Memorial Day 2011

Trumpet Section Leader, Grandfather
from the American Legion, and Dr.
Brame

The final performance of the DHS Bands is in the books, a sweltering Memorial Day parade and ceremony. The students did a great job representing our school in the solemn commemoration, playing the national anthem at the war memorial in Jewett Park, a medley of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "America the Beautiful" up and down Waukegan Road, and an echo version of "Taps" in the cemetery at the south end of town. The band looked and sounded great.

Afterwards, someone who is not part of our program said to me, "The crowds were really small--why do you bother doing this on your day off?" The answer to that question is easy. Our teenagers today, at least in this community, have very little contact with such patriotic pride as I see in the members of the Deerfield American Legion Post 738. Here are men, some in their 70s and 80s, who put on their white shirts, black ties, and traditional Legion hats, to carry their flags and rifles as they march down the street to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our American freedom. No matter what your politics are, when they read the list of Deerfield residents who died in wars, from the War of 1812 through Vietnam, it's not hard to imagine losing a child, a parent, a friend, or a neighbor. Their sacrifice secured our liberties and kept our world safer from oppression.

I will gladly give up my morning off so that our teenagers can remember that their comfortable lifestyles came at a precious cost, no matter how many people show up to watch us.

UPDATE: You can see more pictures at Patch.com. Look for the last few taken by Mark Fox to see the band.