Middle Gate Students Honor Vets

With Red, White, And Blue … And Yellow

By Larissa Lytwyn

Middle Gate Elementary School honored its veterans with patriotic flair during a special Veterans’ Day breakfast and morning-and-afternoon honorary assemblies on November 10.

“It was even bigger than last year’s Veterans’ Day effort,” said fourth grade teacher Linda Baron.

In the weeks preceding Veterans’ Day, students in all grades, K–4, contributed to the creation of the Halls of Remembrance.

The unique, schoolwide exhibit allowed students to commemorate a veteran they knew through photographs, mementos, and letters of appreciation. Their work was posted prominently in the school hallways, festooned with red, white, and blue crepe paper and decorations.

Fourth graders also wrote letters to an Air Force troop currently serving off the coast of Afghanistan. The troop’s commander is 24-year-old Christopher Calero, son of Reed Intermediate School teacher Kim Calero.

In addition, students learned about the origin of the wartime citizens-in-support symbols of the poppy and yellow ribbon, as well as Veterans’ Day historic evolution from its Armistice Day roots.

Why the poppy? John McCrae’s 1915 poem, “In Flanders Field,” forever immortalized a 19th Century writer’s observation that a once-barren battlefield was covered in “blood-red poppies” after fighting had ended. Today, red and blue paper poppies are used to honor veterans.

The significance of the yellow ribbon in popular culture goes back to the Civil War era, during which women would wear yellow ribbons in their hair and dress to symbolize their commitment to their military sweethearts.

Years later, John Wayne and Joanne Dru starred in 1949’s She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, set during the Civil War.

The lyrics of “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree,” most popularized by Tony Orlando and Dawn during the 1970s, tell the story of a homebound convict who asked his girlfriend to tie yellow ribbons around the trees in her front yard if she still wanted him. Of course, when he reached her home, a plethora of bright yellow ribbons awaited him.

The song’s co-writer, Irwin Levine, said he had first heard the legend of the yellow ribbon during his army years.

As the war in Iraq has raged on, many US citizens have continued the yellow ribbon tradition through the use of symbolic decals and bumper stickers.

Originally, in honor of World War I veterans, then known as veterans of the “Great War,” November 11 was named Armistice Day.

In 1954, the government decided to expand the day of remembrance to honor all veterans of wars past, present, and likely future with the creation of Veterans’ Day.

This year, the veterans invited to Middle Gate’s honorary breakfast came from beyond the friends and family ties of faculty and students.

“This time, we invited veterans from across the community to come to our breakfast,” said Ms Baron. “We advertised mostly through posters hung around town. We wanted all veterans in the area to know how much we appreciated and honored them.”

Of course, Ms Baron said, each veteran guest was checked for military ID.

“The safety of our children and staff is always foremost to us,” she said.

Approximately 35 veterans attended the breakfast, Ms Baron said, a significantly higher number than last year’s.

“We also invited several community dignitaries, and had quite a wonderful response,” Ms Baron said. Special guests included First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, a Vietnam veteran, as well as Assistant Superintendent of Schools Alice Jackson.

Ms Baron talked about how much she enjoyed meeting the veterans.

“One man I spoke with, Paul Gehrett, is a veteran of the Korean War,” she said. “He talked about how ‘excellent’ our special day had been, and how these kinds of honorary activities should be done all over.”

Vietnam veteran Martin Maciag described the Halls of Remembrance, Ms Baron said, as “a wonderful display of patriotism.”

“Another veteran, Bob Alex, just kept staring at the Halls of Remembrance and saying, ‘Beautiful, Beautiful,’” said Ms Baron. “It was amazing.”

After the breakfast and again in the afternoon, Middle Gate’s assembly was launched by a flag-raising ceremony and recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance led by Pack 270 Den 1.

Next, Principal Judy Gallo introduced the audience to three special guests, Newtown resident Boyd Saxton and Bethel residents Skip Clapp and Joe Tarrant.

Mr Saxton, a Vietnam War-era veteran, is the past state commander of the American Legion Post 100.

Mr Clapp is also a Vietnam veteran. He served ten years in the US Navy, from 1959 to 1969.

Mr Tarrant is a Korean War veteran and retired Brigadier General (paratrooper) with the Connecticut National Guard. A member of the American Legion Post 100, he is a currently service officer and chairman of the Connecticut Boys’ State Committee. A retired teacher of the Bethel school system, Mr Tarrant is a lifelong Bethel resident.

Each honorary veteran was dressed in full uniform. As they stood to be recognized, students and faculty alike broke into thunderous applause.

“The years I spent in the military were some of the best years I’ve ever had,” Mr Clapp told the assembly audience. “I made lifelong friends.”

Next, students Clare Olsen, Sean Watkins, and Molly Arneth performed a skit that explained the historic importance of Veterans’ Day, and why it represented much more than simply “a day off.”

Each assembly reached a resounding crescendo with the third and fourth grade chorus’s rendition of five Army-era songs, including “Over Here and Over There” and “Anchors Aweigh.”

Longtime Middle Gate music teacher Joan Popovic arranged the musical portion of the assembly.

After the afternoon assembly, Ms Gallo thanked the chorus warmly, noting, “There is nothing like the sound of children singing. It truly lifts the heart.”

“It was a really rewarding, truly exciting day,” said Ms Baron. “I also want to make sure I note the incredible support and encouragement I received from the rest of the staff, and of course, the students. Without everyone’s effort, this event could not have been possible!”

Also notable were the efforts of interns Melissa Dorish and Isla Braddock, she said.

Stop & Shop also donated several pounds of coffee.

“The community support was amazing,” said Ms Baron. “And it seems like the students really learned a lot, which is the most important thing.”

“[Veterans’ Day] is a great reminder about everything [troops] do to keep us safe,” noted fourth grader Mackenzie Hoctor.

Molly Elliot, a classmate of Mackenzie’s, agreed. “I learned that there is a lot that someone in the military can do besides be on the [frontlines] fighting,” she said. “And I also recognized how important it is to honor the troops not just every year, but every day.”