Veterans Day: Speakers, Music, and … ‘the boxes’

November 12, 2015

Wilbanks Middle School in Demorest hosted a community-wide Veterans Day program Wednesday. Here, veterans are escorted into the ceremony by members of Future Farmers of America.

The last painted scene in the darkened middle school gym

showed a large American flag in the background,

and the profile of a war-uniformed pilot, saluting –

with the words “VETERANS — We Salute You”

written in gold.

The Veterans Day Program at Wilbanks Middle School honored all veterans Wednesday, including the school’s namesake, Capt. Hilliard A. Wilbanks. He was “a true hero,” said Habersham School Superintendent Matthew Cooper, in his remarks to seated veterans, students, teachers, and guests in the school gym. Cooper said that speaking at the school each Veterans Day was “a highlight for me every year.”

“It’s a time to pause…to pause and be thankful…” he said. “…Thankful for veterans – thankful for veterans who are alive and with us, and for those who have passed on.”

He spoke from the podium in the school gym. Veterans from all five branches of the Armed Forces were seated in black chairs on the floor. Both of his grandfathers had been veterans, and he praised World War Two veterans – 16 million men and women known as “the greatest generation,” who likely “saved the world from Hitler and the Empire of Japan.” He asked for all World War Two veterans seated in the gym to stand – adding that most would be “in their nineties now.”

One veteran began to stand slowly, then another – and then, all the veterans seated in the gym, all the students, all the teachers rose to their feet and applauded the elderly gentlemen in the group.

Cooper said “thank you” to all the veterans of all wars – young and old – adding that “bravery doesn’t mean you’re not scared, it means you go anyway.”

Hilliard A. Wilbanks Foundation
Board member John Borrow told the audience Wednesday that the Hilliard A. Wilbanks Foundation provides scholarships to students who may be recognized for their academic or athletic skill, or who may demonstrate the “character” of Wilbanks.

Wilbanks served in the Air Force during the Viet Nam War, Borrow said, and he once piloted his airplane to warn a group of Army Rangers who were in immediate danger of being ambushed. He fired the guns in the airplane, then he changed to firing his own gun to keep the enemy from attacking the Rangers. He died of injuries he sustained in the heroic action of defending the Rangers, and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. “Courage, patriotism, and sacrifice,” as well as “commitment and loyalty” are traits that describe the character of Captain Wilbanks, Borrow said.

Special Guests
Rep. Terry Rogers and Mrs. Pat Wilbanks DeWitt, sister of the late Captain Wilbanks, were present Wednesday to recognize, thank and honor Vietnam veterans who attended the Veterans Day ceremony. Approximately 20 Vietnam veterans, from the group of nearly 60, stood and moved to the podium. They were awarded lapel pins and carnations, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war. That war ended May 15, 1975.

Tributes

An a cappella rendition of “God Bless America” was presented by the Middle School’s chorus, and the school’s band provided music throughout the ceremony – including the Marches of the Armed Forces. The five branches of military service were recognized as the band played the anthems for the Marines, Army, Coast Guard, Air Force and Navy. Veterans who were members of each branch stood, as their march was played by the band. Often, as their march was played, the standing veterans of one branch could be seen nodding their heads and smiling, to the music that was “theirs.”

Essays on the meaning of freedom were read for the veterans ceremony by students Cara Ebers and Andrea Phommavongsy. Then, small groups of students – each one standing before the veterans, speaking in unison, then moving – recited a choreographed message for the veterans entitled “We Give Thanks.”

“The Boxes”

Then the lights in the gym went dark. One line of focused light appeared, showing two long tables on the floor of the gym. Two lines of nearly 25 standing students could barely be seen on each side of the gym. Each student was holding a large, empty cardboard box. A retired Veterans Day tradition had been revived.

The two lines of students walked quickly from opposite sides of the gym – to modern patriotic background music – toward the tables. As two students reached a table, in the meager spotlight, they placed their boxes in specific places on the table, with only one side of the box facing the veterans. That side was painted. Gradually, as more and more students walked forward, placed and stacked their boxes on the long tables – with just one decorated side forward – a painted scene begin to appear on the cardboard facing forward.

The first scene was a professionally painted mural. It showed, in color, the profile of an American eagle, with the word “COURAGE” in gold letters. Background music played.

Students in lines walked and removed their boxes, replacing them with another side showing. The second scene was a familiar profile picture of uniformed soldiers on a hill of rock, leaning together while hoisting an American flag. The word in gold lettering said “SACRIFICE.”

The next painted scene formed when the box sides were changed was a billowing American flag in the background, the Statue of Liberty in the forefront. The gold letters said “PATRIOTISM” in that scene.

Students changed their boxes again, in the near-dark, patriotic music playing, and the spotlight then showed the scene of the billowing American flag again – this time with the in-profile silhouette of a uniformed soldier saluting. The gold lettering on the last painted scene said “VETERANS – WE SALUTE YOU.”