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O. D. Pease Post
Grand Army of the Republic
1908
Watertown Leader, 04 29 1908
At the last regular
meeting of O. D. Pease Post, Grand Army of the Republic, the members present,
in an informal way talked over as to what should be done in the way of the
observance of Memorial Day. Heretofore,
the Post has taken the responsibility and labors incident to a proper and
patriotic recognition and observation of the day, but the members realize that
now, advanced age and infirmities accompanying old age render it impossible for
them to take an active part in the memorial services as they have in the past
and must delegate the labor and responsibilities required to others, who
inspired by patriotic impulses will see that the day is duly observed with the
usual ceremonies. After the question had
been discussed at some length it was the almost universal opinion of the
members . . . that should not the municipality or some civic society take hold
of the matter, the best and only thing the Post could do, would be to meet at
the post hall on Memorial Day and march in solemn silence to the cemetery in
which the last veteran was laid to rest and around his grave go through
memorial ritual and then return to their hall, disband and retire to their
respective homes to question the patriotism and gratitude of the people.
Watertown Leader,
05 07 1908
Every indication now points to a most fitting observance of Memorial Day
in Watertown. Brief mention was made in The
Leader of the action taken by the city council on Tuesday evening, but not
as extensive as the matter warranted.
Mention was made of the appropriation of $100 by the council to help in
defraying the expenses connected with the observance of the day . . . The
committee lost no time in taking action and held a meeting immediately after
the session of the city council. The
move on the part of the city council is a most commendable one indeed. The diminishment in the “Boys in Blue” and
the fact that age is telling upon them, makes it imperative that the duties
attending the observance of the sacred day, fall to younger blood. There is no body more representative of the
city than the common council and the fact that the members of the same are to
take the initiative is an act of patriotism that reflects the greatest of
credit upon the mayor and councilmen and their acts are being shown many
evidences of appreciation . . . by citizens in general.
Watertown
Leader, 05 24 1908
The joint committee of the O. D. Pease Post, G. A. R. city council met
last evening at the council room in the city building to arrange further
details for the observance of Memorial Day . . . The program as yet is not
fully complete. As has previously been
announced in The Leader, it is
planned to hold the literary and musical exercises on Friday evening, the 29th,
at the Turner opera house. The exercises
will open with music by the orchestra.
There will be addresses appropriate to the occasion by representatives
of the Northwestern University, the Sacred Heart College and the public schools, also
recitations and songs by the school children.
The exercises open with the singing of “Old Glory” by the audience. The
hall will be beautifully decorated for the occasion and every child present
from the public and parochial schools will be presented with a badge, a ribbon
of red, white and blue as a background, over which is a small ribbon with the
words: “In Memoriam, May 30, 1908.”
1908
10 30 25th anniversary of O. D. Pease Post No.
94, G.A.R. of this city; Commander Fred. Kusel gave a history of the
organization. WG
1934 August F. Kusel,
1843-1934. One of few remaining members
of GAR
