The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-02-15
TO DEMOBIL|zE SERVICE FLAGS
Washington's Birthday Fit ting Occasion for Cere-
 mony, Says A.C. Breul.

blluSSpOlL IS plepdTluS lO ueliOp- ilize it's service flags with 1tting cere- monies. Community Song Leader Alvin c. Breul is asking that the form of service as suggested below be fol- lowed out wherever possible:
 MT. Breul says "The service flag has personality. It is a definite, con- crete, touching emblem of the service and the sacrifice that the men of America have made for the preserva- ton of the world. It would be not only a pity, but a real loss If it should gradually disappear, weather beaten, tattered and Unnoticed
 '-The service flag has been the one central emblem that has represented the sons, the brothers the fathers, and the sweethearts of those who have remained behind. In many ways it is flag fully as symbolical as the flag that has been fought for and that now rests in our museums It can be made a sacred flag, to be preserved and cherished. Eyes without numbe2 have looked upon the flags and have seen in the stars those who have gone to battle. The gold stars stand out as the emblem of the supreme sacrifice.
 Let us designate the period in which Washington"s birthday falls, as fitting occasion for the ceremony of the 'demobilization of the service flag On Friday, the Fist, the schools will be holding Washington's Birthday programs. Community singing should be given an important place on these programs. The children should sing the songs the boys have been singing in the army and over there The home songs should be sung So far as possible returned soldiers should speak at the various schools upon the l occasion. The ceremony will be lack ing in completeness in which there is no word from a returned soldier or sailor Names of the men who have graduated from the various schools l during the recent years and who have ] entered the service should be read. 1 On this same day (since the next 1 day, the 22nd, will be a holiday,) l department stores, office buildings banks, industrial institutions and fra l ternal orders might well have the eX- | ercises of the "demobilization of the | service flag" as in the case of the i schools. On Sunday the 23rd, the i churches should have their Washing | toms Birthday celebrations whicf l should consist largely of community singing and the "demobilizatfon of the service flag" am suggesting the | following program which can be modified to meet various situations America.
 Ten minutes of Community singing in which could be several war songs ia home song, and some new wei come home" song.
 Address by civilian-not to be long CT than ten minutes in duration.
 Ten minutes response by one 1T the service, or one who has recent! | been discharged.
 Solo.
 Ten minutes of Community sing ] ing.
 Fifteen seconds of silent tribute tt the men who have fallen.
 Consolidation of the service fias stars for those men who have re ! turned home or who have died. l Prayer.
 Community singing, ending will Home Sweet Home" and the "Stal Spangled Banner"
 Only those stars of course will be "demobilized" which represent either death or discharge from the service The demobilization services will be repeated several times during the year.
 If there are gold stars on the ser vice flag, Is seconds of reverent si, Ience should prevail before which thu service stars should be pointed to Prior to the period of silence the names represented by the gold star! should be read. As each star i: crossed by the bar the name of tht person represented by that sta1 should be read If there are no golt stars on the service flag they should be placed upon the service flag or this occasion, if any of those wht have been represented on the service flag have died Until the army is de
 mobilized there should be at time
 "service flag demobilization" at blocl
 parties, churches, office buildings, de
 partment stores, fraternal orders high schools, colleges, and at ever!
 place where there Is a service flag These ceremonies should be held a
 intervals of from two to four months
 and preferably on holidays or me
 morial days.
 At these ceremonies there shoult
 be some recognition of wounded men
 by spoken word. The bar should b.
 as long as the extreme width of tn
 star and about one-quarter as wid
 io 1opO