Memorial to
veterans took root under Mather's care
11/09/05 By Kevin E.
Dayhoff This Friday, Nov. 11 is Veteran's Day.
Many
will have the day off - hopefully it will be a day spent with family and
friends and time will be set aside to reflect upon the meaning of the day.
Veteran's
Day is a day of commemoration and honor set aside so that we may celebrate the
freedoms that we enjoy, and the preservation of American values made possible
by dedication and sacrifice of United States' citizen-soldiers.
Historically,
Nov. 11 (1918) was the official end of "The Great War" (World War I)
at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Many
veterans we remember on Veteran's Day are no longer with us in person, but
remain in our hearts and are with us in spirit.
The
2000 Census data indicates there are 26.4 million Americans who are veterans.
The highest percentage was from the Vietnam era. In 2000 there were 524,230
veterans in Maryland - 13.4 percent of the population.
Often,
when I pass through the intersection of Malcolm Drive and Old Westminster Pike,
I notice a small sign facing the road in the little piece of ground that serves
as a front yard for the house on the corner.
Growing
up we knew the property as the "Mary Malcolm Hunter" property (hence
"Malcolm Drive"). The sign commemorates Jerome L. Day of Gamber, who
was the first Carroll Countian to make the supreme sacrifice for our country in
World War I.
A
fading, yellowed, undated news clipping in my "Trees Ð
Environmentalism" file tells the story of Mrs. George K. Mather of 121
Willis Street in Westminster being "honored by [the] Jerome L. Day Post 48
of the 29th Division Association Saturday night at the VFW home. Commander
Harold Roop presided."
Fortunately,
on the back of the undated clipping is a Carroll Theatre advertisement for
"Boy, Did I Get A Wrong Number" starring Bob Hope, Elke Sommer and
Phyllis Diller. This movie came out in 1966.
(Boy,
does that bring back memories? Bob Hope is a real estate agent. Phyllis Diller
is his zany maid and Elke Sommer is a beautiful film star who has run away from
the film studio, for reasons only a wacky slapstick comedy can dream up, and
hides in Bob Hope's house.)
In
the 1966 ceremonies, Mrs. Mather "was recognized as the originator of the
planting of one mile of Memorial Trees for the boys of World War 1."
Those
trees were reported to be the first Memorial Trees planted in the United States
for World War 1.
In
1919, Mrs. Mather was the president of the "Civic League of
Westminster." She felt that there ought to be a "lasting
memorial" to the Carroll Countians who served in World War I.
My
grandfather, William Earl Wright of Taylorsville, served in WWI as a
blacksmith, and I'd like to think those trees help commemorate his service.
Mrs.
Mather got assistance from former Maryland Governor Edwin Warfield (1904-1908)
and George Mathews, who later served as the Mayor of Westminster from May 17,
1926 to March 15, 1938, when he died in office.
Mather
appointed Mrs. S. Luther Bare, Mrs. Daniel Shipley and Mrs. Austin Gallagher to
a committee that oversaw the planting of 100 pin oaks, which lined both sides
of Old Baltimore Pike.
The
trees were dedicated at "devotional exercises" on July 4, 1919.
Hopefully
you will spend part of Veteran's Day with friends and family, and take time to
reflect upon the meaning of the day.
Happy
Veteran's Day.
For
all our readers who are veterans, please accept a grateful nation's heartfelt
gratitude for your service to preserve our American values.
