Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-26
Flag Day.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:

TO the Editor OF The Evening Star:
I desire to call attention to Commissioner
Macfarlands mistake he has made with
reference to Flag day. which appeared in
Fridays Star.
Flag day. or the day following It, June
Is. will be universally and publicly OBJ
served in the District of Columbia, 1t has
| been ever since 1t was instituted here by
| the Woman's Relief Corps. 1t was first
observed in the District Of Columbia on
June IA. 1895. Public exercises were held
in the First Presbyterian Church, which
| was packed to the doors. Those taking
part in it were the Woman's Relief Corps.
the Grand Army of the Republic. the Sons
of the American Revolution and the Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution. Since that
day we have had Flag day celebrations in
various churches every year. These exer-
cises are attended by audiences which are
only limited by the capacity of the build
ings We have never asked penny from
the public. but have paid for the decora-
lions and all other expenses by approprta-
ton from our own funds. We have the
Marine Band to play for US. no Secretary
| Of the Navy ever having refused us this
boon.
Commissioner Mcfarland refers to the
exercises in the public schools. There were
no Flag day exercises in the schools on
| Flag day until instituted by the Woman's
Relief Corps In 1895: Since then the Grand
Army of the Republic has taken up this
particular work. A Grand Army man Is on
/ every school program.
There were no flags over the school
houses Of the District of Columbia until
the Womans Relief Corps of this depart
| ment drafted bill, introduced 1t in Con-
gress and pushed it through, appropriating
$1,000 to buy flags for the school houses.
! This was done first in 1885, Up to that time
! IL flag foated over a school house 1T was
through penny collections from the pupils
of the school.
The Woman's Relief Corps had infinite
trouble to get flag poles erected on the
oh md for fUvn y-a
kept our committees on the alert to watch
each day that the flags were kept flying.
We often went to school houses to ask why
the flags were not up, and found them
poked away among the oil cans under the
stairways. Now we are proud to make re-
port to our national convention each year
that through our personal efforts the flag
floats daily above every school house in the
District Of Columbia.
While 1t is true that the American Flag
Association Is making splendid efforts to
spread education In flag lore, desire to
state also that this association Is younger
by three years than the patriotic commit
tees of the Woman's Relief Corps. and that
we have over 10000 of our $780, members
actively engaged in this particular work Of
spreading patriotism, bringing about OBJ
servance of Flag day, and inducing schools
to observe the day with special exercises.
In closing would like to ask why 1t is
that the men who preserved the flag In its
unity. end kept it clean to make its ami
versary worth celebrating. have been left
entirely out of the Independence day exer-
cisesT do not see that member Of the
Grand Army of the Republic is mentioned
on a single committee. What would the
| flag have been worth today had 1t not been
for them?
/ do not see that a single Organization of
patriotic women Is recognized on the indie
pendence day committees. Have the wo-
men of this country done nothing for the
ISABEL WORRELL BALL.
Assistant Patriotic Instructor. Department
of the Potomac, Woman's Relief Corps