Editor's Note: This address was given by Dr. Joan Fleming, a member of the Prescott Unified School District Board, on Memorial Day at the Citizen's Cemetery. Yesterday was the 4th of July, the celebration of the birth of our country. But, these special holidays should not be the end of our gratitude for those that have gone before us. Dr. Fleming's words encourage us to remember our patriotism, not just on a holiday here and there, but every day.

Patriotism -- what is it? There is a very short definition in Webster’s -- patriotism is a love for or devotion to one’s country. The question today is, how do we teach patriotism?

When I was growing up during World War II that was easy. We were in a war and all of us, if we weren’t ourselves in a service, had friends or relatives who were. Even as civilians we were personally affected -- for example, we could buy only 2 pairs of shoes a year, we needed red points to buy meat, we had to turn in a used toothpaste tube in order to buy a new one. I’m sure many of you here today remember those years. My dad took us in to Boston many times to watch soldiers parade. He was also an air raid warden and had to go out in the neighborhood whenever the air raid sirens sounded in order to make sure no lights could be seen in the houses. All of these things fostered patriotism.

Since World War II we haven’t had a national event that brought the whole country together patriotically. Yes, we’ve had other wars since then, Korea, Vietnam, Iran and now Afghanistan. For many citizens these were and are unpopular wars.

As we reflect on our home town, Prescott, we realize that we are very patriotic. Think of the parades we hold. We have the VA and this cemetery, We have ROTC units in the schools and colleges. We have very active service clubs, such as the Lions and Rotaries. We have a moment of silence in each morning in the public schools. The election process is taught. We have school assemblies where the ROTC color guard presents the US and Arizona flags and the Pledge of Allegiance is said. We have patriotic events on the Plaza. We say the Pledge before many meetings including our school board meetings. The list goes on and on.

Memorial Day was first called Decoration Day -- a day to honor Union soldiers who fought in the Civil War. After World War I, it was extended to honor all Americans who have died in all wars.

I believe it is appropriate today to remember the words Abraham Lincoln spoke at the dedication of the national cemetery on the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg: “It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.”

Let us each resolve here today to always be grateful for the freedoms we have in the United States of America and remember those who fought to keep them for us.