Leader Lookback:

Loyalty Day Parade

This is what ran in The Evening Leader 50 years ago this week. Loyalty Day Parade Was Outstanding; Mayor Schultz Urges Loyalty Every Day

It was lovely weather for the Loyalty Day Parade Saturday afternoon on flag-lined Spring Street. A large crowd gathered comfortably along both sides of the street and the moderate temperatures made it easy on those who had to march in the parade.

The parade marshal was VFW Post Commander Vernon Koeper who led the nine divisions, which included about 5 units. There were decorated beats, youth groups, antique cars, drill teams, other individual units, the snappy Memorial High School Band, and the adorable VFW clowns. The band really added a lot to the parade and more bands would have been even better, but extended efforts to secure other bands were unsuccessful, according to VFW Commander James Lynch.

The VFW Loyalty Day Queen’s Float was colorful, the queen, Mary Ann Westerbeck, and her attendants, Janice Gibson and Kathy Lynch, presenting a lovely picture. Miss Westerbeck served as queen in the absence of Miss Jackie Rupert, whose father died suddenly Saturday morning.

The clowns, naturally, delighted the parade watchers with their antics and passed out goodies to the kiddies along the route. (Inquiries revealed that those behind the funny faces were VFW members Charles Folk, Pete Wissman, Robert

Toben, Jim Jones, and Homer Maxson, who had done their own make-up jobs. Their helpers were Fred Critten and Bill Wilges, who drove along to supply the treats. After the parade the clowns went to Joint Township Hospital to give flag rings to patients they could visit.

Jim Price and Lewis Meeker emceed the parade at the judge’s stand on the river bridge. The judges were John Campbell, Donald Harden, Cliff Fetters, Mrs. Wilbur Smith, Mrs. Richard Zimmerman, Edward Stepleton, William Stinebaugh, Paul Mackenbach and William Rye.

Mayor Schultz Speaks:

“Loyalty Day is not a one-day deal, it’s a 365 day deal for a lifetime,” Mayor Howard Schultz remarked in his address at the ceremonies at Memorial High School Stadium, following the parade. “It’s time for positive patriotic action to combat the hostile action of our foreign and domestic enemies.”

Mayor Schultz said the nation is in the middle of a revolution - that many dislike aspects of life - some question the competence and honesty of our officials, the Vietnam war, busing, decreasing the military power.

“We are faced with many problems but they are not insurmountable. Our enemies magnify our ills - let’s make a turning point, buckle down to get the nation in perspective, show our concern over permissiveness, over the lowering in our moral standards. Freedom is fragile, it’s so easy to lose, it’s our inherent right to enjoy it and to protect it.”

The speaker recalled that the regiments who volunteered their services in the Union Army in 1861 volunteered for three years, but that many of them voluntarily continued their services to preserve the nation as one — that those who volunteered had suffered indescribable hardships but were willing to undergo additional “hardships and privation.

“Our destiny is in the hands of our loyal citizens,” Mayor Schultz concluded as he called on his audience to reassert their faith in our country and to protect the freedoms which are ours.