LeMars Sentinel, May 12, 1898

DECORATION DAY

Decoration Day, May 30, falls on Sunday this year and more than ordinary interest will be taken in its celebration this year as patriotism has been used to a fervid pitch by the present war with Spain. Mower Post, G. A. R., of this city, are making preparations for the day, the arrangements beginning in the hands of different committees detailed. The day will be observed in the usual ceremonies, the post formalities, and marching to the cemeteries where the graves will be decorated. A play drama will be presented in the evening under the auspices of the G.A.R. post and the W.R.C., entitled, “Enlisted for the War.”

The services on Sunday, May 30, Memorial Sunday, will be held at the opera house in the morning, when Rev. Johnson will deliver the address.

~Note: Click on the above link to read about "Enlisted for the War."

LeMars Sentinel, Thursday, June 2, 1898

A patriotic play entitled, “Enlisted for the War,” was given Decoration Day
at the opera house by amateur talent. Among those taking part were P. A.
Boland, A. McNally, Dr. W. R. Grey, R. B. Dalton, Clarence Oldham, Mrs. J.
L. Reeves, Mrs. O. H. Hinds, Miss Kersey Jones, Squire Alline and C. H.
Jones.

The Decoration Day parade was one of the largest ever seen in LeMars. Prof.
J. B. Shoup and Commander Alline conducted the ceremonies at the cemetery.
The ladies of the W.R.C. served an excellent dinner and supper at the Post
headquarters.

DECORATION DAY
The Observances of Memorial Sunday and Decoration Day are Attended by Large
Crowds.

Memorial services at the opera house on Sunday were largely attended despite
the drizzling rain and mud and scarcely a vacant seat was to be found in the
large building. The Juvenile orchestra furnished the music for the occasion
which was beautiful and solemn and the united choirs of the city joined in
the singing of the hymns and patriotic airs. Rev. Gaynor of the Episcopal
church read the scripture lesson and Rev. Braithwaite of the Baptist church
offered a feeling prayer. The sermon was preceded by the singing of, “My
Country Tis of Thee” by the entire house. Rev. W. J. Johnson, of the
Congregational church, delivered the sermon, taking for his text the seventh
verse of the fourteenth chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Romans. “For none
of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself,” and no better or more
patriotic sermon has ever instilled its inspiration into the hearts and
minds of its hearers. The services were closed by the singing of the
beautiful anthem and the pronouncing of the benediction.

Decoration Day dawned fair and clear and the streets were lined at an early
hour in the morning by those who came to attend the solemn and beautiful
rites of the day. The procession which formed punctually at 10 o’clock under
the direction of the marshal of the day, W. S. Freeman, was one of the
largest seen in LeMars for many years. The procession was headed by the
LeMars bands and then came the boys cadets who made a pretty spectacle.
Behind them marched the members of the G.A.R. the flag for which they
sacrificed their blood, in stately folds at their head. The school children
followed, the girls in dainty array with beautiful flowers and then came the
civic societies and the LeMars fire department and the flower committees and
children in carriages. Following these were the members of the W.R.C. and
G.A.R. in carriages, and then came the mayor and city officials followed by
a long line of private citizens in carriages and on horseback.

The ceremonies of decorating the graves of the beloved and honored heroes
gone to swell the vast majority, were carried out with accustomed solemnity
and dignity at the City cemetery. Prof. Shoup, Commander of the post,
conducting the ceremonies. Chaplain A. A. Alline read the beautiful ritual
reserved for the occasion and Rev. Staples pronounced the benediction.

The ladies of the W. R. C. served dinner at the post headquarters and their
unbounded hospitality and loving welcome was heartily responded to by large
crowds who enjoyed the excellent repast prepared by skillful hands.

The ladies will serve supper this evening.

~Submitted for posting by volunteer, Linda Ziemann