MINOT – At Minot Consolidated School’s secretary Jan Wilkinson’s call on the intercom, some 50 military veterans stepped from classrooms into the school’s long corridor and made their way toward the cafeteria for a lunch in their honor.

Two years ago, Josh Douglass of Auburn was driving a truck in Iraq, a member of the 619th Army Reserve, transporting supplies down roads that threatened to explode beneath his wheels.

On Friday at noon, it was a 50-foot walk from Ann Hobart’s kindergarten room hand-in-hand with his niece, Celeste Vincent.

For retired Minot dairy farmer John Hemond, the wait for this luncheon – and the walk – were much longer. Sixty something years ago, Hemond was a fireman stoking the boilers for the USS Oakland, an anti-aircraft gunship, as it plowed the waters of the South Pacific. John Hemond was the guest of his grandson, Travis Hemond.

“I thought we should do something for our veterans and that the kids should know why we have next Monday off,” said seventh- and eighth-grade social studies teacher Janice Rawson.

And learn the students did.

While the veterans were treated to a traditional baked chicken and mashed potato meal, there was ample opportunity before and after for the students to speak one-on-one or in small groups, with their guests.

George Scott Sr., Seth and Samantha Moulton’s great-grandfather from Dixfield, brought the Bronze Star he received when a private first class in the 254th Infantry Regiment, for action near Ensheim, Germany.

George Brainerd Jr. of Auburn, fifth grader Kate Lynn Davis’ grandfather, served in the Army’s 87th Division under General George Patton in France, Belgium and Germany.

And there were stories that changed lives in gentle ways.

Alvin Brandt grew up in Minnesota, joined the Navy in the late 1950s and, stationed at Brunswick Naval Air Station, married a local girl. He now lives in Auburn and was the guest of his granddaughter, sixth grader Hope Marchesseault.

For Minot native Donald Verrill, guest of his granddaughter Nicole Goguen, signing up with the Air Force in the 1950s meant training in electronics and a lifetime civilian career at the Telstar Station in Andover.

At the school assembly, held after a time for socializing, Minot students honored the veterans with songs sung by kindergarten through second grade classes, stringed music by Donna Berry and her grandson Bradley Sperl, and readings by seventh and eighth grade essay contest winners who wrote on what makes them proud of America.

Eighth-graders Travis Hemond and J.J. Power presented a slide show consisting of images taken from the Internet which showed action of WWII to the Iraq war, set to songs by Lee Greenwood, Toby Keith and Bruce Springsteen.

Noting that she was pleased with the day’s success in giving students a fuller understanding of the meaning of Veterans Day, Principal Margaret Pitts said, “We need to recognize that group of Americans. We’ll be doing this again next year.”