Thanks to Amy Bergquist, who on 5/23 notified the list of the scheduled Memorial Day Ceremony at Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery at Lake and Cedar.
I had often driven by this cemetery, but knew nothing about it. I appreciated the opportunity to visit and learn more about it, and to pay homage to the people who have served and sacrificed for our country and its traditions and values. And not just our fallen veterans were remembered in the ceremony yesterday--also our nation's first responders--police and fire. I teared up at their mention, when I remembered Garrison Kellior's song about 9/11 and those who were going up the WTC stairs as the civilians were evacuating down. The music by the Seward Concert Band was excellent, including John Phillips Sousa marches, patriotic songs like the Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful, and a medley of service songs during which the veterans rose for their particular service. (That was a great touch.) Rev. Becky Sechrist from Propsect Park United Methodist Church give thoughtful and inspiration remarks for the Invocation and Benediction, and Colonel Mike Mihclick for USAF Admissions for Minnesota gave his perspectives on Memorial Day. I was especially moved hearing Nimo Afyare, a 10th grade A student at South High and a Somalian refugee. She recited the Gettysburg Address. Think of it being spoked in the accented voice of a new American--the words and Memorial Day surrounding so freighted with meaning. She also read "General Logan's Order #11," the 1867 order by a military official setting aside this day in May in perpetuity to honor the fallen veterans who gave their lives so this nation might live. As a third generation immigrant I felt myself a member of the long line of proud participants in the American Experiment that Lincoln indicated at Gettysburg. Veteran Gary Martin did a great job as M.C., moving things along, explaining, and introducing. And Susan Hunter-Weir of the Friends of the Cemetery put our surroundings in historical perspective. More about this below my sig line. I was quite moved by it all, and resolved to try to go to a Memorial Day Ceremony every year going forward. Note this from someone who in the '60's protested Vietnam (protested the politicians, but never the soldiers). (And would like to think would protest a Vietnam-like conflict in the future.) Yesterday evening I called my father in Florida who was a WW II Navy veteran who served in the Pacific, and we compared recollections of our hometown's annual Memorial Day parade, which I fondly remember marching in playing those Sousa marches with my clarinet, and he remembered driving the Lion's Club float, decorated as an American flag. I kinda wish we had Memorial and Fourth of July parades instead of Aquatenial and Winter Carnival parades--remembrance and rededication parades instead of booster and recreational parades. The human need for ritual and ceremony will be filled one way or the other, so we should think about what we can all agree to celebrate together else we will be divided by a cacophony of found (Solstice and Druid) or "roll your own" ersatz (EST?) rituals. It was good to see CM Gary Schiff at the Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony, and I hope many of you had equally inspirational experiences elsewhere yesterday. Thanks again to Amy Bergquist for her heads-up on this event. Alan Shilepsky Downtown Minneapolis For the record, here are some facts about the Cemetery, from the program notes: ---------------- Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery is the oldest existing cemetery in Minneapolis. It was established in the 1859's on the homestead of Martin G. Layman, and was known for years as Layman's Cemetery. The City of Minneapolis purchased the cemetery in 1927. The cemetery is awaiting placement on the National Register of Historic Places. The number of people buried in Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery numbers somewhere between 17,000 and 18,000. Many of these have no grave markers. More than half of those buried here are children and 188 are veterans. The veterans buried here include two from the War of 1812, 164 from the Civil War, 21 from the Spanish-American War, and one from World War I. ---------------- During the ceremony the history of the cemetery was discussed by Susan Hunter-Weir, a person in the neighborhood who has researched the cemetery and the people buried there, and worked to have the cemetery maintained and upgraded. She has also sought historic designation for the cemetery and sought grave markers for the veterans buried therein. A few of us afterward took an informal walk around the cemetery with Susan to see and learn more about the people there. She is a fount of information about early Minneapolis' inhabitants. Some of the interesting outcroppings in the cemetery of early Minneapolis included: --a grave of an African American man (Woodson Anderson?) who fought in one of the "colored" regiments in the Civil War. Susan is working to get a federal government-paid for gravestone to replace the crumbling marker that is there now. (Don't worry, the old stone will be preserved.) --the grave of a turn of the 20th century Russian immigrant, killed in his 20's in a railroad accident. His gravestone has a Socialist Party medallion carved on top. --graves of many children, many who died in a "baby mill" run by an ersatz doctor of old Minneapolis who picked up and left town leaving the foundlings to their fate. --remains of unfortunates who after dying ended up being used by the UM medical school for research or education. --remains of a notorious, wealthy murder who had his mistress killed after taking out $10,000 insurance on her. Susan is also informative on the use of hanging as capitol punishment in old Minneapolis, and how it was usually botched. Susan is doing great work for her neighborhood and the city, and I hope she gets her wish to someday have her remains be buried in Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery. There have been no burials in the cemetery for decades, very stringent conditions on any possible future ones, and final decisions up to the City Council--since the City owns the cemetery. _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
