1997 Miracle Yearbook

Eric Fiveland ckEtr2Etr2tETIY29 fmE&2a EnflitEdJr(En The voice of Professor of Music Dr.James Matson wel- comed Cedarvillefaculty,staff andstudents,aswellasarearesi- dents, to the annual Memorial Day Chapel on May 26. Each year,theCollegeremembersthe overonemillionAmericanswho have died in war-time military activity. This year's multi-media per- formanceincorporatedthetech- nological capabilities of the JeremiahChapel. Professor of Music Michael DiCuirciledtheband,comprised mostlyofSymphonicBandmem- bers, in John Philips Sousa's "StarsandStripesForever."Dr. Dixonremindedthecollegefam- ily ofthe 2,000 American men andwomenwhodieeach yearin militaryservice."Withthepass- ing ofdecades,weforgetthose whohavefought,lived,anddied for whatwehold dear,"hesaid. RetiredAirForceMajorGen- eralClydeAutioofferedaprayer before each Armed Services gy GnIanay j-tOtle -k branch washonored.Tothetune ofeach branch's song,current and retired military men and women marched to the stage. With many wipingtears,there- mainderofthose in the audito- riumrosetotheirfeetinastanding ovation.Themilitary personnel ledthecongregationinthePledge ofAllegiance.A United States flag covered the back wall,and under it hung the flags ofeach militarybranch. UnderthedirectionofProfes- sorofMusicDr.LyleAnderson, the Men'sGleeClubsang"The Star-SpangledBanner."Whilethe servicemenandwomenreturned totheirseats,theGleeClubsang Irving Berlin's "God Bless America." FollowingthiswasaReader's Theaterstyleddrama,which com- bined chamber theater, choric speakingandperformancestud- ies.JuniorsJason Kandel,Sara Romang and Chris Vitarelli, sophomoreBeckyCrosson,and freshman Jeremy Brown re- mindedthecongregationofthose wholefttheir personallivesfor military dutyin ordertodefend thecountry.Thefocusshiftedto the Vietnam Memorial,and the audiencewasaskedto"listento thevoices."Thegroupportrayed children,wivesand parentswho read heart-touching letters to men killed or missingin action. The letters and pictures were taken from the book,Shrapnel in the Heart. Senior trumpeter Chris Pagnard moved tothecenterof the stageto play"Taps"before theMen'sGleeClubperformed "GodBlesstheU.S.A."Follow- ingthis,thebandbegan playing "America,theBeautiful";theen- semble joined, and American landscapes wereflashed on the screen. Dr.Dixon closed the service withprayerandextendedaninvi- tationtoacceptaspersonalSav- iortheGodnamedinthesongs. Eric Fiveland mznioliaf day cgapef 43