Veterans Day celebrated at Onaway Area Community Schools

 

Every Nov. 11, Onaway Area Community Schools has the largest Veterans Day ceremonies in Presque Isle County, if not northern Michigan.

Elementary and high school students are involved in the annual event at the school building.

A parade of veterans from across the region, along with small floats, begins in the elementary wing and proceeds through the hallways to the high school gym for patriotic music and speeches. The parade starts at 9 a.m., with the presentations to follow.

Veterans Day is the anniversary of Armistice Day, which was signed at the end of World War I.

It marked the end of hostilities on the Western Front and took effect at the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month of 1918.

In 1927 Congress issued a resolution requesting President Calvin Coolidge

to issue a proclamation calling upon officials to display the Flag of the United States on all government buildings on November 11, and invited the people to observe the day in schools and churches.

It was not until Nov. 11, 1953 in Emporia, Kansas, instead of an Armistice Day program, there was a Veterans’ Day observance.

Ed Rees, of Emporia, was so impressed that he introduced a bill into the House of Representatives to change the name to Veterans’ Day.

The name was changed to Veterans’ Day by an act of Congress May 24, 1954.

The community, as always, is invited.