with equal
veneration and care to that which
they would bestow upon the graves of
their own husbands and sons.
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