The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-12
HoNoRING THE FLAG.


ElOrtS 10 SpTeau Love LOT tne Nduohdl
Emblem-salutlug It.
New York Press: "only once in all my
service as school principal have
found 1t necessary in teaching United
States history to refer to the confeder-
ates us rebels and traitors"
The speaker was David r. Gaddis,
principal Of grammar school No. 81,
Amsterdam avenue and one Hundred
md Fourth street. He Ia a Grand Army
man and foremost among the principals
in teaching his pupils the salute to the
flag, and in forming the American
Guard. MIR. Gaddis also was tnstru-
mental in having stricken from the list
OF reference histories for the New York
public schools q southern history which
was outrageously biased.
II was telling my class one day." he
said, "of the reasons given by the
southern leaders, and especially those
who had held official positions in the
government, for their adherlng to the
cause of the south. l mentioned Gem
eral Robert Il. Lee, and said that he
| was brave man, but mistaken. In the
class was q Virginia girl who was
| somewhat nettled at my reference in
that way to the idol OF the south. She
| arose In her seat and entered protest
against what she considered my ungen-
erous remarks.
Then decided to call spade n
spade. said: I have spoken kindly
OF the south and Of her leaders, but the
truth is that when General Lee violated
| his solemn oath, as an officer of the
United States army, to defend his coun-
| try and the constitution, and turned his
sword against the Union, he was a
traitor and nothing less. have not
used this word before, and Will not use
It again, unless occasion compels me-
The young miss said nothing more.
II do not believe in fllnging at the
south the terms traitor and rebel but
generous words and feelings make those
terms none the less true
There was queer little incident in
! the school awhile ago arising out Of
the salute l have taught the pupils TO
| give the flag. There were two pupils
| here then who were sisters and from
| West Virginia. Their family evidently
had resented the making Of thelr state.
/ noticed that In passing the tlag as the
pupils flied down the room these girls
| did not salute. Thinking the omission
might be due to shyness or something
J of that kind. ] said nothing to them.
Y but asked teacher IL she had noticed
/ It. She said yes, and wanted to speak
to them. But ! made up my mind to
| deal with them In my own way.
when school was dismissed one OF
the girls passed me, and | called TO her,
| asking II her sister was around. She
was near and came to me at once.
"'That's Il beautiful flag / said,
pointing TO our big school flag. which
hung over the platform, It's our coun-
try's flag and thousands and thousands
of brave men have died in defense of
| II. Don't you think It fs an inspiring
! HIghtY Both said yes, and continued,
No matter what the differences have
been In the past, Il Is the nag now OF
| our united country, your country as
well as mine. Let's salute II every time
We march past II, girls, won't your
Both girls said they would, and they
did. Never again did they come down
the aisle with the rest In the morning
march without raising the hand in
salute"