A Day of Honor and Remembrance

Campus community observes Patriot Day

September 11, 2007

Admiral Dennis C. Blair, Diane Blair, Elke Durden and President William Durden placed a wreath at the base of the flagpole.

At exactly the same time and on the same day—Tuesday, Sept. 11—the Dickinson community gathered under a steady rain to observe the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

The annual Patriot Day remembrance ceremony, led by the Dickinson College Army ROTC, was held at the flagpole on the John Dickinson Campus. During the ceremony, the ROTC Color Guard raised the flag and then lowered it to half-staff while "Taps" was played by bugler Dr. Donald Roeder.

Denny Hall's bell then tolled three times, once for each of the Sept. 11 sites. Assisted by cadets, President William G. Durden '71 and Elke Durden placed a wreath at the base of the flagpole, assisted by Admiral Dennis C. Blair, Omar Bradley Chair in Strategic Leadership, and his wife Diane.

Cadet Todd Donaldson, a senior at Messiah College, sang "Amazing Grace" and Director of Religious Life & Community Service John Miyahara closed the solemn ceremony with a brief prayer.