The Irish standard., 1893-04-15
THE MINNESOTA STATE FLAG.

sign of star points, with the North Star,
significant of the North Star state, in a
group of three at the top.
The choice of the number 10 is a Pc
Early happy one, as Minnesota was
'+"enth state, after the original
e'>.' Ne admitted into the union.
y = . -. ;,her designs submitted to
:, m -.-.A, ! !, board employed forty
t5ur stars, suggesting the number of
states in the union, but the choice was
not so well liked, as this had reference
to national and not a state matter,
and would be subject to constant
change. The use of thirty-two stars,
suggesting shat the state was the thir-
ty-second one admitted to the union,
was discarded by the designer, from
the fact that the thirteen original states
having been admitted together, the
rank of Minnesota was more fairly
shown by counting it as the nineteenth
after the colonial states. The standard
of the flag was surmounted by golden
gopher, and tied with a gold cord and
tassel. The execution of the design is
entirely in needlework.
The thorough and careful work Of the
designer is evident, and the auxiliary
may we'll feel proud in it's results. Mrs.
Center was also the artist of the model
of the auxiliary and the frieze of the
state building.
The flag awarded the second prize of
$40 was designed by Frank B. Hickman
OF Anoka. 1t has white ground bear
ing scarlet star, representing the
North Star state, with the points out
lined in gold and the state seal in the
center surrounded by thirty-two stars
on blue ground. A wreath of wheat
includes the points of the star. At
either side are the dates 1880" the
time when the state was first visited by
the whites, and 1855"
The third prize was awarded to Miss
Ada White, of Minneapolis. 1t was an
especially dainty and artistic piece of
work, but did not meet the require
ments of the flag. 1t has, however,
been adopted by the state commission
for a cover for a book on the state ex-
hibits. The front of the flag is of blue
and the lower part of red. In the upper
right hand corner is the state seal in
the center of star, and on the left side
the figure of an Indian maiden, beauti-
fully painted, standing on a spray of
moccasin flowers and wheat.
The designs We're called for at the re-
quest of the committee in charge of the
women's building. The purpose is to
decorate the assembly hall with flags
from all the states. Mrs. F. l.. Green
leaf was chairman of the committee to
secure designs, and her assistants were
Mrs. A. A. White, of Moorhead, and
Mrs. Edward Durant, of Saltwater.
The committee arranged the details OF
the matter and called for designs, and
in the interim between the call and the
decision occupied the time in the study
Of the subject of flags. The profound
research involved is not evident to the
uninitiated, but became patent to the
committee after weeks of patient re-
search in private and public libraries.
The designs came quick and fast, and
when the woman's board met in st.
Paul the last Tuesday in February to
examine them and make the amends it
was found that there we're almost q
hundred. The decision was not an easy
one to make. The women Of the board
were mostly present, as the men Of the
state committee were not invited to
take part. Mrs. Greenleaf, the chair
man Of the committee, was in the chair,
md was thus deprived of both voice
md vote ia the matter.
The following is the descript OF
HShe uccessffu q 1as, as submitted to the
y lIllI.,