Most people believe that the patriotic cus tom of placing a flagpole on the schools and floating the flag during the schOol hours is of recent date, but in May 1812, at Colrain, Mass., on Catamount Hill, a flag-raising program was carried out on the school grounds where a newly chopped pine tree served as the Liberty Pole. Three of the men who helped to rear the natural staff were shortly afterward en listed in the second war with England, giving the occasion a most patriotic atmosphere Respect or Reverence for The The flag, like the cross, is sacred. Many people employ the words or term °Etiquette of the Flag." This expression is too weak, too super ficial and smacks of drawing-room politeness. The rules and regulations relative to human attitude toward national standards use strong, expressive words, as, 'Service to the Flag,* °Respect for the Flag," 'Reverence for the Flag,* °Devotion to the Flag," "Behavior Towards the Flag.' For centuries the flags of nations have been saluted by individual and organized civic or military bodies. In the United States the salute with right hand, while the person stands at attention, is the common and accepted method. The uncovering of the head is also recognized as a salute. Placing hat above the heart or hand on left breast is also esteemed reverential.
Pledges of allegiance offered to flags are of antiquity, and the British government exacted a form of loyal expression of our colonies in particular. Our nation has been slow to adopt any definite pledge aside from an oath of alle giance, but the change the writer made, in 1898, gives the pledge a definite and distinct expres sion, as binding as an oath and leaves no doubt in the mind of either the listener or speaker that the pledge is to the American Flag and not my flag; this version is accepted by State superintendents of instruction, boards of educa tion and civic. societies and lodges.
The important word capitalized, impress the allegiance and it reads: "I pledge allegiance to the AMERICAN FLAG, • and to the REPUBLIC for which- it stands: One NATION, indivisible, with LIBERTY and JUSTICE for all." Meaning of the Colors.— The three ele mental tinctures Red, White and Blue, have a definite meaning. The Continental Congress has (see GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES) bequeathed the following actual definition, as the writer found in 1889: White signifies Purity and Innocence; Red, Hardiness and Valor; Blue signifies Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice.
The foregoing sentence, designating the meaning of white, red and blue, sets aside all guess-work or unnecessary calculation; it is explicit, definite and expressive.
Positions for the In the United States and her possessions, the American flag always goes to the right of all flags, foreign or domestic. Even in the parade at the inau guration of a governor, the State flag is to the left of the Star Spangled Banner In memorial or funeral parades the flag may he either dip ped, or dropped forward or may have a shroud tied about it as it is wrapped about the staff. While in military or civic parades it should be held on a staff raised at more than 45 degrees and on the staff may float beneath the flag a pennant denominating the character of the regi ment or division.
Dimensions of Original Representative American Length, 12 feet; width, 7 feet 4 inches; width of each stripe, 63 inches; stars, 3% inches from centre to points; blue field, 47% inches wide, 60 inches long; two one half inch blue field between point of star, out side line of flag• 134 inch canvas binding.
Use of the In order that a flag may be printed in printers' black ink, and still in dicate the tinctures or colors it possesses, heralds of modern times have devised a simple yet perfect system which aids us in the study of national flags.
Horizontal lines indicate blue or azure.
Plain surface, without any marks. is white or argent, Perpendicular lines indicate red or gulea.
Dotted or spotted indicates gold or or. Lines crossing indicate black or sable.
Lines from right indicate green or vert. Lines from left indicate purple.
The right aide of the shield is on the viewer's left.
In their regular heraldic order with heraldic terms, they are white, argent; yellow, or; red, guiles; blue, azure; black, sable; green, vert; and purpure, purple.
The National flag should not be used as a red flag of danger; as a warning to automobiles at crossings, or at danger spots in the street or roadway. The American flag is not a token of "danger," it is rather a °sign of safety?) In bad or stormy weather it is considered unkind to permit the flag to fly. Use a smaller and less costly one for such weather if you feel you must, because of the occasion, fly your colors. The only place where in times of peace the flag may float all night is at the grave of Francis Scott Key, to make always true his famous lines: °Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there." In battle it may wave night and day. The flag may float over the House or Senate as long as they are in session.
The flag which Key wrote about floated at the Fort McHenry, Baltimore. It was 30 feet square, had 15 stars and 15 stripes; the stars measured two feet from point to point. This same flag is government property and he wrote the poem while the battle was raging, 13 Sept. 1814. (See FRANCIS Scorr KEY). Key's poem The Star Spangled Banner) is the National anthem, made so by executive orders from the Navy and War Departments. The song, (The Red, White and Blue,) by Thomas Becket of Philadelphia, in another popular tribute to our colors. The poem, 'The American Flag,' classic picture of its purpose, was written by Joseph Rodman Drake in 1819. (The Flag of Our Union) was written in 1851 by George P. Morris, journalist. Later poetic contributions are The Flag Goes By,) by Henry H. Ben nett, and 'My Flag and Your Flag,' by Wilber Nesbit. While the most popular march com nosed in honor of the flag comes from Lieut. John Philip Sousa, entitled (The Stars and Stripes Forever.) The one hundredth anniversary of the birth of the American flag was observed on 14 Tune 1877 in Philadelphia and Boston. See FLAG. DAY.