Memorial Day is probably best known as the three day holiday which officially starts the summer season. Typically, the day is celebrated with family, friends and neighbors gathering together and having cookouts; with hotdogs, hamburgers and beer being the most popular food items. Children love the day because it marks the beginning of beach season and the opening of the neighborhood pools.
Memorial Day is actually not meant to be a celebration at all. The fact is, the day was originally meant to be a day of solemn remembrance of fallen war veterans. While there are no historical records to indicate when and where Memorial Day had its’ official start; it is believed that it began sometime during the Civil War. The wives and families of fallen Civil War soldiers would go out to the mass grave sites and place flowers, Bibles, family photos and other items on the graves. This tradition was known as “Decoration Day.” The first official “Decoration Day” came in 1868, when flowers and flags were placed on graves in Arlington National Cemetery. In 1951, a poet by the name of Moina Michael started selling red, white and blue flowers, with the proceeds going to military families in need. However, the Memorial Day holiday did not become official until Congress passed the bill in 1971.
Besides cookouts and trips to the beach, there are many ways that college students can help keep alive the real meaning of Memorial Day.
- Fly the United States flag at half mass until noon.
- Volunteer to place flags on the graves of war veterans.
- Visit a Civil War battlefield.
- Fly a MIA/POW flag in remembrance of soldiers that have never come home.
- Participate in the “National Moment of Remembrance” by taking a moment of silence at 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day.
- Make a charitable contribution to a charity that offers support to war veterans and their families.
- Show your pride by wearing your red, white and blue.
- Volunteer to help with your neighborhood parade.
- Listen to patriotic music/watch patriotic movies
- Visit a war memorial.
The University of Central Missouri (UCM) will be hosting a pre-Memorial Day event to honor America’s fallen war veterans. This event is open to the public and will take place inside the Alumni Memorial Chapel.
UCM has an enrollment of over 11,000 students, majoring in one of 150 degree programs. The school was founded in 1871 with the mission of preparing tomorrow’s teachers with the skills needed to be successful in the field of education. Over the past 100 years the school has expanded greatly and now offers degrees in aviation, the science fields, business administration, and the arts. Learn more about UCM by going to : ucmo.edu.
Guest Speaker Charles “Lynn” Lowder
The guest speaker for this event is Charles “Lynn” Lowder, a former U.S. Marine and trial attorney. A veteran of the Vietnam War, Lowder’s war experiences have been the basis of two books, First Force Recon Company: Sunset at Midnight, by Bill Peters and Inside Force Recon: Recon Marines in Vietnam by Michael Lee Lanning and Ray W. Stubbe. Both book are available at amazon (www.amazon.com).
Born December 19, 1945, Lowder spent 16 years in the Marine Corp. He joined the military while in college. After just one year in service, he was promoted to team leader in Vietnam. During his tour of duty, he received some of the highest honors available in the military: the bronze star, the silver star, the combat v, and the purple heart. After returning from the war, Lowder was able to come home and resume a normal life. He graduated college with honors and then went on to earn his law degree at DuPaul University.
Other guest speakers will include: General Scott Vander Hamm, Commander 409th Bomb Wing, Whitman Air Force Base; Missouri State Senator David Pearce; and UCM President Charles Ambrose.
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As part of his commitment to higher education, President Obama has agreed to speak to the graduating classes of Miami Dade College and the United States Coast Guard Academy.
Miami Dade College
On April 29th, at 7:00 p.m., the president will speak to the graduation class of Miami Dade College. Miami Dade College is considered to be one of the largest and most diverse campuses in the country. It currently has over 170,000 students enrolled in one of the eight campuses and online around the world. It boasts associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in technology and community services (among others). Miami Dade College has a new arts program that is already winning great reviews. It was founded in the 1960s with the ideal that everyone is entitled to a higher education. When first opened, it operated out of a converted chicken factor, thus earning it the nickname, “chicken coop college.” It was the first entirely integrated college in the state of Florida. By 1970, it had grown into the largest college in the state of Florida, with a 66% minority enrollment. Throughout the following decades, Miami Dade grew into a college offering over 50 degree programs, a technology department, and a fine arts department.
U.S. Coast Guard Academy
The president will then speak to the graduating class of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on May 18th at 11:00 a.m. The Coast Guard Academy is one of the smallest of the federal institutions. This military academy puts emphasis on leadership, physical fitness and honor. Graduates immediately enter into service in the Coast Guard either on land or at sea. The Coast Guard was originally known as the Revenue Marine. Formed by Alexander Hamilton, the Revenue Marine had at its’ purpose the collecting of tariffs, expecting ships, and safeguarding U.S. shores. The academy had its’ roots in 1876, when nine cadets took classes abroad a schooner ship. The first land school was established in 1890.
To learn more about Miami Dade College, go here www.mdc.edu
To learn more about the Coast Guard Academy, go here www.cga.edu
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