Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1902-06-05
Special Flag Day Letter to Department
Presidents and Corps Presidents.

HEADQUARTERS WoMAN's RELIEF
CORPS AUXILIARY TO THE GRAND
AMRY OF THE REPUBLIC, BRAD
FORD, VERMONT, MAY 20, 1902.
DEAR PRESIDENTS:
Strenuous effort is being made this
year to create a general observance of
the Birthday of Our Flag, on Saturday,
June IA. 1t is earnestly requested that
every corps make special celebration
of this day and also endeavor to interest
the school authorities to arrange appro-
pirate exercises for the preceding day.
Every corps member is asked to dis
play the flag on her own home on Flag
Day and to interest her neighbors so to
do in order that we as Auxiliary to the
Grand Army of the Republic and united
with them in the furtherance of all pa
triotic endeavor may be recognized as
those who stand for our glorious flag and
the grand and undying principles of lib
erty and honor for which it is the one
true emblem.
Because of its grand sentiment and
stirring patriotism, corps presidents are
asked to use in their Flag Day program,
the following:
AN ADDRESS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
June IA will be the 125th anniversary
of the birthday CT the United States flag.
When II is considered what it has cost
to give birth to this flag, what it has cost
to maintain it and what it means to this
nation and to the world, there is no honor
too great that should not be conferred
upon it.
Our flag was born in the throes of lib
erty, wounded in the battles of freedom
and sanctitied in the cause of humanity.
1t should be honored for all the securi-
ty it guarantees; all the mercy it pro-
claims; all the power it implies.
1t is the flag that has been ever raised
in honor and never lowered in disgrace.
1t is the flag that represents liberty of
thought and religious right, and floats
today, beautifully lowering in the breeze
around her Cuban protege, protector
ate against ''man's inhumanity to man"
The flag that gracefully waves in the
Orient, a respected monitor in the &C.
lestial Empire, guiding the world in the
solution of divine problem, remonstrat-
ing against avarice and admonishing
against treachery.
as an advertisement of merchandise nor
displayed for idle purpose.
1t isSsacred! 1t is sublime. Next to
holy Writ it should be our guide, stand
| ing for the equality of man, and of woman
to man. 1t is now the peace-maker be-
tween hitherto domestic foes. 1t is a
guard against foreign interference. 1t
forgives the past and points to the future,
grandly; with more grandeur than our
provision can encompass. 1t is the flag
| of our reunion. The flag of the new
possessions which Providence has be-
slowed. So let the American people,
with one hand on the casket of the Gold
en- Rule and with the other saluting the
emblem of our liberty and strength, do
honor to our banner as it stands for 10y.
atty between ourselves and the elevation
of all mankind.
AS the day dawns on June IA let the
morning breeze kiss the futtering flag
from every house-top, and as the school
| bell sounds the assembly hour let there
be glad hearts among the children as it
is made their festival day to sing praises
to the flag and to cheer it as it floats in
| the air above a token of their noble
birth.
Every school may fittingly honor this
day with special exercises as day OF re-
joicing, adopting program suitable to
the OCCASION
Prayer,
! Salute to the flag,
National hymns,
Addresses by soldiers and patriots,
Flag drills,
Quotations from orations on the flag,
Ringing of bells.
Every child waving flag and possess
| ing it for himself as a treasure to be adj
mired and revered. There are no school
children too young to love the flag, none
too old to be ashamed of it. Patriotism
| is sentiment-an emotion, capable of
being cultivated to a high degree by in
spiration. 1t is not an incentive to mill
tary action with tendency to war, rather
a promoter of peace, and no nobler senti-
ment can be created than love for the
flag, which is the, mantle of Columbia
standing in the foreground reckoning to
the oppressed of all mankind to come I'M
der the folds of the robe of love, there to
dwell in harmony and security in this
land of peace, the Canaan where the wan
| 6arar nav raSt tha nnnracSaA find raIiaf