Memorial Day History

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

The ceremonies centered around the mourning-draped veranda of the Arlington mansion, once the home of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Various Washington officials, including Gen. and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, presided over the ceremonies. After speeches, children from the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphan Home and members of the GAR made their way through the cemetery, strewing flowers on both Union and Confederate graves, reciting prayers and singing hymns.

Local Observances Claim To Be First Local springtime tributes to the Civil War dead already had been held in various places. One of the first occurred in Columbus, Miss., April 25, 1866, when a group of women visited a cemetery to decorate the graves of Confederate soldiers who had fallen in battle at Shiloh. Nearby were the graves of Union soldiers, neglected because they were the enemy. Disturbed at the sight of the bare graves, the women placed some of their flowers on those graves, as well.

Today, cities in the North and the South claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day in 1866. Both Macon and Columbus, Ga., claim the title, as well as Richmond, Va. The village of Boalsburg, Pa., claims it began there two years earlier. A stone in a Carbondale, Ill., cemetery carries the statement that the first Decoration Day ceremony took place there on April 29, 1866. Carbondale was the wartime home of Gen. Logan. Approximately 25 places have been named in connection with the origin of Memorial Day, many of them in the South where most of the war dead were buried.

Official Birthplace Declared In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y., the “birthplace” of Memorial Day. There, a ceremony on May 5, 1866, honored local veterans who had fought in the Civil War. Businesses closed and residents flew flags at half-staff. Supporters of Waterloo’s claim say earlier observances in other places were either informal, not community-wide or one-time events.

By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held on May 30 throughout the nation. State legislatures passed proclamations designating the day, and the Army and Navy adopted regulations for proper observance at their facilities.

It was not until after World War I, however, that the day was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress, though it is still often called Decoration Day. It was then also placed on the last Monday in May, as were some other federal holidays.

Some States Have Confederate Observances Many Southern states also have their own days for honoring the Confederate dead. Mississippi celebrates Confederate Memorial Day on the last Monday of April, Alabama on the fourth Monday of April, and Georgia on April 26. North and South Carolina observe it on May 10, Louisiana on June 3 and Tennessee calls that date Confederate Decoration Day. Texas celebrates Confederate Heroes Day January 19 and Virginia calls the last Monday in May Confederate Memorial Day.

Gen. Logan’s order for his posts to decorate graves in 1868 “with the choicest flowers of springtime” urged: “We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. … Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.”

The crowd attending the first Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery was approximately the same size as those that attend today’s observance, about 5,000 people. Then, as now, small American flags were placed on each grave — a tradition followed at many national cemeteries today. In recent years, the custom has grown in many families to decorate the graves of all departed loved ones.

The origins of special services to honor those who die in war can be found in antiquity. The Athenian leader Pericles offered a tribute to the fallen heroes of the Peloponnesian War over 24 centuries ago that could be applied today to the 1.1 million Americans who have died in the nation’s wars: “Not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men.”

To ensure the sacrifices of America ’s fallen heroes are never forgotten, in December 2000, the U.S. Congress passed and the president signed into law “The National Moment of Remembrance Act,” P.L. 106-579, creating the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance. The commission’s charter is to “encourage the people of the United States to give something back to their country, which provides them so much freedom and opportunity” by encouraging and coordinating commemorations in the United States of Memorial Day and the National Moment of Remembrance.

The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation. As Moment of Remembrance founder Carmella LaSpada states: “It’s a way we can all help put the memorial back in Memorial Day.”

We hope that today’s “READERS FORUM” will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way.

HERE’S WHAT’S ON OUR MIND TODAY

WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND TODAY?

By John Krull
TheStatehouseFile.com 

FRANKLIN, Indiana – The young woman in the cap and gown speaking to her fellow recent college graduates says something that always moves me.

She says she’s the first member of her family to earn a college degree.

There’s a moment of silence, then the hundreds of people in the audience applaud.

As they should.

It’s a big moment not just for her, but for her entire family. A lot of people had to work hard, had to sacrifice, had to struggle to put her where she is. She’s the one up in front of the crowd making the speech, but they all deserve to take a bow.

They did something.

Something that matters.

Earlier in this commencement at Franklin College – where I teach – a young man walked across the stage to receive his diploma and congratulatory handshake. Just after the young man’s name was announced – in violation of the admonition to hold applause until the end – a strong male voice rang out:

“THAT’S MY SON!”

Everyone laughed.

They laughed because it was funny, but also because the father’s pride in his son sounded across the big space like a sonic boom.

Big moment for that family, too.

Another time, when another young man’s name was announced, the members of his family erupted in cheers and applause. After the young man had collected his diploma and handshake and walked off the stage, he was supposed to walk back to his seat.

He looked up to where his family was seated and made a quick decision. He ran up into the stands, taking the steps two at a time, his gown flapping behind him like a superhero’s cape.

Then he gave his father a long hug.

The crowd applauded.

A great moment for that family, too.

It makes me feel good to listen to that young woman talk about being her family’s first college graduate. To hear that father yell with pride. To see that son sprint to share a hug with his dad.

We live in an angry, angry age. Americans right left and center are frustrated and not shy about giving voice to that frustration. Their catalogs of resentment and complaint can blind us to so many things.

Among the things we sometimes forget is that there are many, many stories such as these taking place all across this land every minute of every hour of every day of the year.

There are people working hard, doing the right things, taking care of each other. They make sacrifice after sacrifice after sacrifice so they can have days like this one.

It’s an axiom of politics that’s it’s easier to move voters by frightening them than inspiring them. Angry citizens have motivated voters.

But that’s not the way most Americans live their lives.

They don’t go to work because they hate. They do so because they love.

They work hard because they want better lives for themselves. They want opportunities for their children. For their grandchildren. For their grandchildren’s grandchildren.

I’m the grandson of one grandfather who started his life as an itinerant farm worker and another grandfather who walked 40 miles, one way, to attend school so he could become his family’s first college graduate.

The grandchildren they share now are foundation executives, lawyers, journalists, and college professors.

That’s how the American dream works for so many. Hands linked through generations, pushing, pulling, willing the family forward.

There is, of course, a big American story about freedom and the long struggle to liberate the human spirit.

But within that big story are many little stories of individual Americans from all over making their way in this world, one step – one milestone – at a time.

Some of those stories unfold here.

A son hugs his father.

A father ricochets his pride off the walls for everyone to hear.

A young woman announces she’s the first of her line to make it through college.

Good for those students.

Good for their families.

And good for America, too.

FOOTNOTE: John Krull is the Director of Franklin College’s Pulliam School of Journalism and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

We re-published the attached  June 19, 2015 article as a final tribute to our good friend George Lumley who was put to rest yesterday.  Thanks for allowing us to take you down memory lane. May George rests in peace. 

Starting today (June 15, 2015) the City-County Observer shall be running a series entitled “LET’S FIX IT.”  The series will be written by well-known community activist George Lumley of Vanderburgh County.

George is married 31 years to wife Nancy.  They have two grown children.  He is a semi-retired Certified Public Accountant.  He graduated from Indiana University with a B.S. in Business Management with honors.  He was Honorably Discharged from the U.S. Air Force and Kentucky Air National Guard (non- combat role).

Past work experiences include Auditor for the State Board of Accounts and management positions in manufacturing, utility construction, and transportation.

Finally, we consider George Lumley ” a champion of the underdog and the little guy“.  We hope you will enjoy this detailed and eye-opening article about blight in our community by George Lumley.

JUNE 15, 2015 ARTICLE WITTEN BY GEORGE LUMLEY

Tax Sale For Blighted Properties Re-Defined In Senate Enrolled Act No. 415

By George LUMLEY

Sounds terribly quiet.  Is no one in Vanderburgh County/City of Evansville working on this?  All the fuss last year about the tax sale properties, tax sale zombie homes being sold and resold by the county and now no one here is showing interest in pursuing the legislated fix to the problem before another tax sale?  Maybe I am just out of the loop?

Are you familiar with the pictures of the falling down houses and stories of tax sale nightmares?  When I say falling down I don’t mean a little ragged looking.  Chimneys are actually falling off, roofs are caving in, and walls are falling against neighboring houses.  Many of these houses are the tax sale nightmares that have been sold for taxes over and over with some people getting the very last of the useful life from the dwelling and the final owner left holding the bag.  The trash bag that is.

Save these houses you say.  People could use them.  Some of them, yes, but many are just too used up and rotted away to save. Like the Styrofoam cups, I seem to accumulate from buying an occasional soda with a fill-up, there are so many. They are cheap, and no one wants them. There is no economic reason to wash and repair them. It is a throwaway society with new being more desirable and often cheaper than repairing the old.

At some point, trash has to be recognized as trash and hauled to the dump.  And who is going to pay for that?  We are talking about a nightmare zombie house, it’s a pipe dream if you think the last owner has money saved up for this final burial expense.  Just like the couch and other trash in the alley, it becomes a government job and our collective expense.  No need to point the finger and find every excuse, legal and otherwise, to avoid the expense and push it down the road to someone else’s budget.  The asset is used up.  It’s time to haul the trash off and put the bill in the accounts payable pile.

Why am I hearing about the city’s cost of maintaining these abandoned properties and all the related government expense of fire runs, police runs, etc. but little about fixing the problem – getting rid of the structures?  Why nothing about how we are going to use this grand legislative overhaul of the tax sale process related to the vacant and blighted homes to quit selling them at the tax sale and actually solve the problem by taking possession of and eliminating them.

One of several provisions of Senate Enrolled Act No. 415 provides that some vacant or abandoned properties, the tax sale zombies, can be pulled from the regular tax sale after the May 10^th tax payment deadline, and sold by the County Auditor at auction after a 30-day notice.  And it provides that the County Auditor issue a deed at that time conveying a fee simple interest to the buyer.  There is no waiting and the buyer takes possession while the prior owner has no right to redeem.  Could we be selling those properties right now?  Does no summer mowing cost?  Why not?  Sounds simple, why are we not doing that?

I volunteered to help and attended a public meeting on blight in April sponsored by the Department of Metropolitan Development.  The blight problem was blamed in part on the tax sale law.  I offered the idea that this new SB 415 would give the city new effective tools to remove that perceived roadblock and the city should plan for its passage.  This was dismissed quickly with a statement indicating that the bill had no hope of passing.  The meeting seemed to me to be merely a sales pitch for funding a public land bank.

Let’s fix that.  Speak up and ask the candidates and elected or appointed officials why we are not using the tools available to fight the vacant and abandoned home issue plaguing some of our neighborhoods.  Ask why city/county officials are thumbing their nose at this tax sale reform rather than grabbing ahold and running with it for the betterment of this area.

Can you help me?

Sincerely

George Lumley