Each year around Memorial Day, the Douglas community remembers those who have died in wars. The program includes a sing-along, a band performance, original student poetry, and a guest speaker. Students (coordinated with the classroom teachers) are encouraged to wear poppy stickers or simple craft poppy flowers–a tradition started many years ago to honor fallen soldiers. The remembrance poppies allude to the opening stanza of the famous poem, “In Flanders Fields,” by John McCrae:
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.