Putnam patriot., 1913-06-20

appointed by the Continental Con-
gress went to consult him about
! colonial flag. They finally decided on
the Kings colors or Union jack
with thirteen stripes alternate red
and white This showed that while
! the colonists were loyal TO the king
they wanted their rights.
1t was also known as the Grand
Union Flag" and was hoisted BY
Washington at his camp at Cambridge.
Jan. 2. 1876, and was given a salute
of thirteen guns.
When the Declaration Of Indepeu.
dence was signed in 1T76 there was
| still no real national flag.
A year later, 1877, Congress appoint
ed a committee of three men, Gener-
al Washington. Robert Morris and
Colonel Ross to design a flag. This
| flag was to be an emblem of a free
and new nation.
The committee called urOn Mrs.
Elizabeth Ross, commonly known as
Betsy, whose home was on Arch 81.
Philadelphia. After the formal greet.
ings we're over, Washington showed
Mrs. Ross rude sketch Of the stars
and stripes. Mrs. Ross, who was
skilled with the needle, told the CON-
mittee that she would try and make
the flag. But there was one thing in
the sketch which did not suit her.
This was the stars. Washington had
made the stars x-pointed instead of
iye-pointed. Mrs. Ross told him that
the stars in the heavens seemed to
be five-pointed,- why not those on the
flag?
After some arguing, Betsy folded a
slip of paper and with one clip of the
scissors cut perfect five-pointed star
The committee was astonished and
consented to her plan. The stars
were then changed from six-pointed
TO f1ve-pointed.
When the flag was first made, the
stars were arranged in a circle white
on a blue field. In 1894 two stars
and stripes were added to the flag,
because of the admission of Yer.
mont and Kentucky into the Union. In
the year 1918 the flag was again
changed. Congress thought it best
to keep just the thirteen stripes to
represent the thirteen original colo
MES, and add just the star at the adj
mission of each new state. 1t also
adopted the plan of arranging the
stars in rows This second and last
alteration of the flag has been con-
tinued up to this day Now forty-eight
stars appear on the field of blue.
A tradition says that the stars and
stripes were taken from the Dutch
flag which had three stripes, red.
white, and blue. Another says that
they were made as a compliment to
Washington whose coat of arms con-
sisted of stars and stripes.
Orr flag was named "Old Glory" in
1881 by a Salem skipper, William
Driver. He was at that time captain
OF a brig. Just before the brig start
ed on its voyage Captain Driver was
given l"rge. beautiful American flag.
When it had been sent aloft and
broke out into the air, he christened
it "Old Glory"
Today there is not a country in
the world that does not know cold
Glory"
In China and Japan it is known as
the Flower Flag and We are known
as the People of the Flower Flag.
A bill has been introduced into Con
gress to protect the flag from desc
Grafton. This bill will prevent all
persons from using the flag for ad-
vertising purposes or as trade
mark or label. We ought to be proud
to know that our own state, Come.
ticut, has laws against the deseera-
ton of our flag.
What does this banner mean to
us? 1t inspires us to be loyal, brave
and true, laboring ever for the pro-
gress of our nation. Every star has
its story; a story of continual pro-
gress.
When we see our starry banner
waving in the breeze it reminds US
of the freedom we enjoy; of the lives
that have been given for its defense.
Many thousands of men have died in
the past wars. But today millions of
men are just as ready to defend the
Stars and Stripes.
Peace shall unite us again and for
ever
Though thousands lie cold in the
graves of these wars;
Those who survive chem shall never
prove, never
False to the flag of the Stripes and
the Stars"