Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-02-23
FLAG
WAS
RAISED
Celebrated EIdridge School
District Flag Raising
Hon. Hal D. Patton Makes
Presentation Speech and
ReCiteS History

HON. hal IL. ration, state central
committee for Marion county, YES
terday afternoon presented the Ed
ridge school, district No. 60, with ar
American flag, this school being the
first to comply with the conditions Of
his offer of a flag to the first Marion
county school to raise flag pole.
Mr.. Patton was accompanied by j. c.
Pettyjohn, A. G. Laurence, of the Port
land Journal, and E. G. Hogue, of the
Capital Journal. The party was hear.
tily received by Miss Campbell, and en-
ioyed hearing the scholars recite their
lessons, after which patriotic songs
were sung and a program rendered.
Mr.. Pettyjohn was called upon for a
speech, and delivered short address,
recounting his experiences as pupil in
country school, and pointing out the
advantages of scholar attending a
school in the country, which are not
enjoyed by city students.
Mr.. Patton then made the presenta-
tion of the flag with the following re.
marks:
"We are here today to celebrate two
events, Washington's birthday and the
raising of this flag, which L present to
this district. 1t is with pleasure, I as
sure you, that 1 am able to present this
school district, through you, this flag.
Long may it wavel Not as in years
gone by over nation part free, part
slave, but over land wholly and
gloriously free. Americans rightfully
claim that the most beautiful flag in
the world is the Star Spangled
Banner. 1t stands for, all that is just,
true and progressive in national gov
ernment. Over half million lives
have been laid upon the altar of
freedom, that the Stars and Stripes
might wave over united and peace
full people.
"I would like to say few words in
regard to the origin of the American
flag History does not tell us who it
was that suggested the Stars and
Stripes as the national emblem. 1t
would be interesting to know what
prophet stood up in the continental
congress Saturday morning, June IA,
l777, and called for the adoption of the
resolution which declared that the flag
of the l3 states be 13 stripes alternates,
red and white, and the union be l3
white stars in a blue field. When we
search for light as to who designated
the first flag, bearing the Stars and
Stripes, we again find history lacking.
It is alleged that congress appointed
committee of three, composed of
George Washington, Robert Morse and
George Ross, to design the emblem,
and these gentlemen called upon Mrs.
Ross and commissioned her to make
it. The story runs that General Wash
ington made an imperfect drawing OF
a flag with six-pointed stars, but upon
Mrs. Ross suggestion that five
pointed star would be more symmetric-
al. this was adopted by the committee.
The Stars and Stripes were first un'
furled in battle at Coaches Bridge,
where the citizens of Delaware have
now erected monument. The first sa-
Lutte to the flag was fred November l,
1777, by the French feet, when Captain
John Paul Jones sailed across the sea
with the new banner at his masthead.
The flag, you will observe, has now
more than the original l3 stars. This
is caused by the addition of new states
to the Union, a new star being added
for every new state.
I have in mind few stories of the