Steuben Day Parade in Manhattan
Sept. 16, 2017 was a great day for a parade: parents and children participated in 60th annual Steuben Day Parade by sitting on the float of German-American School NY (and Long Island).
The school, parents and their children, grandparents and extended families are no strangers to this colorful event, in which our school has participated since 1985. The children sat on our float and waved enthusiastically to the spectators lining Fifth Avenue. Parents sat on the float with the children and encouraged them to wave to bystanders. Other parents volunteered to walk with the float whose theme is “Die schwaebische Eisenbahn.” Mr. and Mrs. Beutell, attired in authentic Bavarian Tracht (regional costume) walked in front of our float carrying the schools banner, followed by teachers and other parents – also in regional costume. Tobias Everke and his children Lena and Otto brought black, red, and yellow balloons and festooned the float with them. The Guarin family, attired in splendid regional costumes, walked with our float, while other children, such as Eric Hartmann, Andrew Mains, Mayumi Beutell, Ella Veith, Marcus and Mia Kreuzer, Sophie Cavalcanti, Alexandra and Elizabeth Roe, James Guarin waved to the crowds. Mr. and Mrs. Niebergall and their five children (Friedrich, Astrid, Ingrid, Heidi, Oswald), also wore regional attire and engaged with the crowd.
Of special interest was Margaret Eckert, the Kindergarten teacher at German-American School in the Franklin Square location: Margaret, a former Miss German-America had the honor of being on the Steuben Day Parade float for past holders of that title. Another student of German-American school, Denise Manukian, also held that title and was also on the float for formers title holders.
German-American School NY is very grateful to its children and their parents – all of whom gave up a Saturday to participate in this event. All of us hope that next year’s parade and float will be even better – perhaps with music on the float- and snacks for those who have a snack attack! Below are a few pictures from this year’s parade. (German-American School teaches German as a foreign language and is proud to say that parents and children from our three districts (Manhattan, Garden City and Franklin Square) participated in this year’s event.)
Why is it named Steuben Parade: here is what Wikipedia would say:
Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand Steuben (born Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben; September 17, 1730 – November 28, 1794), also referred to as the Baron von Steuben, was a Prussian and later an American military officer. He served as inspector general and major general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He is credited with being one of the fathers of the Continental Army in teaching them the essentials of military drills, tactics, and disciplines.[1] He wrote Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, the book that served as standard United States drill manual until the American Civil War.[2] He served as General George Washington’s chief of staff in the final years of the war.
