The National tribune., 1894-04-19
THE FLAG SALUTE.
An Object-Lesson to the Deaf Mutes in
Higher Patriotism.

Higher Patriotism.
"There's language that's mute; a silence
that speaks"
And on Wsshington's Birthday, at the Ill-
nois Home for Deaf Mutes, silence spoke when
Comrade Wallace Foster stood before that
silent army of boys and girls, and with large
silk flag before him gave the flag salute.
Comrade Foster is himself totally deaf, hav-
ing lost his hearing in defense Of his country.
He has not learned the sign language and had
to have an interpreter. With his friends he
communicates in writing only, as be cannot
hear a word they say.
1t was a beautiful sight to see many silent
boys and girls listening, through their eyes,
to the silent story SO eloquenty told by this
brave defender of the flag. And still more
beautiful will be the sight when the deaf
mutes not only of Illinois, but of the army of
$1,000 distributed among the nearly 100 insti-
tutions of the United States, shall salute the
flag every morning and unite in vow oft re-
peated and solemn: We give our heads and
our hearts to our country"
Could Aristotle have witnessed the joy on the
faces of the Illinois deaf mute children when
Comrade Foster gave them the flag salute aud
explained it to them, he would not have assert
ed that the little deaf Child was incapable of
education, and Lucretius, the Latin poet, would
not have written:
To instruct the deaf no art ever reach
No care improve them, and no wisdom teach.
AMERICAN FLAG SALUTE.
In explaining the flag salute Comrade Foster
said:
How then can you best express your respect
and love you bear for your country? By
giving to your country in return for all these
benefits and gifts the best you have and that
is your heads and hearts. Your head is the
seat Of your mind and intellect; your heart ia
the fountain of your affections and love. These
are your dearest possessions. God is love, and
gives you all these blessings, therefore it is
right that you should recognize, first of all, the
Ruler of the Universe-the Almighty God
Hence you give yonr heads and your hearts to
God first and your country afterward SO that
your institution shall be brought very close to
the Creator, and His Spirit shall abide with you
day by day and make you better and happier
for it,
The symbol of the Nation is the National
flag, the grand old Stars and Stripes. 1t stands
for your homes for this institution of educa-
ton, and for your country. The honor OF the
Nation is the honor of It's flag. and thus we do
honor to the Nation in honoring the flag
The mark Of respect among all nations is
uncovering the head; the expression of love
| is to touch the heart. Hence in the salute YOU
are taught to say-as you touch first your fore
heads and next your hearts-"We give our
heads and our hearts to God and our country"
are gathered together to enjoy the inestimable
blessings which America offers, it is right aud
| just that American principles, the American
language, and the American flag should be
| supreme over ali others, aud We should give
our allegiance to them. So We complete the
| salute with the words Zone country! One
langusgei One fag!"
This mark Of respect and love we feel for
God, our country, and our flag, we call "The
American Patriotic Salute" aud the boys and
| girls who enlist in the cause and use the salu
are loyal volunteers in the Grand Army of
| Patriotic Americans" marching shoulder to
shoulder in the cause of Liberty, Freedom and
Independence, with the dear old flag at the
head OF the procession, keeping step to the
music Of the Union.
BADGES OF PATRIOTISM.
| Col. George T. Balch, Auditor of the Board
of Education in the City of New York, and the
acknowledged leader in the great movement to
introduce the flag salute and patriotic instruc-
ton into the schools of our country, public and
private, State and National, has his work we'll
| In hand.
As early as 1890 he published volume on
Methods of Teaching Patriotism in the Pub.
| lie Schools" compiled from an address deliv-
cred before the teachers of the Children's Aid
Society of the City of New York. In this work he
| points out how the symbols of the sovereignty
and power OF the Nation-its coat-of-arms and
| Its hag-can be combined in the form of a
badge for daily use in every school, and how
the National ensign in the several forms of
scholars Gag. class flag, school flag, and signal
flag can be made to play an important part in
the cultivation not only of the minor virtues
| OF punctuality. order, neatness cheerfulness.
obedience, trnthfulness, and studiousness, but
of those higher and nobler traits of character /:
generosity. integrity, frmness, humanity, mag
nanmity. intrepdity, and loyalty, of which
true patriotism is the crown and sum and go.
insensiby TO the child. elevate its thoughts and
mind through the constant use and continuous
training Of the highas and best attributes of