The ceremonies at Thorne Middle School last week hosting the caravan of volunteers heading from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery was a refreshing and stimulating contrast to the Atlantic Highlands Elementary School’s complete disdain for any outward appearance of recognizing Pearl Harbor Day the week before.
The numbers of people of all ages waving flags, cheering on people from all over the country on their way to place wreaths on the graves of military men and women at the nation’s cemetery was far more refreshing than an Atlantic Highlands councilman saying the borough “did the right thing” by not lowering the flag for the entire day, in spite of the President’ s proclamation to do so under law.
The inspirational principal at Thorne, and a social science educator who has made World War II study, especially at a battle in which one of its own lost his life, a vital part of the Thorne School curriculum, were more American, patriotic and memorable, to say nothing of being educational for students, than an Atlantic Highlands council who sat quietly without issuing a single word about the school a block or south west of it that did not make any outward sign of even remembering Pearl Harbor, let alone teaching it in the classroom.
But Middletown government leadership fell by the side of the road as well. As did Monmouth County. Where were they when the Wreaths Across America caravan was present at Thorne School paying homage to Middletown’s veterans?
There were no members of the County Commission present, though two were at the ribbon cutting for a dog park in Atlantic Highlands that same day.
There was no one from the governing body there , although the Chief of Police was in attendance and coordinated with his department all the necessary traffic safety issues to enable the caravan to honor the local military.
Too many times, too many people, are dropping the little nuances, the simple ceremonies, the presence and appreciation of times, places and events that keep it uppermost in our minds that this nation did not get to be the great place it is to live, does not offer the freedoms and opportunities that surround us without the blood, sweat, tears and often times lives, or those young and brave men and women who remember the history of the nation and what it has taken to remain as great as it is.
What will happen to a nation whose next generation s not being taught, or shown, the importance of remembering the past?
My husband, Art Larsen USMC is buried at Arlington National Cemetery where I will be joining him when the time comes 🇺🇸
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