My American brothers and
sisters in combat suffered and died in the War of 1812
and the Revolutionary War
of the eighteenth century which gave birth to this great democratic experiment, this
nation, this America. Other wars, long forgotten, such as the Mexican War and the
Spanish-American War are lost to our memories, yet they, too, suffered American deaths.
One day, at a future Memorial Day service, perhaps the names of these wars will be
included by speakers who will refer to them with honor and dignity. Our wars in the
defense of freedom for others are living testaments to our determination that all mankind
should be free, but let us not forget on this day those who died in the war that gave us
our freedom. in the late 1700s.The parade came by and stopped for the first time ever
at the Monumental Building to dedicate a new additional plaque to the Civil War memorial
tablets, containing the names of fifteen more men who died in that tragic war. How I
longed to stand in that small room, shoulder-to-shoulder with the Civil War re-enactors
who made this special event more memorable with their presence and their reading of the
new names, once eclipsed by time, but now preserved forever.
It is also fitting that the Board of Trustees has thrown open its doors to welcome the
public to view this once proud edifice. From its original dedication, and into the early
years of this century, it served as a social gathering place with its palatial opera
house, meeting rooms and library. The sounds of entertainers of all persuasions raised my
spirits and lulled me to sleep confident that this memorial to those who died serving
America would live forever. But this was to be severely tested, for as the century
progressed, the building retreated into dilapidation. I am proud to say that this period
has also come to a close and the building is now prepared to move into the twenty-first
century with a renewed dignity.
The outdoor service commenced with our national anthem, prayers and comments by clergy
and dignitaries, patriotic singing by the old soldiers of the American Legion, the reading
of General Logan’s orders and the honoring of those who died. For the first time, in
my memory, my name was evoked by the speaker for the event, Richard Wallace, President of the Shelby County
Historical Society, on numerous occasions during his speech, causing many faces to turn
and look at me. Faces that I had never seen before, simply because they were looking at me
for the first time. Could Mr. Wallace’s comments, eloquent and dynamic - capturing
the spirit of our local history, be the beginning of a new era in our county where public
awareness of our past and its preservation reaches new heights of commitment?
On to Schultze’s Battery, a
memorial that commemorates the Battery M. First Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, then a
further journey to Graceland Cemetery. I hope and pray, along with all the men named on
the plaques in that special room on the ground floor of this building, that a new bond
between the past and present will lead us into the future. Once again, the soldiers and
citizens are gone, and I stand here, Shelby County’s sentinel, perched above these
almost empty streets. I look ahead to the months leading to Memorial Day 1998, and wonder
whether more faces than usual will turn to look up and see their past.