Since I am now confused about the meaning of Memorial Day, I went to the trusty ole internet for some info....this is what I found.
"Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
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| We cherish too, the Poppy red That grows on fields where valor led, It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies. |
She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.
Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
There are a few notable exceptions. Since the late 50's on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye's Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.
To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."
The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.
But what may be needed to return the solemn, and even sacred, spirit back to Memorial Day is for a return to its traditional day of observance. Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."
On January 19, 1999 Senator Inouye introduced bill S 189 to the Senate which proposes to restore the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day back to May 30th instead of "the last Monday in May". On April 19, 1999 Representative Gibbons introduced the bill to the House (H.R. 1474). The bills were referred the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Government Reform.
To date, there has been no further developments on the bill. Please write your Representative and your Senators, urging them to support these bills. You can also contact Mr. Inouye to let him know of your support. " (from usmemorialday.or )
So, as usual, I was wrong. Memorial Day IS for those who have died in service. Oh well...I will continue to celebrate all who have served.
Here is a nice poem that was sent in my Geneaology Newsletter from the Plano Library. I do not know anyone mentioned in the poem, but I like it just the same....Plano High School is right up the street from our neighborhood.
Taken from the Commencement Program of 1943--
Plano High
(This poem is dedicated to the Class of 1943)
--Emory Davis, Class of 1943 and now in the Army Air Corps
I’m leaving this school for a college,
One that teaches me how to kill;
That trains us to fight, not for fun, but for life,
To live or die by God’s will.
I’m going to go, for I feel it’s my place
To fight for the ones I left at home,
To give my best, to do my part,
Wherever I fight or roam.
I’ll never forget the memories of school,
I’ll never forget all the gang.
I’ll always obey the golden rule,
I’ll always be off with a bang.
So I’m bidding farewell to the school that I love,
To the ONE that I’ll always be true,
I’ll be guided always by the One up above,
So thanks, Plano High, I mean you.
The Commencement Program for Plano High School for 1943, 1944, and 1945 dedicated their program to "Our boys who have made the supreme sacrifice and to those who are now serving in the Armed Forces of our country."
Dedication in the 1945 Planonian: "To these former students of Plano High School, who have paid with their lives that the democratic principles of a nation might live, this 1945 edition of the Planonian is sincerely dedicated."
Robert Blaine—U. S. Air Force—France
R. E. Bolton—U. S. Navy—South Pacific
Robert Cuffman—U. S. Army—Luxembourg
Boyce Decker—U.S. Army—Germany
Rudd Mann—U. S. Air Force—California
Herschel Ross—U. S. Air Force—Oklahoma
Raymond Tennell—U. S. Navy—Pearl Harbor
Earl White—U. S. Army—Germany
H. M. Yeager—U. S. Army—Philippines
Please remember them this Memorial Day as well as those who served before and after them.
Happy Memorial Day
Tiffany
by Richard Yates
