PROGRAMME FOR DECORATION DAY.
(Music by band or orchestra can be introduced whenever deemed appropriate).
SINGING—“Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.”
DECLAMATION—The Meaning of the Day.
All over our land, in every cemetery where rests members of our army of the dead—and we doubt if any burial place has not such sleepers,—people are gathered to-day to pay tribute to our soldier dead and strew flowers over their graves. All hearts turn as by a common impulse to these ceremonies. We bring our offerings of flowers to the soldiers, but it affects them not; they cannot feel the love and gratitude that prompt the gift. Their lives and deeds have wrought for themselves more enduring monuments than sculptured marble. We assure the loving soldiers that they are not forgotten—that their courage and patriotism will always be remembered as long as a loyal school boy or school girl may live. But this day means more than this, it means something for our nation, something for posterity; its belief in that grand old flag and what it stands for; a belief in freedom. It means that the boys and girls of to-day, the men and women of to-morrow, who share in this day’s ceremonies, echo the words of our fathers, that “this government shall be preserved, come what will, threaten it who may.”
EXERCISE.
(For fifteen pupils each carrying a flag, and gesturing as indicated. Pupil 8 should carry a larger flag than the others. Seven to the left of eight should hold flags to left shoulder; seven to right of eight, should hold flags to right shoulder. When the word North is recited, the seven to the right of number eight raise their flags, then back to the shoulder; when the word South is recited, the seven to the left of number eight lift their flags, then replace to shoulders. Each might carry in other hand a bunch of flowers, and at the word flowers, the bouquets should be raised as were the flags. The pupils to the left could wear gray and those to the right, blue, in some way—in caps, sashes or bows. Number eight should be dressed in red, white and blue.)
1st Pupil.
There is peace, there is peace in the South and the North,
When the suns of the May-time shall call the blooms forth.
2nd Pupil.
There is peace in the vale where the Tennessee runs—
Where the river grass covers the long silent guns.
3rd Pupil.
There is peace in Virginia amid the tall corn;
Where Lookout’s high summit grows bright in the morn.
4th Pupil.
There is peace where the James wanders down to the main;
Where the war-torn Savannas are golden with grain.
5th Pupil.
There is peace where the squadrons of carnage have wheeled,
Fierce over Shiloh’s shell-furrowed field.
6th Pupil.
There is peace in the soil whence the palmettoes spring;
In the sad Shenandoah the harvesters sing.
7th Pupil.
There is peace in Manassas, Antietam’s dark rills;
No more throb the drum on the bare Georgian hills.
8th Pupil.
There is peace where the warriors of Gettysburg rest;
On the ramparts of Sumter the summer bird’s nest.
9th Pupil.
There is peace where the “Father of Waters” ran red,
Where the batteries of Mobile lie soundless and dead.
10th Pupil.
There is peace where the rifle hangs mantled with dust,
Where the once reeking saber is sheathed in its rust.
11th Pupil.
There is peace where the war-hoofs tore up the smooth lea,
Where the hoarse-noted cannon rang over the sea.
12th Pupil.
There is peace in the North, though her soldier is yet
Far away on the field where the fierce columns met.
13th Pupil.
There is peace in the South, though her soldier is lost
In the path where the lines of the foeman have crossed.
14th Pupil.
There is peace in the land, and the “stars and the bars”
Forever have merged in the “stripes and the stars.”
15th Pupil.
There is peace where the flowers cover the tombs,
And the Blue and the Gray now blend with the blooms.
All.
God grant that this peace may forever be ours!
And the Blue and the Gray alike sleep neath the flowers!
(These last two lines should be recited while flags and flowers are held in front, in prayerful attitude, eyes of pupils glancing upward.)
RECITATION—Decoration Day.
It’s lonesome—sorto’ lonesome—it’s a Sund’y day to me,
It ’pears like—mor’n any day I nearly ever see!
Yit, with the Stars and Stripes above, a flutterin’ in the air,
On ev’ry soldier’s grave I’d love to lay a lily there.
They say, though, Decoration Days is generally observed—
Most ev’ry wheres—especially by soldier boys that served—
But me and mother never went—we seldom git away—
In pint of fact, we’re allus home on Decoration Day.
They say the old boys marches through the streets in columns grand,
A-follerin’ the old war tunes they’re playin’ on the band,
And citizens all jinin’ in—and little children, too—
All marchin’ under shelter of the old Red, White and Blue,
With roses! roses! roses!—ev’rybody in the town!
And crowds of girls in white, just fairly loaded down!
Oh! don’t the boys know it, from their camp across the hill?
Don’t they see their comrades comin’ and the old flag wavin’ still?
Oh! can’t they hear the bugle and the rattle of the drum?—
Ain’t they no way under heaven they can rickollect us some?
Ain’t they no way we can coax ’em through the roses, just to say
They know that every day on earth is their Decoration Day?
We’ve tried that,—me and mother,—where Elias takes his rest,
In the orchard, in his uniform, and hands across his breast,
And the flag he died fer smilin’ and a-ripplin’ in the breeze
Above his grave—and, over that—the robin in the trees.
And yet it’s lonesome—lonesome! It’s a Sund’y-day to me,
It ’pears like—more’n any day—I nearly ever see—
Yit, with the Stars and Stripes above, a flutterin’ in the air,
On ev’ry soldier’s grave—I’d love to lay a lily there.
James Whitcomb Riley.
ACROSTIC—Memorial Day.
(Exercise for eleven children. Each carries standard on which the letters are pasted in red, white and blue, and turns the letter toward the audience as the words are recited.)
Memorial Day again has come,
When throbs the music of the drum.
Each muffled accent seems to tell
Of heroes who in battle fell.
Memories return to boys in blue,
Of vanished comrades brave and true.
On camping ground and battle plain
Alike they met with want and pain.
Rivers of blood their courses swept,
While sad Columbia mourned and wept.
In fever swamp and prison pen
Died many of her bravest men.
All honor to the soldier bands
Who followed Freedom’s stern commands.
Let each true soldier’s noble name,
Glow brightly on the books of Fame.
Deeds wrought for truth can never die
For they are penned in books on high.
A nation now in reverence stands
With sorrowing heart and flower-filled hands.
Years may into long ages glide,
These names shall still be glorified.
PAPER—Origin of Memorial Day.
General John Murray was the originator of Memorial Day in the North. While visiting in the South in the winter of 1867-’68, he noticed the touching rite of decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers by the ladies. Being very much impressed with this custom, he instituted a similar one at his own home.
On the 5th day of May, 1868, Gen. John A. Logan, who was then Commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, established Decoration Day, and by a general order, May 30, 1868, was designated as a day set apart for the purpose of paying tribute to the memory of those brave men who died in defense of our country. The national encampment held in Washington had it incorporated in its rules and regulations, May 11, 1870. Since then, in many of the States, May 30th has been established as a holiday, and it is the universal custom to decorate the graves of all ex-soldiers, thus making it one of the most patriotic days of the year, wherein all classes unite in paying honor to our heroic dead, and feel a conscious pride in being able to thus show respect for their memory and the cause for which they fought.
SONG:—“The Star Spangled Banner.”
EXERCISE.
(A large urn or vase is placed on a stand decorated with the national colors and a bow of black ribbon. Around the rim of the vase a beautiful wreath should be placed. The stand should be at the front of the rostrum, so the pupils may pass behind it. The pupils representing the various wars should be dressed if possible in the costumes of that day—military costumes. Beside the urn, a girl representing Liberty should stand holding a large flag at half-mast, she should dress in white and wear sash of the national colors. After reciting, each pupil stands in rear of Liberty. When coming upon the stage, each pupil salutes the flag before reciting and stands on opposite side of urn while reciting. When through, he gracefully deposits his bouquet into the urn. At close of exercise the school arises and salutes the flag and repeats the pledge.)
Liberty (Enters carrying flag and recites standing at right of urn; when through reciting casts her flowers into the urn.)
“Strew with flowers the soldier’s grave,
Plant each lovely thing that grows;
Let the summer breezes wave
The calla lily and the rose;
White and red—the cause, the price!
Right, upheld by sacrifice.
Let the summer’s perfumed breath,
Fragrant with the sweetest flowers,
Charm the sadness out of death,
Glorify the mourners’ hours,
Freighted with their prayers, arise
Incense of their sacrifice.
’Tis not valor that we praise,
Thirst for glory, love of strife;
Gentle hearts from quiet ways,
Turned to save a nation’s life,
Lest in jealous fragments torn
Freedom’s land should come to scorn.
O’er the Gray, as o’er the Blue,
Nature’s bursting tears will flow;
Both were brave, and both were true
And fought for all they loved below.
Pity! nor forbid the tear
Shed above so sad a bier.
Cherish, then, the patriot fires,
Honor loyalty, and trust
In God that Freedom ne’er expires
Where virtue guards the martyr’s dust,
Who counted life as little worth,
And saved the imperiled Hope of Earth.”
Jno. W. Dunbar.
OUR NATION’S PATRIOTS.
Revolutionary Pupil.
I had heard the muskets’ rattle of the April running battle;
Lord Percey’s hunted soldiers, I can see their red coats still;
But a deadly chill comes o’er me, as the day looms up before me,
When a thousand men lay bleeding on the slopes of Bunker Hill.
Here are lilies for the valorous, and roses for the brave;
And laurel for the victor’s crown, and rue for lowly grave.
There’s crimson for the blood that flowed that Freedom might be free,
And golden for the hearts of gold that died for you and me;
Till love no more is loving, we lift our souls and say,
For liberty find loyalty we bless their names to-day!
Civil War Pupil.
Strew the fair garlands where slumber the dead,
Ring out the strains like the swell of the sea,
Heartfelt the tribute we lay on each bed.
Sound o’er the brave the refrain of the free.
Sound the refrain of the loyal and free,
Visit each sleeper and hallow each bed,
Wave the starred banner from seacoast to sea
Grateful the living, and honored the dead.
Cuban War Pupil (carrying Cuban Flag.)
New graves we crown with flowers to-day
New homes shall saddened be;
For loved ones sleeping far away,
And some beneath the sea.
’Twas for humanity and right
Our loved boys fought and died;
To lift the islands into light
And break the Spanish pride.
We’ll wrap the Bible in the Flag
And back them with our might,
And bear them over sea and crag,
In lofty eagle’s flight;
And break the bands of heathen night,
And set the islands free;
Till Freedom sheds her glorious light
O’er every land and sea.
Liberty (in prayerful attitude, the boys
standing in rear with hats lifted.)
O God! look down upon the land which Thou hast loved so well,
And grant that in unbroken truth her children still may dwell;
Nor while the grass grows on the hill, and streams flow through the vale,
May they forget their fathers’ faith, or in their covenant fail!
God keep the fairest, noblest land that lies beneath the sky—
Our country, our whole country, whose fame shall never die.
PLEDGE.
(All stand; salute flag; and repeat pledge.)
“We pledge allegiance to our flag and the republic for which it stands—one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
SONG—America.
