The National tribune., 1908-06-25
FESTIVAL OF THE FLAGS.
A Whole Week Of Celebration md Cere-
monies In Honor of the Birthday Of
the FIag-The Grand Array the Center
of Attraction In the Schools

monies In Honor of the Birthday Of
the FIag-The Grand Army the Center
of Attraction In the Schools.
was whole week long and then some.
The High Schools began celebrating
on Wednesday. and the last ceiebra-
ton of the day was given by John
A. Logan Post and Corps on the night
of June 10. The people of the city
looked quite decorated with all the
flags flying. and oratory. songs and
recitations We're the order of the day
and night.
The Patriotic Instructor of the De-
partment of the Potomac. G. A. r.. Col
Perham, assigned veterans to almost
every school house in the District of
Columbia, and took care in the selec-
ton to send comrades who would make
speeches that the pupils would care to
listen to. 1t is too often the case
that men are assigned to speak in
the schools who simply bore the chill
dren and do not impart any knowledge
of interest to anybody. 1t is unfortu-
nate when this is done, for Flag Day
is day that should receive universal
attention from all, and particularly
should children be interested in the
men who preserved the flag and kept
1t free from stain, but il those veterans
talk on embarrassing subjects or upon
subjects beyond the comprehension of
the children, it is worse than useless
to assign veterans to the schools.
Comrade Perham, finding that Mrs
Isabel Worrell-Ball. Past Department
President of the District Woman's Re
lief Corps, was a prime favorite in
the schools of the District, where she
first introduced the flag work in 1895.
asked her to accept assignment upon
the Grand Army list, and Mrs Ball
states that she did her best to demean
herself as an "officer and a gentle
man." while filling the assignments.
Mrs. Julia Mason Layton, recently
Department Secretary. was given the
responsible honor of making assign
ments for the colored schools, and at
request of pupils Mrs. Layton and
Mrs. Julia Collier spoke in two or
three of the schools. Mrs. Laytons
enforced removal from the staff of the
Department of Potomac, W. r. c.. is
sincerely regretted by a majority of the
members of the Department as she
was considered one of the very bright
est members upon the staff There
is no colored woman on the Depart
ment staff for the first time in the his
tory of this Department.
Department Commander Walker
spoke at one OF the High Schools on
Flag Day, and at the Department W.
II. U. tAeICiStS- Inc department. fItSl-
dent, Mrs. Newton, also spoke. The
program was arranged by the Depart
ment Patriotic Instructor, Mrs. J. EN-
ma Evans, and was fine.
Phil Sheridan Corps, the baby Corps
of the Department, organized by Mrs
Ball last year, had splendid exercises
under the leadership of Mrs. Lucyl
Weaver, the Patriotic Instructor, Who'll
is serving her second term. Col. John
McElroy was one of the speakers. One
of the pretty features of the evening
was the flag drill by the Isabel WorreII-
Ball Flag Association, Mrs. Christine
Walton Dunlap. President. and the
John A. Logan Girls Flag Brigade.
There We're about 60 ladies' in U ain
wearing white and carrying large flags.
The drill was very fine, the drill master
being Mrs. Elizabeth Robbins Berry,
of Boston. Past National Press Cor
respondent. These two associations
were called out eight times during the
week of June Il. and their work is
considered extremely picturesque and
pleasing. They were at the exercises
at the dedication of the Betsy Ross
flag at The Key Mansion. and were
photographed to appear in a historic
picture of the occasion. They We're
also invited to two or three churches
to take part in the exercises there
Mrs. Ball, for whom the larger asso-
ciatlon is named. took part IN the pro-
gram as a speaker at all places where
the two associations took part.
John A. Logan Post and Corps had
delightfully."- patriotic exercises in a !
flag decorated Methodist Church, att
which both the Department Com
mander and Department President
spoke. The two flag associations gave
drill, and Mrs. Ball gave a talk on
the flags that wave over the country |
before Old Glory was born.
Other Corps to hold flag exercises
were o. p. Morton. and Chas. Sumner.
Thomas and Farragut Corps held joint
exercises. 70 80 ''''-' |
A note of warning should be sound
ed in the interest of Flag Day. This
one of the days of the Woman's Re
lief Corps should receive different /
treatment from almost any other
anniversary. 1t is the desire of the
Womans Relief Corps to inculcate
love of the Flag and an interest in
patriotic work among those people who
have never really accepted the Flag,
and who feel that they owe allegiance
to another banner. 1t was decided
long, long ago, that on Flag Day ALL
rancor should be eliminated from
speeches. and that while we hold true
TO the men who preserved the Flag,
we must not invite to Flay Day cele !
brations the lovers of the lost cause
and then insult them. One of the
SpeakerS(St one of the Corps cetebra- !