MARGARETVILLE - Nearly 500 people including veterans and their families, students, faculty, staff and administration made a joyous noise in the school’s gym on Friday, Nov. 8 when they gathered for the annal Veterans Day celebration. New York State Senator Peter Oberacker gave the keynote address in a program that began with local scout troops leading the color guard and the Pledge of Allegiance. MCS Junior Alani Mendez delivered a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner that left the audience in awe and set the tone for other student performers to follow. Building Administrator Jeremey Marks introduced the two dozen veterans in attendance for the 45 minute program which was followed by a free breakfast in the cafeteria, served by students.
Executive Principal Donna Marsh got the program underway with an introduction that included a personal reflection of two years in her life when her husband was deployed and she was at home alone with their child. LilliAnn Van Benschoten and Madison Rizzo led the singing of the school’s Alma Mater and were then joined by Mendez and Jesse Wright-Bourke as they sang “Thank You, Soldiers.” In his remarks, Oberacker opened with a comment about the very warm welcome he received when he arrived at the school just as students were being dismissed from their bus rides to go into the building. “A young student, in that massive wave of kids stuck out her hand to shake mine and introduced herself to me. She gave me an incredibly warm greeting and I really appreciated it.”
The senator told the group that his first visit to the school was actually in 1979 when he came as a member of the Schenevus Central School soccer team to play in a sectional game.
“I was a fullback and my assignment for the day was to block Rocky Wilson. Or, perhaps I should say ‘try to block Rocky Wilson’ because as those of you who knew him [a legendary player in MCS history] blocking Rocky Wilson was impossible.” Oberacker added “In fact, I still have a scar over my eye to remind me of that day and of Rocky.” Moving into his prepared remarks, Oberacker told students they should tank the veterans for serving, for defending our country and for preserving our way of life.
“It is an immense gift to live here in the land of the free and the home of the brave and we owe a debt for that gift to these people. He closed his remarks by saying that “Veterans Day exists not just to thank veterans and pay tribute but as a time to commit ourselves to them, to learn from them and to be inspired by them.”
Each of the 24 veterans representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard was given a thunderous individual ovation by the excited crowd before the school’s modified chorus sang an “Armed Forces Medley” that included parts of the service songs of each of the military branches, accompanied by their teacher and director, Jenna Tucker. After an additional ovation, veterans and their families were escorted to the cafeteria and students returned to classes.
School will be closed on Monday, Nov. 11 for the official Veterans Day observance as it is a national holiday. Unlike many Monday holidays, this one didn’t get moved to that date for the convenience of a long weekend. Originally established in commemoration of the Armistice agreement that ended World War I in 1918, this observance has been held annually during the eleventh month (November) on the eleventh day when the agreement was put in place and remembers the document signed at the eleventh hour, (11 a.m.) of that day. In the original concept of President Woodrow Wilson, who proclaimed it in 1919, the day was to be observed with “parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11 a.m.” The object was to remember the extreme sacrifices, massive scale and devastating impact of the war which at that time, was known as “The Great War.” The hope was that in remembering World War I, people would avoid repeating the mistakes that led to the debacle.
Unfortunately that was not to be and after World War II and the Korean conflict, President Dwight Eisenhower changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day and the intent was changed to have Americans commit themselves to the cause of peace and to honor all veterans who served, whether in war or in peace, for their courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice. Unlke Memorial Day, which honors those who gave up their lives in service to the country, Veterans Day honors all service men and women just because they served.
The celebration at Margaretville Central School is a longstanding tradition coordinated by former employee Carol Norwick. Nearly every department at the school and many different student organizations play a role in pulling off the event which has become one of the most loved school days each year.
