05/25/2026
For Memorial Day 90 years ago, students involved in the Middlebury Peace Council organized a Memorial Day Peace Parade from the Soldiers Monument opposite the Town Hall to the West Cemetery. Read the text of the flyer (photo 1) below, and see the May 27, 1936 "Middlebury Campus" article (photo 2).
MEMORIAL DAY 1936
Eight million five hundred thousand men of all nations were killed in the last war. Tomorrow America will commemorate their sacrifice; not only to America but to all nations. At the same time the question will arise; Have they died in vain?
The answer lies in us: the students, workers, professionals and veterans united in a common front against the war-makers, prejudice, yellow journalism and political leaders who will not lead. Memorial Day is an opportunity to express that the unity of thought in action by showing the peoples of the world, who also morn their dead, that their dead and our own have not and will not be betrayed.
Memorial Day 1936 has thus a deeper significance than heretofore. The issues are plain: a demonstration of solidarity on our part with the soldier dead who fought our fight. It is this solidarity alone which can ever check the war-mongers and reactionaries who vote ever larger war budgets in the midst of starvation; who instigate loyalty oaths and military training. It is this demonstration of unity alone which can turn into action the words and sentiment for Peace of the mass of students workers and professionals and serve as another blow in the struggle of the people for Peace.
Saturday, May 30 at 9:00 A.M. the Memorial Day Peace Parade will form at the Soldiers Monument opposite the Town Hall and march to the West Cemetary. Rev. Raymond Hall will speak on "The Significance of Memorial Day"; while Emory Hebard '38 will give the student's viewpoint.
The High School, Graded School, Rutland Fife and Drum Corps and the Town Band will participate– THE COLLEGE MUST SHOW ITS RECOGNITION OF THE ISSUES AND LEADERSHIP IN THIS STRUGGLE BY FULL PARTICIPATION. Buttons and armbands will be worn.
MIDDLEBURY PEACE COUNCIL
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE JOINT PEACE COMMITTEE.