THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR

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WPCNR STARS AND STRIPES. Contributed by Carlo Albanese. Originally published  by WPCNR May 30, 2011:

Editor’s Note: Memorial Day weekend is almost always distinguished by melancholy weather conditions, weather reflects the tenor of the occasion. Carl Albanese of White Plains wrote this for WPCNR 11 years ago. I publish it again with respect.)

Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

“Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.” — General Logan – May 5, 1868

We need to remember with sincere respect those who paid the price for our freedoms; we need to keep in sacred remembrance those who died serving their country. We need to never let them be forgotten. However, over the years the original meaning and spirit of Memorial Day has faded from the public consciousness.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day.

There is also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, “Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping” by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication “To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead” (Source: Duke University’s Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920).

While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860’s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868.

It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states.

The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war).

It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 – 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis’ birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

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WILLIAM O’SHAUGHNESSY INTERVIEWING WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER AT HIS ANNUAL ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARTY ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY DURING HIS TRADITIONAL LIVE BROADCAST ON MARCH 17 5 WEEKS AGO –AN ANNUAL EVENT WHERE HE INTERVIEWED WESTCHESTER PERSONALITIES, FRIENDS, THE FAMOUS, EVERY YEAR WITH CORNBEEF AND CABBAGE AND UNFORGETTABLE ADLIB INTERVIEWS. HE WAS GOOD.

WPCNR MILESTONES. By John F. Bailey. May 28, 2022:

You had to listen to him when you heard his voice.

William O’Shaughnessy.

He commanded your attention like the greats, Murrow, Sevareid, Cronkite.

He had a smooth medium pitched delivery without excessive gravitas, that talked not at you but with you, as if he was talking with you in a conversation with a persuasion through reason that was Socratic in sequence. Interviewing Socrates will probably be first on his list on the Heavenly News Network.

He was the Voice of Reason when he delivered smooth, clear-cut reasoned, splendid essays and opinions on his own radio station.

An announcement that a William O’Shaughnessy editorial was coming up next commanded your attention like a bulletin.

You would not miss it.

His opinions were heard on Radio 1460 WVOX RADIO when Westchester County was turning into “The Golden Apple,” the sobriquet “Mr. O.” coined to uplift the county image and his radio station. He observed commented and convinced with his unique voice.

You heard his voice on WVOX Radio for 50 years since he had acquired the station in the late 1950s.

He invented a radio format of programs of local experts, professionals, politicians, lawyers who talked about local issues, problems, who interviewed persons on their shows and took telephone calls from Westchester residents who expressed concerns. That format is still operating today 7 days a week, 24/7 with relevant local talk shows during the broadcast day and music through the night.

While I believe all commercial radio stations in the tri-state area generally use syndicated programs now specializing in national issues, WVOX is a throwback to radio stations that were “your friend” your companion, which gave you local news, and locally known personalities–who cared. Those days are gone.

Mr. O’Shaughnessy promoted his station as not a jukebox, but a Voice of the People (Vox Populi).

I was invited to do a news segment on WVOX’s Good Morning Westchester 8 years ago. It was only 10 minutes, but I was honored because I have always loved radio. I had been doing the slot, and one morning after I was hanging around after the broadcast on the program. Mr. O’Shaughnessy came into the studio. He shook my hand and told me You’re good. You are very good.”

It was a highlight of my life I will always remember.

Mr. O’Shaughnessy liked people and it showed in his interviews with them. He is the best interviewer I have ever listened to.

He was perhaps Westchester County’s best known person who got along with the rich, the powerful, the activist, the business tycoon, and in his criticisms and opinions and interactions he never hurt and always even if he did not know you, he had the instinct for asking the question that you the listener wanted to ask. He mastered the adlib interview and interviews with persons he knew personally and when he did his marathon St. Patrick’s Day broadcasts, they were fascinating how he drew out persons with exactly the subject that excited them, and the listener would get excited too.

He wrote books that chronicle the history of Westchester the last 70 years: Airwaves, It All Comes Back to Me Now, More Riffs, Rants and Raves, Vox Populi, and Mario Cuomo. They are collections of editorials, essays and interviews he originally voiced on the air.

For 50 years, WVOX has reflected what is happening in Westchester and its towns and cities and it still did this week.

Mr. O’Shaughnessy never changed his philosophy and in More Riffs, Rants and Raves he has this wisdom to share as he leaves, but through his writings. And hopefully the immortal WVOX Radio Westchester will always have.

Here is Mr. O’Shaughnessy’s philosophy:

“Even in this high-tech, speeded-up, cyber day and age, radio is still the medium closest to the people.

It thus has a very special and intimate relationship with the poor, the lonely, the hurting, the misunderstood, the disenfranchised in our society.

A radio station achieves its highest calling when it resembles a platform, a forum for the expression of many viewpoints. And when it aspires to be more than a jukebox, radio can make a community stronger, better, even sweeter than it is.”

William O’Shaughnessy did that.

Services at Lloyd Maxcy, 16 Shea Place, New Rochelle, NY. Tuesday, May 31^st from 3:00- 7:00PM. Funeral Mass on Wednesday, June 1^st, 11:30 AM at St. Anthony of Padua, 49 South Street, Litchfield, CT, Monsignor Tucker, presiding.

Bill and the O’Shaughnessy Family will be grateful for contributions to the Broadcasters Foundation of America, a national charity whose work and Noble Mission meant so much to WO and those hurting and almost forgotten colleagues in the broadcasting profession: The William O’Shaughnessy Memoriatiml Tribute Fund c/o Broadcasters Foundation of America, 125 West 55^th Street, New York, NY 10019 c/o Tim McCarthy and Jim Thompson, co-presidents, 212-373-8250. http://broadcastersfoundation.org/donate/

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WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG. ANY TIME

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The absence of the POW-MIA flag was noticed Monday by Carlo Albanese Commander of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 1038 below right who brought the absence of the flag to the attention of the city and the city promptly raised the POW-MIA flag to its traditional place in time for Memorial Day Weekend.

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Dear WPCSD Families and Staff,

As we all struggle to comprehend the murderous evil that befell the innocent children and adults in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, we must stand together to continue to support and protect our children and community. This heinous act of violence occurring just a week following the horrific act of hatred and violence in Buffalo, NY.

While our hearts are heavy, we have a responsibility to collectively reinforce that our children are safe and secure, while simultaneously take the necessary steps to continue to increase our safety and security efforts in and around our schools and community.

In the WPCSD we are working collaborative with the White Plains Department of Public Safety in order to provide increased vigilance across our district and community.

Additionally, we are also making additional supports available for our children and community members at our schools, and we will continue to do so as our community members process and work through this horrific tragedy.

While we do not have all the answers, we do know that our connectedness, positive relationships and partnerships help to both provide support and a safe, secure environment for our community members. Of course, this is our primary objective. If we can be helpful or supportive in anyway, please reach out to us immediately.

Respectfully,

Joseph L. Ricca, Ed.D.