The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-01
THE STARS AND STRIPES.
How Our Great National Banner Came
into Being.


into Being.
The early history of our great flag il
very interesting.
1t is a matter of record that during
the early days of the revolution the
colonists made use Of flags of various
devices.
1t is nowadays generally accepted as
fact that the final idea of the Stars
and Stripes as national flag was bor
rowed from or suggested by the coat of
arms of Gen. George Washington's fam
lily.
In the spring of 1777 congress APP
pointed committee authorized to
design suitable flag for the nation"
This commit tee. seer1s to have con-
sisted of Gen. George Washington and
Robert Norris. They called upon Mrs
Elizabeth Ross. of Philadelphia, and
from a pencil-drawing by Gen. Wash
ington engaged her to make flag. Mrs.
'sBetsv" Ross was a milliner whose
principal customers were the Quaker
ladies. She came from good colonial
stock. The story goes that during this
call at that little old building at $50
Arch street. Philadelphia. Gen. Wash
ington, after explaining his drawing
to Betsy Ross. directed THAT the stars
should be six-pOinted ones. Mrs. Ross
objected to this. and argued that the
stars in the sky seemed to have but five
points. Follow ing her argument by
practical demonstration. she folded
piece of paper. and with single clip
A.
pointed star. This was too much for
the committee, and without further ar.
gument Betsy Ross prevailed.
This flag. the first of NUM- Der she
made, was cut out and completed in the
back parlor of her little Arch street
home.
It Ewas the first legally-established
emblem. and was adopted by congress
June "A. 1777, under the act which pro-
vided for stripes alternately red and
white. with union of thirteen white
stars in field OF blue. This act read
as follows: Resolved, That the flag
Of the [ nited States be thirteen stripes,
alternately red asd white; that the
Union be thirteen stairs, white in a
blue field. represe uting new con-
stellation."
Words in those days were few-ac-
tons were rapid and spoke loudly. In
May, 1777, congress made an order on
the treasury to pay Mrs Ross eli l2s.
Cd. for flags for the feet in the Della
ware river. and contract to make all
government flags
Because of the admission of YER
mont ard Kentucky, the flag was
changed by an act of January ID, 1924.
which provided that after May /. 1926.
the flag of the United States should
consist of fifteen stripes and fifteen
stars.
But in 1s1sthe flag was re -esta blished
as thirteen horizontal stripes, alter
nately red and white, the Union to con-
sist Of twenty stars, white in blue
field, one star 70 be added TO the Union
on the admission of every new state;
such addition to be made on the Fourth
day of July succeeding such admission.
This flag went into effect July 4, 1915.
and remains the present regulation ma
tional mblem of the United States OF
America.
OF the colors in the flag is not without
interest.
Red IS supposed 10 represent courage
and Divine love: white. integrity Of
purpose, truth and purity: blue, stead
fastness and loyalty.
The quaint two-snda-hal. story
dwelling on Arch street for more than
two hundred years has withstood time
and the elements. and though threat
ened with destruction from fire and
modern building innovation. still stands
an eloquent monument to Betsy Ross
and 20 the American Sag.
The very bricks Of this old house
came over as ballast II the hold Of the
Welcome william Penp's ship. ard 4
were placed n position under the SUI
pervisioa OF William Penn himself. -
ST Nicholas.