Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat – By Hartson Dowd and Mary Carter Mizrany

June 14, 2006

    Flag Day    

When : June 14th

Hartson Dowd

Flag Day, is a day for all Americans to celebrate and show respect for our flag, its designers and makers. Your flag is representative of your independence and your unity as a nation.....one nation, under God, indivisible. Your flag has a proud and glorious history. It was at the lead of every battle fought by Americans. Many people have died protecting it. It even stands proudly on the surface of the moon.

Americans, have every right to be proud of their culture, their nation, and their flag. So raise the flag today and every day with pride! 

Properly Display Our Flag

There is a right way and a wrong way to display the flag.  The American flag should be held in the highest of regards. It represents your nation and the many people who gave their lives for our country and our flag. Here are the basics on displaying  the American flag:

• The flag is normally flown from sunrise to sunset.
• In the morning, raise the flag briskly. At sunset, lower it slowly. Always, raise and lower it ceremoniously.
• The flag should not be flown at night without a light on it.
• The flag should not be flown in the rain or inclement weather.
• After a tragedy or death, the flag is flown at half staff for 30 days. It's  called "half staff" on land ,and "half mast" on a ship.
• When flown vertically on a pole, the stars and blue field , or "union", is at the top and at the end of the pole (away from your house).
• The American flag is always flown at the top of the pole. Your state flag and other flags fly below it.
• The union is always on top. When displayed in print, the stars and blue field are always on the left.
• Never let your flag touch the ground, never...period.
• Fold your flag when storing. Don't just stuff it in a drawer or box.
•  When your flag is old and has seen  better days, it is time to retire it. Old flags should be burned or buried. Please do not throw it in the trash.

Did you Know? There is a very special ceremony for retiring the flag by burning it. It is a ceremony everyone should see.Your local Boy Scout group knows the proper ceremony and performs it on a regular basis. If you have an old flag, give it to them. And, attend the ceremony. 

Famous Flag People:

Betsy Ross was a seamstress who made clothes for George Washington. In June, 1776, Washington approached her to make the country's first flag and the rest is history.

Francis Scott Key Inspired by the British bombardment of Fort McHenry, Francis Scott Key penned the lyrics to our national anthem as he witnessed the event as British rockets whizzed in the air while our American Flag flew in the breeze

Did you know? If you like to study flags, then you are a Vexillologist!

More Information:

The History of the Flag

Francis Scott Key

Betsy Ross

Flag Rules and Regulations

How to Fold the Flag

Flag Day information and sound

Flag Etiquette and Holidays

Celebrate Holidays in the U.S.A.

Flag Day June 14

Education World Flag Day Includes lesson plans

Fun Stuff:

Flag Day Word Search Puzzle

Flag Guessing Game

UN Flag tag Game

Flag Trivia Impress your friends with what you know about the flag.

            On June 14, 1885, the first official observance of Flag Day was held at a country schoolhouse at Stony Hill, near Waubeka, Wisconsin, when a schoolteacher named Bernard Cigrand had his students honor the symbol of their land.  In the years that followed, he sought publicity in newspapers, magazines, books and lectures, advocating a day on which Americans would pay tribute to the flag.  Finally, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the national observance of Flag Day.  Since then the old schoolhouse has been restored and a bronze plaque placed there honors the memory of Dr. Cigrand.

Hartson Dowd

hsdowd@telus.net

Contributions from Mary Carter Mizrany: musingsbymary@aol.com

These are submissions to celebrate Flag Day, June 14, 2006:

"OLD  GLORY"

There are sure to be recognitions and programs all
across our nation in celebration of Flag Day,
Wednesday, June 14th.

Displays will be awesome and patriotic. . . without a  doubt.   
Perhaps you will attend a parade or other festivity in
consideration of Flag Day.

The original  "Old Glory" (nick~named thus  by Captain William Driver,
a shipmaster of Salem, Massachusetts in 1831) found its final
place of honour in The Smithsonian Institute, after 14 years
of  service;  to which it was donated by either his niece
or granddaughter.

The anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 was  proclaimed
by President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916.
However, not until August 3, 1949, did President Harry Truman,
sign an Act of Congress designating June 14th ~ to be
celebrated yearly as National Flag Day.

When I was growing up, Betsy Ross,  was given credit for
creating the first American Flag.    Since that time, no one
knows with absolute certainty just who was its first designer.
Credit has been given to Francis Hopkinson ~ although
controversy still exists there may have been other designers
involved.

From the original flag of  thirteen stars,  through the years,
to our present 50~star flag, "Old Glory" (affectionately
called) has been representing our country with beauty and
dignity.   Upon a field of navy blue now proudly sit 50 white five-pointed stars, presenting our 50 states.
Thirteen stripes ~ 8 red/5 white . . . complete the flag.

White signifying purity and innocence,
Red:  valour and heartiness, and
Blue:  the color of the Chief
(broad band above the stripes) signifying perseverance,
vigilance and justice.

So worthy is The American Flag, a pledge of allegiance
was written in honour by Francis Bellamy of Rome, New York.
Throughout  the years,  this Pledge of Allegiance has been changed
three times.   The original pledge was accepted, May 18, 1939
as follows:

" I pledge allegiance to my Flag,
and (to) the Republic for which is stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all."
("to") was added in October 1892

The next modification took place on June 14, 1923,
at the First National Flag Conference held in
Washington, D. C., as follows:

"I  pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all."
(In 1924, "of America" was added.)

The Allegiance we pledge today had the words:
"under God" incorporated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower,
June 14, 1954.  President Eisenhower stated:
"In this way we are reaffirming the transendence of
religious faith in America's heritage and future;  in this
way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual
weapons which will forever be our country's most powerful
resource in peace or war."

"I  pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all."

Through every war in which our country
has been involved, this precious banner ~ "Old Glory"
has flown and continues to proudly  wave ~ ~ ~
o'er the land of the free
and the home of the brave!

Each time my eyes fall upon that magnificent
display of "Old Glory" waving in the wind, a lump constricts my
throat accompanied by  tears stinging my eyes.    My memory
takes me to the first parade I attended in downtown Houston, Texas.
I was no older than five years, sitting upon the shoulders of
my daddy.   When the Star~Spangled Banner began to play,
I felt a teardrop slide down my leg.   I  reached my hand down
to daddy's  eyes.  Sure enough,  tears were rolling down his
face as I heard his trembling voice singing those precious words:

"Oh, say, can you see
by the dawn's  early light,
what so proudly we hail'd
at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars
through the perilous  fight,
o'er the ramparts we watched
were so gallantly  streaming?

And the rockets red glare,
the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night
that our flag was still  there!

Oh, say, does that
star~spangled ban~ner  y~et wave . . .
o'er the la~nd of the free
and the home of the brave?

Tattered and torn;  cursed, spat upon, ripped to pieces, burned and
abused, still flying  in all its  glory proudly representative
of  the nation that honours her.


I give thanks to God for blessing our country with abundance.
So proud,  am I, to pledge my allegiance to this beautiful  flag.
Long may she wave !

Let  Freedom  Ring!!!


**********************************************

"These are submissions  to celebrate Flag Day, June 14, 2006:

"OLD  GLORY"

There are sure to be recognitions and programs all
across our nation in celebration of Flag Day,
Wednesday, June 14th.

Displays will be awesome and patriotic. . . without a  doubt.   
Perhaps you will attend a parade or other festivity in
consideration of Flag Day.

The original  "Old Glory" (nick~named thus  by Captain William Driver,
a shipmaster of Salem, Massachusetts in 1831) found its final
place of honour in The Smithsonian Institute, after 14 years
of  service;  to which it was donated by either his niece
or granddaughter.

The anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 was  proclaimed
by President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916.
However, not until August 3, 1949, did President Harry Truman,
sign an Act of Congress designating June 14th ~ to be
celebrated yearly as National Flag Day.

When I was growing up, Betsy Ross,  was given credit for
creating the first American Flag.    Since that time, no one
knows with absolute certainty just who was its first designer.
Credit has been given to Francis Hopkinson ~ although
controversy still exists there may have been other designers
involved.

From the original flag of  thirteen stars,  through the years,
to our present 50~star flag, "Old Glory" (affectionately
called) has been representing our country with beauty and
dignity.   Upon a field of navy blue now proudly sit 50 white five-pointed stars, presenting our 50 states.
Thirteen stripes ~ 8 red/5 white . . . complete the flag.

White signifying purity and innocence,
Red:  valour and heartiness, and
Blue:  the color of the Chief
(broad band above the stripes) signifying perseverance,
vigilance and justice.

So worthy is The American Flag, a pledge of allegiance
was written in honour by Francis Bellamy of Rome, New York.
Throughout  the years,  this Pledge of Allegiance has been changed
three times.   The original pledge was accepted, May 18, 1939
as follows:

" I pledge allegiance to my Flag,
and (to) the Republic for which is stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all."
("to") was added in October 1892

The next modification took place on June 14, 1923,
at the First National Flag Conference held in
Washington, D. C., as follows:

"I  pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all."
(In 1924, "of America" was added.)

The Allegiance we pledge today had the words:
"under God" incorporated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower,
June 14, 1954.  President Eisenhower stated:
"In this way we are reaffirming the transendence of
religious faith in America's heritage and future;  in this
way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual
weapons which will forever be our country's most powerful
resource in peace or war."

"I  pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all."

Through every war in which our country
has been involved, this precious banner ~ "Old Glory"
has flown and continues to proudly  wave ~ ~ ~
o'er the land of the free
and the home of the brave!

Each time my eyes fall upon that magnificent
display of "Old Glory" waving in the wind, a lump constricts my
throat accompanied by  tears stinging my eyes.    My memory
takes me to the first parade I attended in downtown Houston, Texas.
I was no older than five years, sitting upon the shoulders of
my daddy.   When the Star~Spangled Banner began to play,
I felt a teardrop slide down my leg.   I  reached my hand down
to daddy's  eyes.  Sure enough,  tears were rolling down his
face as I heard his trembling voice singing those precious words:

"Oh, say, can you see
by the dawn's  early light,
what so proudly we hail'd
at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars
through the perilous  fight,
o'er the ramparts we watched
were so gallantly  streaming?

And the rockets red glare,
the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night
that our flag was still  there!

Oh, say, does that
star~spangled ban~ner  y~et wave . . .
o'er the la~nd of the free
and the home of the brave?

Tattered and torn;  cursed, spat upon, ripped to pieces, burned and
abused, still flying  in all its  glory proudly representative
of  the nation that honours her.


I give thanks to God for blessing our country with abundance.
So proud,  am I, to pledge my allegiance to this beautiful  flag.
Long may she wave !

Let  Freedom  Ring!!!


**********************************************

"AMERICAN  FLAG  SPEAKS"

I am the flag of AMERICA,
proudly waving the red, white & blue;
my stars represent the UNITED STATES,
to her I shall ever be true ~


I've been placed in the hands of parents,
felt their hot tears, my colors stain;
as they hugg'd me to their bosoms,
for their losses, in deep grief & pain.


Have flown over  raging battles,
seen  horrors I  cannot  repeat . . .
heard  'Charge" and the bugle's resonant 'Taps'
that  will  never  resound  "Retreat"  ~



Tatter'd, belittled,   despised  &  abused
by  enemies, as well as,  my own . . .
ground into dirt, spat upon & burned
are just some indignities I've known ~


I've been draped over Crosses amany,
For too many years to recall;
Representing a land and its losses,
with Freedom & Justice for all.

I've been tatter'd, cursed & burned,
setSo proudly my colors, the red, white & blue,
With honor and strength I shall wave;
o'er the land I call mine, the Great USA,
The Home of the Free and The Brave !

Mary Carter Mizrany
March 11, 2002Copyrighted.
All rights reserved. "

I am the flag of AMERICA,
proudly waving the red, white & blue;
my stars represent the UNITED STATES,
to her I shall ever be true ~


I've been placed in the hands of parents,
felt their hot tears, my colors stain;
as they hugg'd me to their bosoms,
for their losses, in deep grief & pain.


Have flown over  raging battles,
seen  horrors I  cannot  repeat . . .
heard  'Charge" and the bugle's resonant 'Taps'
that  will  never  resound  "Retreat"  ~



Tatter'd, belittled,   despised  &  abused
by  enemies, as well as,  my own . . .
ground into dirt, spat upon & burned
are just some indignities I've known ~


I've been draped over Crosses amany,
For too many years to recall;
Representing a land and its losses,
with Freedom & Justice for all.

I've been tatter'd, cursed & burned,
setSo proudly my colors, the red, white & blue,
With honor and strength I shall wave;
o'er the land I call mine, the Great USA,
The Home of the Free and The Brave !

Mary Carter Mizrany
March 11, 2002Copyrighted.
All rights reserved.