Pomeroy Democrat
June, 1910

Decoration Day Observed by an Immense Crowd at Burlingham

    Twenty years ago the veterans of the Grand Army of the
Republic held the first Memorial day service at Burlingham.

    Every year since that 30th of May 1890 the day has been
observed, at that church near the beautiful little cemetery
at that place.

    Monday, the people of the surrounding county began to gather
at 9 o'clock and long before noon every available space for
hitching horses and storing rigs was occupied and a large field
belonging to Thaddeus Jones was generously thrown open to give
room to hundreds of horses and scores of rigs.

    In the forenoon the few remaining old veterans, marched to the
cemetery, to the enlivening strains of fife and measured rum beats
and with hundreds of their friends paid their respects to the
memories of their departed comrades by strewing their
resting places with flowers and placing there an emblem of the stars
and stripes for the preservation of which they had all risked so much.

    After this sad, though inspiring ceremony was over, they marched
back to the little church and adjourned until 1 o'clock for dinner
and the pleasant renewal of the acquaintances among the hundreds of
the boys and girls of 30 years ago, gathered there.

    At 1 o'clock the small fraction of the immense crowd who could do
so, filled the little church and listened to "America", "The Star
Spangled Banner" and declamations of appropriate selections by half
dozen bright little girls and boys. This was a splendid feature, and
was not only beautiful and appropriate but is a practice that
if allowed everywhere, would be of immense service in keeping alive
the spirit that moved the people in the dark days of "61 and 65".

    The Democrat is sorry to be unable to give the names of the girls
and boys that took part in this service.  It is to be hoped their
example may be followed everywhere.

    The effect is more inspiring and beautiful than the more normal
orations, common on such to instill into the hearts of the present
and the future generations the patriotic spirit necessary to preserve
our liberties, and the greater part, the boys and girls take in these
exercises the more lasting will be the lessons they will learn.

    There were certainly considerably more than 1,000 people present at
the services at Burlingham Monday.  It was a well dressed well behaved
and strikingly intelligent throng of people.

    Thirty years ago the editor of the Democrat was one of that
generation of Bedford township boys.  He was honored by the old veterans
of that locality by their invitation to deliver, for them the memorial
address on last Monday and it is a pleasure to be able to candidly and
truthfully say that in appearance and intelligence the people of
Bedford township have been keeping pace with the improvements of the
world which the years are showing.

    The boys were average boys, then. The girls were better then than
the boys as they always are, in every generation.  But in appearance,
intelligence, and good behavior the children of the Bedford boys and
girls of thirty years ago are an improvement over their parents.

   This is only as it should be, to be sure and to observe it, is
neither to deride the parents nor flatter the children.