C-L Veterans Day Brings Out Thanks and Pride

Ron Wilshire

Ron Wilshire

Published November 17, 2014 5:45 am
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STRATTANVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – Veteran’s Day celebrations at Clarion-Limestone involved the entire student body, musical groups, selected alumni, and school members as over 180 area veterans were invited to the school for a breakfast and a program that included the unveiling of a new memorial and a long lost class picture.

From the large crowd of high school, junior high, and elementary students attending the assembly it was obvious honoring veterans was a top priority of the school district.

“It has always been our passion here at C-L and our goal to support our veterans,” said Superintendent J.J. Johnson.

“We teach it within our curriculum, and we will always teach it in our curriculum. There is no higher honor that we can do than support our veterans, especially in this day and age in which we live and what is going on all across this world. The military and veterans stand steady and are always prepared.  They are willing to support those individuals who are willing to go into the foreign fields and also support us here in the homeland.  To the veterans here today, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart for my freedom.”

Scouts of various kids marched in to start the celebration with a presentation of colors, followed by a performance of the Star Spangled Banner by the C-L Sensations.  Student Council members later explained the roots of Veterans Day in a special presentation, taps by the high school band, “America” by the high school band and choir, a musical salute to all military branches, and a choral performance by the elementary choir.

Memorial Presented

memorial“This day has come forward because a couple of years ago I was asked to speak at the Vietnam Moving Wall Memorial at Brookville,” said Johnson. “I had a group of veterans come up to me at that gathering, and they asked me if I would be willing to put a memorial on the grounds of Clarion-Limestone.  Since that day, we have worked to be able to do that.  I’m so grateful and thankful that God has richly blessed our school district, and our school district is the hub of this community of which you are all part.  Today I fulfill my promise to those veterans.”

Johnson offered special thanks to Steve Aaron and Clarion Monuments for the donation of the monument and explained that from “this day forward we will have a lasting visual monument of gratitude for our students.”

Aaron and School Board President Gary Wolbert unveiled the memorial.

Another memorial added on Veteran’s day was the old Strattanville School Bell placed by the school’s flagpole.  Johnson said that the bell is in honor of every student, teacher, and everyone that has ever been associated with the Clarion-Limestone School District.

“The Bell will stand for the outstanding education that has been, is now, and will be provided for the students of our district.”

Class of 1943 Gets Its “Yearbook”

class photoThe Clarion-Limestone Consolidated Class of 1943 was not much different than other graduating classes of today, but it was a class during World War II.

They had hardback textbooks and homework just like today, but the school building itself has changed over the years.  In 1943, the school did not have a cafeteria, and students had to pack a lunch. Some students would go to a small one-room store across the street (where the elementary school is now located) at lunchtime that sold candy, pop, and other various items.  A cold glass bottle of Pepsi was only 10 cents.

“During this time period, World War II was in full swing,” said Johnson.  “With the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the threat of Adolf Hitler, the country was behind the war efforts and victory.  In this class, most of the young men enlisted or were drafted into the military after graduation.  Two heroic C-L students, Russell Jacob and Leonard Witherow, enlisted and entered the war to fight for victory before graduation.  Neither of them made it back home.  Russell was killed in action, and Leonard is listed as missing in action.”

Rations were also part of life and war and one of the many sacrifices involved paper.  The Class of 1943 was never able to have a yearbook in its senior year, but a class photo was found in the school library and will now serve as a yearbook for the graduating class of 1943.

Three surviving members of the Class of 1943 attended the ceremony, Jane Olson Martz, Jean Fryer Knapp, and Virginia Carrier Eshbaugh.

Proud to Be An American

georgeKeynote speaker and U.S. Navy Veteran Terry George spoke and sang from his heart to the assembled crowd.

“I consider it an honor and privilege to have served my country.  To serve your country is not taken lightly.  There are five different braches in the Armed Forces.  There’s the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Air Force, and the Coast Guard.  Each branch has a specific area of operation.”

“What does it take to be a soldier?  Each one of theses services goes through a basic training or boot camp.  When you first arrive at basic training, you have no idea of what it’s going to be like.  You come in as an individual and in a very short period of time about eight weeks to 10 weeks you’ll become part of a team that works together, plays together, and if necessary you will fight together.”

“In the military you’ll become closer with the people you work with than your own brothers and sisters because your life may depend on it. And their life depends on you.”

“These men and women here (pointing to the veterans) took an oath to defend this country.  Some people have died defending your freedom; some have been seriously wounded.  Most, if not all, have spent months if not years away from their families.  However, if I were to ask these men and women in order to protect the freedom that we so take for granted — if I were to ask them would they do it again, would they would do it again.  Being a veteran myself I think I can answer for most, not all, but most of these people.  I believe I have an answer.”

His answer came in a song, Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to be an American.”

“If tomorrow all the things were gone, I’d worked for all my life,

And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today, ‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away,” sang George acapella to the packed C-L Auditorium.

At the end of the song, George received a standing ovation for his song and message of pride.

Clarion-Limestone High School Principal Mike Stimac told exploreClarion.com that he would like to express his gratitude “to Mel Aaron, Christina Hall, and especially Vicki Woodrow and all teachers in the district for their development of this program.”

“Without them, chiefly, Vicki, this (event) would not have happened. They are amazing teachers and even better people, and I think their love and respect of our veterans was palpable.”

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