The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-07-23
THE OLD FLAG.
Eugenla Wheeler 6off Lectures on
Patriotism.


Patriotism.
Eugenia Wheeler Golf lectured at
the Methodist church on "The Old
Flag" last Friday evening. The
church auditorium was filled with lis
teners. The lecture was free, the
speaker having been sent out by the
Department of Public Instruction to
stir up patriotism among the teachers
at the training schools and others who
may be interested.
Mrs. Golf is on the summer side of
life and a very pleasing appearing
lady. Her face is sharp, penetrative,
wearing an expression of determin-
ation-yet, when the speaker commen-
ces conversation, or during the same,
the pleasant, inviting fame of interest
casts its rays over the determined
countenance. Her voice can properly
be determined musically eloquent. It
is distinctly feminine, and even in it's
highest flights of oratory, not trace
of masculinity can be detected in it.
As she sends forth that spark of pat
riotism which thrills through the hui
man body, it is either during high
or low fight-never at an intermedi-
ate point, although she interests in the
common conversational tone.
The church was fitted for the occas-
ion Friday night. The chancel, the
railings, the pulpit, the organ, the
choir rest, we're all wrapped in heavy
robes of the National colors. Over
the 3pulpet streamers we're suspended,
Portraits of Lincoln and Washington,
robed in the red, white and blue, peer
ed out at the audience. On the left
side the flag of John S. Marsh Post
was given conspicuous position. In
front two stacks of arms we're stand
ing-a campfire reminder. On the
left the students at the training school
we're seated, while in the center John
S. Marsh Post members and W. R. G..
members sat in body.
The opening proceedings consisted
of singing and recitation by Miss
Elizabeth Bissell, the latter entitled
"Marys Night Ride" Mr.. Race then
introduced Mrs. Goff, who, he said,
had been sent out to inspire training
school students with patriotism. Mrs.
Golf had just assembled the platform
and made her bow to the audience,
when the curfew rang from the hose
house just across the street. She
stopped, counted the taps, apparently
understood the nine, and then with a
smile, passed on with her remarks.
She stated that the object of the
training school was to increase the
knowledg ge of the teacher, the teaching
of good citizenship and patriotism.
She then told of teacher who would
not allow commemoration exercises of
Lincoln's birthday in her school be-
cause she did not like Lincoln, That
teacher, she said, had been stricken
from the roll, and was no longer a
teacher in Minnesota. The teachers
who held memorial exercises we're the
ones that we're reelected. It is the
wish of the superintendents that we
have more teachers who teach more
patriotism. State Superintendent
Pendergast, she said, was the only
superintendent in the United States
who has the work of teaching patrio-
tism carried on in the schools. Mrs.
Golf then told of the origin of the flag
from the time the first explorers touch
ed American soil until the present
day, illustrating her remarks by means
of chart. She told how each flag
gave place to a new one, each one re-
tanning the original colors, red, white
and blue. At the time of the revolu-
tionary war there we're many kinds of
flags. In 1777 the flag consisted of Is
stripes and l3 stars the latter repre-
senting the Ii states. In 1894 there
we're two more stars added. On July
4, 1918, the flag contained 13 stripes
and 20 stars and after that one star
was added for every new state. On
July 4, '96 there we're As stars in our
field of blue.
Mrs. Golf then spoke of the firing