Mendon May Day— 1928
Mendon, May 26th— The Mendon ward held their annual May Day celebration on Saturday. The big festive that started the day’s celebration was the crowning of the May Queen, Miss Vira Hiibner by her Escort, Donald Larsen. Twenty small girls dressed in pink and white costumes danced the maypole, after which the crowd adjourned to the ward chapel where the following program was rendered; “Straying and Maying” by the choir; prayer by the chaplain, Joseph T. Wood; song by Ukulele club; talk on May Day, Bishop Henry C. Sorensen; girls chorus; piano solo, Edna Sorensen; trombone and violin selections, Ivan Barrett; reading William I. Sorensen; violin solo, Alonzo K. Wood; vocal solo, John O. Hughes; prayer by the chaplain. At one-thirty in the afternoon a children’s dance was enjoyed. After the dance sports were conducted by the sports committee. There were games, races, ducking for oranges and two legged races. At four o’clock a baseball game was played between Mendon and Wellsville teams. In the evening a dance was enjoyed by a large number of town folks as well as visitors.
May Day Speaker— Once more the glorious spring time has dawned with all its buds, flower, leaves, and grasses. Mother Earth has grown tired of her cold snowy sheet. She has silently folded and laid away this thin white mantle, which proved to be no protection from the cold, and has covered herself with a beautiful robe of green, decorated with the pretty colors of the variegated flowers.
She has ordered Mr. Frost to again resume his march to the far north. She has taken his stronghold, which he held with his iron grip, and given it to spring, as a playhouse for her merry little sunbeams. A hot bed for the dainty posies and a basin for the rain drops, which have long been complaining of their position in the clouds and asking permission to again visit the earth.
Aside from satisfying the fancy of these fairy bodies, she had higher ideals. She has cleansed herself of the stern rigidities of winter, put on a pleasant smile, and breathed forth a melodious song of welcome to please her people. She knows, that if their minds would be properly molded, they must have a change for the better. Therefore, she sees the necessity of allowing them, once each year to emerge from the dismal snowbank and behold the greetings of springtime: The warm sunshine, the growing grasses, the leafy trees, the harmonious songs of the lively birds, and the coquettish smile of the many tiny blossoms. Greetings, which assure them that once more there shall be seedtime and harvest; which kindle in their souls a new desire for labor, progress and enlightenment; which inspire the soul, gladden the heart, and fill the mind with better thoughts and nobler sentiments.
Then is it not proper to celebrate one day in honor of this glorious season? Can anyone say, that it is not well to reserve one day of spring to praise and welcome her? What mind could be so obstinate, so dull? Remember that spring is a friend to all that live; from the proud monarch to the hungry beggar or the poor beast that roams the wilderness.
In literature she is also prominent. Where is there a poet who has not composed some of his most beautiful poems in spring time; whose mind has not been inspired by the beauties of that season, and written prettier things then, than he could at any other time.
One writer in early spring expressed himself like this:
Winter has passed the heart of nature warms,
Beneath the wrecks of unresisted storms;
Doubtful at first; suspected more than seen,
The southern slopes are fringed with tender green.
Everything is enlightened, green new life and energy by the healing sympathies of spring. Even the evergreen, which in spite of the frost clings to his leaves during the entire year, also puts on a gayer tint in spring; seems glad to catch the warm sunbeams; and is glad to welcome again his aerial visitors. Every tree is a poem; every flower has a fairy like charm, which wins the admiration of the adult, and enchants the little boy as he joyously walks for miles with untiring feet in search of them. How dreary would be the journey and how reluctantly would he follow the same course if in search of his mothers straying cow.
There is nothing dull or monotonous connected with spring. Everything is lively joyous and happy. Her praises have been sung by poets through all ages. One writer said, “How sweet the odors of springtime? How striking are her flowers, How pleasing are the songs of the birds within the bowers.” And Eliza Cook, inspired by the same feeling has left this pretty thought:
Spring, spring, beautiful spring,
Laden with glory and light you come;
With the leaf, the bloom and the butterflies wing,
Making our earth a fairy home.
The primroses glitter and the violet peek;
While Zephyr is feasting on flower and bloom.
Arouse ye sluggards, what soul shall sleep,
While the larks in the sky and the bees on the palm?
The sweetest song and the loudest string,
Should pour a welcome to beautiful spring.
Note how cleverly nature plans her progress. First the sun’s rays come unobstructed, until the ground is warmed and the plants begin to grow. Then as old Saul gains greater power and would burn all things in his way, she quickly unfolds the tiny buds, spreads them out into broad leaves, making a cool shade for the flower, forming a sylvan home for man and beast.
Trees are all useful and attractive. They are deserving of notice whatever their rank; from the thorny bramble to the cedars of Solomon. The may well be classed as the greatest of natures productions. They were given preeminence in the first earthly garden, where all was noble and sublime. Again when the earth was bathed and cleansed by an awful flood, many of the trees survived; but only a few of the men. See how they have been connected with the human race ever since the beginning of time. Note their relation to Adam, the first man to come upon the earth. And then how important they were in the days of Noah, after the inhabitants of the earth had been drowned. Noah and his small company were shut up in the arc for a long time. They saw no flowers, neither did they walk in the meadows, or sit beneath the shady trees to be fanned by the cool breezes. They were compelled to be content with staying in their little habitation, having all the world entirely shut out from their view. But this did not always last. The floods subsided; Noah sent forth a dove and what did it bring to the arc? Not a pearl not a valuable stone, it came back with an olive leaf. This is just what they wanted to see. What could have pleased them more? Their joys could not be expressed. They sang they spoke; they praised their creator. In other words they celebrated the coming forth of that one leaf.
Then how much greater need have we to be grateful? How much more reason have we to celebrate? The whole world is green about us.
Trees have an important place in the history of all nations. No one could ever forget how they aided Columbus in his discoveries which so altered and improved the destinies of thousands of men. How the twig and cane, came rippling on the water to great him, and tell as plainly as words could explain of the blessed land which lay some miles ahead.
The lion is the king of the forest. The trees are the monarchs. Too much importance can not be attached to them, for having a divine mission and being eager to fulfill their mission they have continued through all the ages, have spread throughout the earth and where ever conditions favoring their growth are found, have arranged themselves in societies to beautify the land. A poet once said:
Spring or summer, day or night,
The trees are an ever new delight.
They give us peace and they make us strong;
What wonderful balms to them belong.
So living or dying, I’ll take mine ease.
Under the trees, under the trees.
What a dreary world it would be without them, mountains deprived of forests would loose their charm and grandeur, a plain without hedge or grove would be desolate and dull. No one would care to live in a land devoid of vegetation. You might have wealth and you might have all else in the world, yet nothing could supply the lonesome deficiency caused by the absence of inspiring plants. We all sense the greatness of their mission and feel the joy of their presence. Therefore we endeavor to show our devotion by setting apart one day to sing their praise and speak of their beauties. We select one day of the most beautiful month and call it May Day.
But there are three months of spring. Then why choose May? Would not March do as well. No! She allows winter to steal her days and make them unpleasant with his fierce and chilly blasts; his showers of snow and sleet. We can not depend upon her. April is also un-trustful and deceptive. If we chose her we could expect nothing but an April fool. May is calm and delightful. Seldom does she pass without spending many warm and sunny days. Hence, she deserves the honor. And it is a very great honor, when the queen with her company and all her subjects, come out with words of greeting and songs of welcome.
What could surpass the excellency of the royalty today. If the fairy queen should enter in, she would quickly return to her woodland home, with drooping head, felling sorry that she had been excelled.
Our queen today can never forget this happy time. In years to come may she look upon it with pleasure, remembering the time she was made queen, the highest earthly honor that can be given to the gentle sex.
Likewise may the other members of her company as they grow old find the memory of this day indelibly written in their minds day book.
May Day may be considered as one of the greatest of times. It is a day among days. Who knows but that it has been the turning point in the lives of hundreds of our youth and maidens. It is always looked forward to by eager and watchful eyes. It has long been observed, and like the memory of the fiercest battle, the greatest hero or the event of the great day Christmas, may it never grow old.