The LeMars Globe-Post
May 31, 1923
HUNDREDS PAY MEMORIAL TRIBUTES
MOST EXERCISES HELD IN CEMETERIES
WEATHER MAN HAS MERCY IN MORNING BUT SENDS RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON
Hundreds of persons thronged to the LeMars cemeteries Wednesday in honor of the veterans of wars in which the United States was engaged, who are buried here. The principal exercises were all staged in the cemeteries.
The parade formed from the city building at 8:45. The band and K Company marched to the library and escorted the G. A. R. to the corner of Central Ave. and First street north. J. G. Koenig was the marshal of the day. The parade was in the following order:
Colors, LeMars band, K Company, mayor, speaker and post commander, Mower post, Spanish war veterans, American Legion, W. R. C., Women’s auxiliary, Western Union college band, LeMars fire department, city officials, boy scouts and girl scouts, automobiles.
K company joined in at the armory and moved with the band to the city library to escort Mower post to their position in the parade. The American Legion and Spanish war veterans assembled on the First National bank corner.
The following was the program at the cemetery with Post Commander, W. S. Freeman, in charge:
Prayer by Dr. Miles,
Music by band,
Logan’s Memorial Day order,
Lincoln’s Gettysburg address by Henrietta Lorenzen,
G. A. R. ritual,
Decoration by W. R. C. for unknown dead,
Address by D. W. Gist with decoration of the graves during the address,
Star Spangled Banner,
Firing Squad salute,
Benediction by Dr. Seward,
Taps.
The parade then went to the Catholic cemetery where the following program was carried out:
Music by band,
Exercise by children of St. Joseph’s school,
Address by Mgr. W. A. Pape,
Decoration of graves during address,
Firing Squad salute,
Taps.
All the exercises were carried out in the forenoon. The rain in the afternoon destroyed the decorations on the graves, but the principle of honorable remembrance for the dead was not impaired thereby.
Men as identified on the above photo are left to right mounted: Fay Terpenning, Russell Green, Richard McAvoy, unidentified veteran; standing: Andrew Crouch (color bearer), Wallace Winslow, Fokermaker?, unidentified, Oliver King, M.C. Lobdell, next five unidentified, John D. Billings, the rest unidentified.
LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
June 1, 1923
HONOR THE VETERANS
STATE OF ROADS CURTAILED THE ATTENDANCE
SUN SHONE DURING THE CEREMONIES
The Exercises at Both the Cemeteries Were Impressive and Beautiful.
Fine Addresses Are Rendered by Prof. W. W. Gist and Father Mason
The heavy downpour of rain the two afternoons previous, greatly curtailed the attendance at the Memorial Day services in LeMars, but the sun shone brightly for a few hours in the morning of May 30, and hundreds of people gathered at the cemeteries to participate in the annual tribute to the nation’s heroic dead. Owing to the heavy roads very few automobiles made the trip, but the column of pedestrians were moving that direction from early morning until the exercises began about 10 o’clock.
The parade formed at the corner of Central Avenue and First street North about 10 o’clock, under direction of Jacob G. Koenig, Marshal of the day. At 9:15 the colors, the band and Co. K, 133d Infantry, proceeded to the library and escorted Mower Post, G. A. R. to their place in the line of march. Again this year fourteen of the veterans were able to make this march from their post room to the city building. At the city building the line of march formed in the following order:
The Colors, with Andrew Crouch, Russell Green and Richard McAvoy as Color Bearers, both color bearers and color guard being mounted. Then followed LeMars Military Band, Co. K 133d Infantry, mayor, speaker and Post Commander, Grand Army, Spanish American war veterans, American Legion and Auxiliary woman’s societies, Western Union college band, LeMars fire department, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and citizens in autos.
The column moved south on Central Avenue, west to Seventh Avenue, east and south on that street to the City Cemetery.
At the cemetery the services were held at mound upon which is placed the Soldier’s Monument and were in charge of W. S. Freeman, Commander of Mower Post. The opening prayer was made by Rev. Comin, the LeMars band played, “Abide With Me,” Verna Baldwin read Gen. Logan’s Memorial Day order and Henrietta Lorenzen gave Lincoln’s Gettysburg address.
Following the brief G. A. R. ritual the monument was decorated by the Woman’s Relief Corps and Woman’s Auxiliary, assisted by the Girl Scouts.
The principal address was by Prof. W. W. Gist, of Cedar Falls, who congratulated the organizations represented for their attendance and interest and deplored the disposition to make Memorial Day a day of sport and entertainment. He said three things contributed to the winning of the war: Great leaders, chief of whom was Lincoln; good soldiers, 2,500,000 of whom gave up their avocations to make their breasts a barricade against the foes of their country; and the brave mothers who suffered and labored at home while husbands, sweethearts, and sons fought and died. Much of Prof. Gist’s talk was reminiscent and among other things he recalled that one Iowa college with an enrollment of 96 sent out a company of 95 men with its president as their captain. As a veteran and son of a veteran, the father of four World War veterans and the father-in-law of another, he deplored war and expressed the hope that some day it might be banished from the earth.
During the address the 114 graves of veterans in the City Cemetery were decorated with flowers by the committees assisted by the Scouts.
Rev. Seward pronounced the benediction and at its close the large company stood at attention with bowed heads while Old Glory was hoisted to the top of the flag pole and the two bands played, “The Star Spangled Banner.”
The column then moved to St. Joseph’s Cemetery where the children of St. Joseph’s School and several hundred visitors assembled. After a selection by the band, readings were given by Miss Bernice Kaun and Miss Genevieve Kellen. Father Mason, a World War veteran and Chaplain of Wasmer Post, gave a strong patriotic address urging that as soldiers of peace we maintain the high ideals for which our heroic dead fought and died. The graves of about twenty veterans buried in this cemetery, were decorated during the address.
At each cemetery Co. K fired a salute and taps were sounded for the soldiers who sleep their last long sleep in LeMars cemeteries.
The services throughout were beautiful and impressive and a blessing and patriotic inspiration to all who participated.
~News articles submitted for posting by volunteer, Linda Ziemann
