I always look forward to the Memorial Day observance held locally.

I admire all of the effort put into the parade and the program held at Glendale Cemetery in front of the Civil War Monument. This year will be different although there will be a modified program thanks to the efforts of three local organizations.

The program on Memorial Day, 1925, was a busy one and must have consumed half of the day. Reading from the Morrow County Independent, there was a large crowd on the “warm and beautiful” day. The parade moved at 1:30 p.m. from the GAR hall “where for hours the Daughters of Veterans and Ladies Auxiliary had collected flowers.”

The band and school children led the parade- and I remember my mother telling how she was one of those children. They carried flags and were dressed in red, white and blue. There were Civil War veterans, (18 left) Spanish American War veterans, and World War I boys “with the same nifty stop and grace as when in service.” One lone sailor represented the Navy.

There were automobiles in the parade and a ‘dirge” played by the band. When the last of the automobiles entered the cemetery the boys broke rank and all gathered around the Soldier’s Monument making an impressive sight. Singing “Tenting on the Old Camp Ground” were Charles Nulk, Paul Fleming, Harvey Steger and Paul Miller. Delmar Beckel, seven years old, gave the Gettysburg Address. Janet Moccabee sang a solo and Edna George and Hazel Mathews gave a recitation, “Flanders Field,” using red poppies.

Walter Matthes also offered a solo. Following the address by Mr. Biekelhaupt, the band played and Superintendent Claude Beitler led the Pledge to the Flag.

The story credited cemetery caretaker Fud Shafer with tailoring the green lawn and brilliant flowers on the graves.

That was Memorial Day, 1925. My question is about the audio part of the program without microphones and audio equipment it’s hard to hear in the cemetery. They must have managed and the program is different from what I have been a part of in later years.

The point of Memorial Day is the same — remembering our veterans who served so bravely. It was organized following the Civil War and became an official holiday in 1971.

Looking back: May 1950: The $150,000 Cardington School Bond issue was approved by voters earlier this month. Voters in the Sparta School District also passed a school bond issue. A similar issue in the Johnsville School District did not pass by the required margin. Dottie Lou Haycook Cardington seventh grade student, placed 11th among 64 contestants at the Columbus Citizen spelling bee finals.

Looking back

May, 1960: A record high class of 80 seniors was graduated from Cardington High School.

May, 1980: Dave Thomas, a Cardington-Lincoln High School Senior, was named a Presidential Honor Student at Marietta College for the 1980-81 term.

The Cardington-Lincoln School District and Morrow County Hospital were the principal beneficiaries of the estate of Cardington resident Mrs. Elva Curl who passed away in 1976 at the age of 89. She was a 1906 graduate of Cardington High School. Her will also left bequests to First United Methodist Church and Center United Methodist Church.

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By Evelyn Long

Contributing Columnist

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