Veterans Day:
More than a day off from school
Staff Writer
AN HONORARY VETERANS DAY PRESENTATION was held last Wednesday for both Presque Isle Middle School seventh-graders and local veterans. The program featured patriotic music, a flag-folding demonstration, the reading of “America’s White Table,” and the introduction of several area veterans. Welcoming the servicemen and women to the assembly were, from left, front row: Sterling Bagley (Air Force), Wilma McGrath of the VFW Post 2599 Ladies Auxiliary, who attended on behalf of her husband, Earl McGrath; student Liam Daniels, Jere Woollard, Ron Sites, Karl Dampf and Chris Keegan, who all served in the Army; and Barbara Bishop (Air Force). Back row: student Madison Bagley, Sterling’s granddaughter; Dorilla Bagley, Sterling’s wife; student Caylie LeVasseur and her aunt, Shannon Deabay (Marines), Bill Daniels (Army), Liam’s father; student Brandon McLean, Woollard’s grandson; student Kyle Rider, Sites’ grandson; and student Jared Dampf, Dampf’s son.
PRESQUE ISLE – It’s one thing for students to listen to their teachers talk about the importance of Veterans Day, but it’s another to actually hear from a veteran. At an honorary Veterans Day presentation held last Wednesday at Presque Isle Middle School, seventh-graders were introduced to several former servicemen and women who participated in the event.
“This event is definitely for the veterans, but by encouraging students to honor the veterans, it instills a sense of patriotism, appreciation and respect for the veterans,” said Marianne Dyer, social studies/English teacher and one of the organizers of the assembly. “It helps students become appreciative of what veterans have done and when they become appreciative, we let the veterans know how much we think of them and I think that’s for their benefit. It’s a win-win for both the students and the veterans.”
The presentation kicked off with the PIMS band, under the direction of Pat Bragdon, playing several patriotic songs including “Armed Forces on Parade” and “America the Beautiful.” Trumpet soloists for “Taps” were Angela Hallowell and Rachel Hobbs. Allison Reed, the school’s social worker, with the help of student Katelyn Ford, then showed audience members the proper way to fold the American flag.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
UNDER THE DIRECTION of Pat Bragdon, the Presque Isle Middle School band performed patriotic songs last Wednesday to kick off the honorary Veterans Day presentation held at the school for seventh-graders and local veterans alike.
Dyer read “America’s White Table,” a powerful and moving story about a ceremony designed to thank all those who serve our country, written by Margot Theis Raven. As Dyer read the story, the book’s pages were shown on a large overhead screen so the students could see the illustrations. Making the reading even more authentic, a white table was set up on stage which also included a lemon slice and grains of salt on a plate, an empty chair, a black napkin, a glass, a white candle and a red rose – all symbolic images discussed in the book.
The small table with a white cloth honors a soldier’s pure heart when he or she answers this country’s call to duty, a lemon slice and grains of salt on a plate show a captive soldier’s bitter fate and tears of families waiting for loved ones to return, an empty chair at the table represents the missing soldiers, a black napkin symbolizes the sorrow of captivity, a glass represents the meal that won’t be eaten, a white candle is on the table for peace, and a red rose is in a vase tied with a red ribbon for the hope that all missing soldiers will return someday.
To close out the presentation, visiting veterans were given the opportunity to stand up and introduce themselves, state which branch of the military they served in, where they were stationed, and any other information they chose to share with the students.
Presque Isle’s Barbara Bishop served in the U.S. Air Force for six years. She decided to attend the Veterans Day presentation after reading about it in The Star-Herald.
“I decided to come because I am proud to be an American,” she said. “I want to know and see that people do believe in America.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
ALLISON REED, right, social worker at Presque Isle Middle School, along with student Katelyn Ford, show audience members the proper way to fold the American flag during a Veterans Day ceremony held last Wednesday at the school. Reed served for four years in the U.S. Army and another four in the Army National Guard.
“I thought the program was very well put together,” said Bishop. “It was interesting, and I would come back again. Veterans Day is a very important event, and the more we can educate the younger people about it, the better.”
Shannon Deabay of Oxbow, who served in U.S. Marine Corps for four years, was invited by her niece, student Caylie LeVasseur.
“I was told that it was giving us an opportunity to be thanked for our service that we gave, and have an opportunity to introduce ourselves and set an example,” said Deabay. “I thought the presentation was fantastic.
“It’s important to keep our children educated in what our veterans have done and provided for our country,” she said. “I remember growing up not knowing what Veterans Day was about other than it was a day off from school. With that, I believe, especially since we’re in a time of war, it’s important that they know how we got to where we are. You need to know where you came from in order to know where you’re going. It’s important for our young people to respect, to understand, and to remember just how our country got to where it is.”
According to Kevin Sipe, social studies/English teacher, this is the “most powerful” program the teachers provide for the students.
“Of all the things we do as far as trying to impress upon students that there’s a bigger world out there and that they owe something to the people who came before them, this is the most powerful thing that we do,” he said. “The story of the white table always gets them. Seeing and hearing the veterans speak helps them put a face to Veterans Day. I love to see the veterans with their grandchildren or other family members. It really drives it home for the other students.
“We were pleased with the number of veterans who came. The students were respectful, and from some of the comments that I got, it was meaningful for them,” said Sipe. “We’ll be doing some follow-up writing. In English class, we’re focusing on Veterans Day literature; I’m doing poetry, for instance. Rather than spend several days discussing Veterans Day, we like to make a day of it; it’s more special that way. We really hit it today and it becomes more meaningful for them.”
The students got a lot out of the program.
“I think it was really cool,” said Jason Bartley. “I liked the story, and when the veterans got up and talked about what they did. I have uncles who were in Vietnam, so I know how important it is to recognize the veterans. We need to remember what they did for our country and also the ones who died overseas.”
“It was very neat and interesting to me. I noticed the veterans didn’t give a lot of detail about what they went through,” said Brenan Page. “When I was younger I didn’t know a lot about Veterans Day, but as I grew older, I started to understand a little more. I liked hearing ‘America’s White Table.’ I liked the symbolism in the book. The part about the rose stuck with me. I enjoyed the assembly very much.”
This was the fourth consecutive year the seventh-grade teachers have recognized local veterans in this way.
