LeMars Sentinel, May 6, 1919
PLAN FOR BIG DAY
ARRANGEMENTS BEING MADE BY MOWER POST
ALL BELLS WILL BE TOLLED
Decoration Day and Memorial Sunday to be Observed With Additional Ceremonies.—Returning Soldiers Invited to Participate in Services
Plans for Memorial Sunday and Decoration Day are being made by a committee of Mower Post, G.A.R., the Commercial Club and the city. At a meeting of the post last Friday evening to which several citizens were invited, W.S. Freeman, W.R. Winders, and G.E. Eilers were appointed a general executive committee to take charge of the Decoration Day exercise and they have appointed the following committees:
Finance, John Harker, Everett Eastman; speaker, W.R. Winders; parade, W.S. Freeman; flowers, W.R. Winders, Mrs. Fettes, Mrs. Wernli; auto, G.E. Eilers; music, Lee Maynard.
The Grand Army orders recommend that from 12 to 12:05 p.m. on Decoration day all bells be tolled. This will be a new feature of Decoration day observance in LeMars and Mayor Eilers was delegated to request all churches that have bells to toll them for five minutes at noon on Decoration day.
A special invitation is to be extended to soldiers of the world war to participate in this first Decoration day after their return from service and some committees will no doubt be appointed to extend a more personal invitation. By another year they will no doubt be organized in their own veteran's association and participate as an organization.
The Memorial Sunday exercises will be held as usual in the Royal theatre on Sunday morning, May 25, and Rev. James will preach the sermon. All the pastors of the city are invited with their congregations to join in this service.
~Submitted for posting by volunteer, Linda Ziemann
LeMars Sentinel, June 3, 1919
HONOR TO VETERANS
DECORATION DAY FAVORED WITH FINE WEATHER
A LARGE CROWD OBSERVES DAY
Rev. Doreen, of Sioux City, Paid Eloquent Tribute to Those Who Fought for
the Union---Love of Country Withstood Hun Menace.
Favorable weather combined with other favorable circumstances to make
Decoration Day in LeMars of unusual interest this year. The plan of
deferring the exercises until afternoon met with general approval and the
largest crowd that ever observed the day here assisted in paying tribute to
the nation's departed heroes.
All the bells of the city were tolled at 12 noon for five minutes and the
parade that preceded the exercises at the cemetery moved from north Main
street at 1:30 o'clock sharp. W.R. Winders acted as chief marshal and his
aides were Capt. J.G. Koenig, Lieut. Walter Held, and Lieut. Warren Lodge,
Frank Edwards, acted as color sergeant and two Grand Army veterans and
Relief Corps in automobiles followed and a company of about sixty world war
veterans under command of Sergeant Frank Murane were in line. The fire
department in uniform were in line as were also large delegations from both
the public schools and St. Joseph School. The city officials and a long line
of automobiles from all parts of the county joined in the line of march to
the city cemetery where the exercises were held in the circle surrounding
the Civil War monument.
Mayor G.E. Eilers acted as chairman and introduced the speaker. Rev. J.K.
Hawkins pronounced the invocation and the band played, "My Country Tis of
Thee." Miss Severina Nelson read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and the Grand
Army and Relief Corps ritualistic service was given.
The address was delivered by Rev. Doreen, of Sioux City, who paid eloquent
tribute to the veterans of the Civil War and gave them deserved tribute for
their bravery in war and patriotism in peace. He told them that for fifty
years they so efficiently preached love of country and the flag that when
the liberties of the world were menaced by German aggression millions
responded to the call for defenders of truth and justice. The speaker also
said that Germany hoped to find this a divided nation, but they found we
know no North, South, East or West, but stood together as a united nation
for liberty and democracy.
~Submitted for posting by volunteer, Linda Ziemann