By By LYDIA GRIMES Feature Reporter
Brewton Elementary School honored local veterans Tuesday, Nov. 9, with a special program. Veterans were invited to attend and share their experiences and thoughts about the importance of Veterans Day.
American Legion Post 79 posted the colors after which the Brewton Elementary School Choir sang patriotic songs, including a solo of "America the Beautiful" by Elizabeth Althauser.
Speakers were Joe Dozier, Army veteran of Brewton and member of American Legion Post 79, and Jim Weaver, formerly of Brewton, and now of Seattle, Wash. Both speakers expressed their thanks to the school for having the program to tell students about the meaning of Veterans Day.
Weaver, who was back in Brewton for a visit, said that he was very glad to have been invited to attend.
Principal Deborah Marriott expressed her thanks to the veterans and the guests that attended.
Veterans Day became a holiday in 1938 as Armistice Day and was designated as Nov. 11 as that was the day the armistice was signed ending World War I. It was a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but as time and other wars came and went, the name was changed in 1954 to Veterans Day and was to be in honor of all American veterans of all wars.
The Uniforms Holiday Bill was signed in 1968, stating that most holidays would be celebrated on Mondays, including Veterans Day. This was not widely accepted and some states continued to observe the day on the original date. It was apparent that Nov. 11, was a day of historic and patriotic significance to many citizens, so in 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the law returning Veterans Day to Nov. 11, beginning in 1978.
Gov. Bob Riley encourages veteran employees to wear their uniforms on Wednesday, Nov. 10, which he has proclaimed "Honor Our Military Day." State employees will be allowed to wear their military uniforms on that day, he said.
Dozier said that the American Legion will have barbecue at the Legion Hall on Thursday, Nov. 11, following a ceremony of the laying of a wreath at Escambia County Courthouse at 9 a.m.