VETERANS

Today is Veteran's Day. It used be called Armistice Day, after the treaty that was signed in a railway carriage on November 11, 1918, in France - effectively ending World War I, at least on the Western Front.

President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the FIRST Armistice Day one year later on November 11, 1919. An act approved on May 13, 1938, made November 11 the legal holiday - "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'"

In 1953, Al King, an Emporia, Kansas shoe-store owner had the idea to celebrate all veterans — not just those who served in World War I. So he began his campaign to turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. Mr. King received the backing of then-U.S. Representative Ed Rees and a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed the bill into law in 1954 and Congress officially re-named it Veterans Day.

Locally, Sunday night there was a concert at church featuring barbershop quartet, men's chorus, Christian Life School choir, kilt-weaing/bagpipe-playing firemen and various soloists honoring veterans in our city.

Then - this morning - Christian Life School put on a nice tribute to veterans in music, pledges, honors and tributes. Very nicely done.

We are blessed.