Old Glory

In a couple of days we’ll celebrate Flag Day. Well, “celebrate” probably isn’t the right word, because lately the day usually passes without much notice. That’s too bad, because the flag is a symbol of our country and should be treated with the respect that was intended and that it deserves. I hate to see any type of clothing made from the American flag.

Flags have been around for at least 3000 years. They are mentioned in lots of old literature and there a biblical references to “flag” symbols. Some believe that flag colors and symbols originated with the Chinese who consigned different colors with religion or philosophy.

We’ve probably all heard that the first American Flag (the flag we’re celebrating on Flag Day) was made by Betsy Ross. The fact is that there is no historical evidence that Betsy Ross made the first American flag – or – that she helped design it.

The fact is that there’s a lot not known about how the flag originated. There’s been a lot of speculation, but we really don’t know why the American flag contains stars and stripes, or why the colors red, white and blue were chosen.

The Star-Spangled Banner (the flag that inspired the National Anthem) was made by Mary Pickersgill in Baltimore in 1815 and had 15 stars and 15 stripes. In 1818, Congress enacted the third (and final) Flag Resolution, mandating that official flags would have thirteen stripes and one star for each state. Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 1815 but it didn’t become the National Anthem until 1931.

The idea of a national Flag Day was conceived of, and worked for by B. J. Cigrand, a small-town Wisconsin school teacher. Only one state (Pennsylvania) observes June 14 as a legal state Flag Day holiday.

The 50-star flag was designed by a 17 year old high school student, Bob Heft, of Lancaster, Ohio. He made the flag for his 11th grade history class in 1958. (He got a grade of B minus.)

During the manufacture of the flag, the material left over is never allowed to fall onto the floor (it always falls into containers.)

The flag planted on the moon is made of nylon and set in an aluminum frame.

Miniature flags of the 50 United States and 124 United Nations were carried to the moon and brought back to Earth. These flags were distributed by President Nixon to the governors of the states and the heads of the member nations of the United Nations.

There should never be guide wires on a flagpole. It must be free standing.

Happy Flag Day to everyone….
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