The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-06-14

BETSY ROSS, THE MOTHER OF THE FLAG"
!. with which the American people regard
the flag of their Union and the patriotic
woman who designed it.
OF the observances on Flag day none
are more beautiful and impressive and
more eminently proper than the flag
ceremonials in the public schools. These
are now feature of the day in most
. large cities in the United States, as also
in towns and villages and even in coun-
try schools
All the early battles of the Revolution
were fought without the inspiration of
recognized general standard. The
troops of the various colonies had flags
Of different patterns, according to local
! fancy or accident. Those of New York
used one resembling in general features
that of the Dutch republic, those OF
Connecticut displayed red one bearing
the motto of the colony, those of South
Carolina chose one known as the pal
mettO, and the first fleet that put TO sea
hOisted flag with ID alternate red and
7 white stripes, with red and white cross
' eS on blue square in the upper corner.
1t was not until June IA, l777, that
common flag for all the colonies was
adopted. In that year congress, then
sitting in Philadelphia, named COM
mittee to design a suitable flag for the
nation. General Washington, Colonel
!. Ross and Robert Norris were members
= Of that committee. They were acquaint-
ed with milliner named Mrs Betsy
Ross, who conducted her business at 239
Arch street, Philadelphia, and whose ar
tlstic taste and deft hands gave promise
OF furnishing what they required. They
repaired thither and informed Mrs.
1 Ross of what they wanted.
y General Washington, with his scru-
pulous attention to details, told her
now 1t must be made, but wanted six
pointed stars in the union. Mrs. Ross
protested and said that five pointed
stars were easier to cut out and would
look better She carried her point and
was permitted to make the flag accord
r ing as she had suggested. The money
PAID to her for making this and other
nags amounted to about $40.
on June Ii of that year congress
auopted the flag made by Betsy Ross as
.ne national one Of the United States
0Oy the following resolution: "That the
nag OF the 10 United States be 1s
Mipes, alternate red and white; that the
union be IL stars, white ON blue field,
iepresenting new constellation.
though the flag was adopted by con.
eiess at that time, over ii weeks went
" Ueiore that body made the fact pub.
az on Sept. 3 a formal announcement
was made and the first public display
:. inc nag was made soon afterward by
.aui Jones' the famous naval hero, who
sn ~ up to the masthead of his brig,
.uo Ranger then at Portsmouth. He
euen put to sea and carried the starry
fought contest.
4 Inc design Of this flag, the 10 stripe.
tVpresenting the ID original colonies,
=; %Hile a star is displayed for each state
'ne Union, remains TO this dav
~, Hnicn makes the American flag one Of
s". oiuesG now in use by leading ma
nr vao VI the world. The design of tin,
p ans British flag was adopted i'm 1901
!. ~ ~ 'uat OF Spain in 1885. The tricolor OF
na ,ence was first used in 1894 and tn,
Cor'~ lai nag OF Portugal in 1880. Tn,
tba, os nag was adopted in 1871 ant
'"as OF Italy in 1S4S.
q Vn May /, 1895, tho number of stripe
II 's 80 american flag was increased {,
Tb;s - as 10 match the number of stars
4 tuclr was done on the admission of Ken
.Nro,y and Vermont into the Union
,tr;na. 100 to 1918 the flag had II
YEAR rt - ana 10 stars, but in the latte,
"a A. Sne number of stripes was reduced
Cd sro original ID and so it has remain
al, s put natural that the generation
Ia 10. .Or the flag Of our country shoult
yom Partially reflected upon the patrioti
disnla. VINO first made 1t possible {.
emanc;n - 70 the admiring gaze Of nj
wss olpated people Mrs. BETSY Ros
Of ~. o. . heroic parsonage In any sens
tentiopss rm, but simply q quiet, unprs
her bus woman. thrifty and mindful O
4 the c ~uslness and devotedly attached :
liz oause In which her husband Loot hi
'u ior which others Of her friend