MAHANOY CITY - Students in the Mahanoy Area School District received a lesson in patriotism, liberty, sacrifice and pride Monday.
The lesson wasn't taught in the classroom, however; it took place at Veterans Memorial Park for the annual Veterans Day program.
The students gathered around the memorial at Centre and Catawissa streets to watch and participate in the annual program conducted by the Mahanoy Area United Veterans.
Members of the Mahanoy Area Marching Band opened the program with the national anthem, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and remarks by United Veterans President William L. "Bill" Paul.
"On this day, Veterans Day, we are commemorating the services of veterans of all wars," said Paul. "We remember how men and women set aside their civilian pursuits to serve their nation's cause, defending the freedom of man and preserving our precious American heritage ..."
The opening prayer was offered by American Legion Post 74 Chaplain Paul Wilner. After additional comments by Paul, the Mahanoy Area High School Choir sang.
The two guest speakers were Edward Kleha, legislative aide to state Rep. Neal P. Goodman, D-123, and state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29.
"The original name for today was Armistice Day at 11-11-11 - the 11th month on the 11th day at the 11th hour," said Kleha. "Not only on Veterans Day or Memorial Day or Pearl Harbor Day should we thank our veterans. We should thank them every day for the sacrifice they made to give us the freedom we have today.
"Some made the ultimate sacrifice - their life. Others sacrificed their limbs and risked their lives for our freedom."
Kleha said he noticed a vehicle in front of him while driving Monday that had a sticker on the back that read, "My heroes wear combat boots."
"What an appropriate sticker for this day," said Kleha. "When too much emphasis is given to sports figures and entertainers and others as heroes, we sometimes forget who the real heroes are. Thank you, veterans, for all you have done for our countries. You veterans are the real heroes."
Argall brought something to the presentation that caught the attention of the students.
"Rather than a prepared speech, I brought an historical artifact," said Argall, holding up a scabbard, from which he drew a bayonet.
"I had an uncle from Shenandoah who brought this home with him from World War II. My Uncle Bill brought this home from Iwo Jima and Okinawa at the end of the war. I was told that those two places were the worst places to serve in the armed services in the last hundred years."
Argall said that when he was a youngster he wanted to know more about his uncle's wartime experiences, but he was told by his father not to ask his uncle about it because some of those experiences were so terrible.
"Today we're here to celebrate the people who are protecting us today, our active duty members of the armed forces, to thank them for what they are doing," said Argall. "We're here to thank our veterans for what they did, and in many cases like communities in Mahanoy City, to thank them for what they are continuing to do.
"Some of these younger folks in front of me will be veterans of the future, so perhaps we should thank them for what they will do someday to protect us from this (the bayonet) and much more technologically advanced weapons."
The program ended with the honor guard providing three-round rifle volley, followed by taps.
The students will get a history lesson on Dec. 7 when the United Veterans visit the school for the annual Pearl Harbor Day commemoration at 11 a.m. The local veterans have remembered the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941 with a program for many years.