A Day Of Remembering And Honor

By Larissa Lytwyn

November 12, the day after Veterans’ Day, dawned cool and gray — a climatic counterpart, perhaps, to Middle Gate Elementary School’s quietly deferential Veterans’ Day ceremony.

Students invited veteran relatives and friends to a continental breakfast in the school’s Family Center. After offerings of hot coffee, fruit, and bagels, guests were led through the school’s Hall of Remembrance. Under photographs of veteran family members, students reflected on their loved ones’ military service. Also displayed were old journals and military posters, among other memorabilia, as well as a timeline of American-fought wars and historical exhibits, such as tributes to the symbolic yellow ribbon and poppy.

Yellow ribbons have a long and colorful commemorative history dating back to the early 20th Century. More recently the song, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Ole Oak Tree,” written by Ira Levine and L. Russell Brown, became a 1973 hit performed by Tony Orlando and Dawn. The song evolved from a story about a prisoner who wanted his girlfriend to tie a white ribbon around a tree if she would take him back when his sentence was complete. Word about his query spread rapidly, and cheers exploded from the prisoner’s old neighborhood when, sure enough, several trees were donned with white ribbons. The ribbon’s color was changed in the song for lyrical purposes.

Since that time, the yellow ribbon has evolved as a way to support troops, beginning in 1981 during the crisis involving American hostages in Iran. The 1973 song became a hit again as the ribbon symbolized loyalty.

Another symbol, the poppy, became embedded in American lore during World War I. Canadian native John McCrae’s 1915 poem, “In Flanders Field,” memorialized soldiers who had died in battle. The poem opens, “In Flanders’ Field/the poppies blow/Between the Crosses/Row on Row.”

During a schoolwide ceremony, Boyd Saxton, former state commander of the American Legion, presented a plaque honoring Middle Gate for its Veterans’ Day tribute. He also read part of President George W. Bush’s Veterans’ Day speech honoring the military’s commitment to “preserving our [American] freedom.”

After reciting the pledge of allegiance, first and second grade students sang selections including “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” The third grade chorus sang “Rodger Young,” a tribute written by Frank Loesser to a real-life soldier who died during World War II while single-handedly attacking and destroying an enemy machine-gun pillbox. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The fourth grade chorus performed “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Student Mac Morlock sang a solo in the third and fourth grade classes’ rendition of Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to Be an American.”

Other selections included “Anchors Aweigh,” “Marines’ Hymn,” and the “Star-Spangled Banner.” The ceremony was concluded with a schoolwide chorus of the National Anthem.

Fourth grade teacher Linda Baron organized the event with the assistance of parent volunteers including Audrey DeBlasio.

“I’m very excited to see all this happening,” since Ms Baron. “It all came together.”

While the fourth grade held a Veterans’ Day tribute last November, she said, this year’s schoolwide program was much more comprehensive.

“This is all very timely,” said first grade teacher Helen Miller. She explained how students in every grade were connecting lessons on the history of Veterans’ Day to other curricular areas, such as vocabulary. “They have learned words including ‘morsel’ and ‘protect,’” she noted.

Students have also learned about the continued fighting in Iraq and the War on Terrorism.

“I believe this [Veterans’ Day] event made everything that’s been happening more personal to the students,” said Ms Baron, “as well as understand why Veterans’ Day is so important.”