2010 Flag controversy

At some places in our nation today there have been several controversies involving the U.S. flag and whether it is appropriate during some situations (in our schools). I think everyone and especially those people where the controversies took place need to study their history a lot more. This next Manning Monitor article is quite lengthy and I think it is best to republish in its entirety.

April 30, 1891, Manning Monitor: The Flag Presentation.
Last Friday afternoon the presentation of a flag by McPherson Post and the Woman's Relief Corps came off as previously announced by the Monitor. The weather was superb and the joyous and merry school children, the pleasant teachers and dignified school directors all wore their holiday attire and an expectant look. At the appointed hour the W.R.C. escorted by the old Vets made their appearance at the school house and filed into the Principal's room and took seats provided for them. Then the following programme was rendered:
Invocation - Rev. O'Flyng
Song Battle Hymn of Republic - School
Recitation American Flag - Mary Barnes
Concert Recitations - A. Class
History of Flags - Ten students
Solo 1876 - Mamie O'Flyng
Recitation The Battle Flags - Azubah Hall
Language of Flags - Students
Hymn of Moravian Nuns - Effie Woolman
Song Flag of the Free - Students
Recitation The American Flag - Lulu McCarty
Tribute to Lincoln - Junior Class
Violin Solo - Joseph Loch
Recitation Barbara Frietchie - Ethel Engelman
Song Red, White and Blue - School

After these exercises a march was ordered to the outside and front of the building and after quiet had been restored, Mrs. I.M. O'Flyng, the President of the W.R.C., spoke as follows: Miss Garrett, Boys and Girls of the Public Schools, Young Ladies and Gentleman of the High School of Manning. I am glad that I am here for this purpose today. Since the committee asked me to present the flag to you, I have been asking to myself the question, "What is a flag?" Years ago that same question came to me. After the Mexican war, when the soldiers were returning, a car load of little girls formed part of the procession to welcome the homecoming troops from Mexico. They started us off with this charge, "Sit, erect and when you see the soldiers landing from the steamboat wave your flags right at them." All the way down the wharf we kept saying, "What is a flag? What is as soldier?" Soon the steamboat came pulling up to the landing and the soldiers came off. Their feet were bare, their pants were ragged, some of the rags not even reaching to the knee. A few had coarse straw hats, others torn felt hats. Their beards were long and looked more like the covering of a coconut than human hair. Their hair was uncombed and their eyes looked wild and haggard. But we waved our flags with a right good will almost in their faces. Then the tears began to fall over the rough cheeks, down onto the dirty jacket. Some one said, "Three cheers for the old flag and home." Then I thought, "A flag is something that makes rough men cry."

The years went by and boys and girls went peacefully to school. But morning as they started homeward, suddenly the cry rang over the nation, "They have fired on Sumpter!" They have fired on Sumpter!"

The books were thrown down on the pavement, as boys and girls went rushing about, with the cry uttered from all lips, "They have fired on Sumpter!" The boys forgot they were soon to graduate, when the call for "three hundred thousand" was made. The algebra was left beside the slate in the school house, the Latin exercises were not written, and the dictionaries were left unopened. The boys went down to the headquarters of the recruiting officers and enlisted as soldiers.

One morning in May we gathered in a church in Indiana. It was almost train time and the soldiers, with bright new uniforms, were going on that train to their camp. The home farewells had been spoken. The lips were firmly set and there were many white faces and sad looks as the flag was presented. It was a beautiful silk flag and loving hands had sewed the white stars on the blue field. It looked grand as it caught the glimmer of the sunshine amid its silken folds on that May morning of 1861. "So they marched, marched, away," not only the Mulligan Guards, but the soldier boys of Indiana. They Marched from New York, from Ohio, from Michigan and from Iowa, too. They took with them the beautiful flags that wives, mothers, sisters and sweethearts made. Then I said, "The flag is something to fight for." Down into the thickest of the light they carried those flags. Sometimes they were shot when on picket duty, and only the pines heard the hissing of the bullet as it sped on its path of death. Many of them died in rebel prisons and beyond the stockades of Andersonville and Libbie are hundreds of graves, marked "Unknown." Of the many thousands who went, only a few came back. They came with wrecked bodies and the best of life all gone. Then I said as I would say to you today, "A flag is something that men die for." We are here today to give into your hands, for safe keeping, flag. You see here on your right only a few of the "old soldiers." They present you this flag, and the Woman's Relief Corps, who believe in the "old soldiers" and want to help them in all good work, glad to help in this work today. Take our dear old flag, and when its folds shall fly above your school building, remember to keep its white pure. Let no impure thought ever be whispered while its folds float over you. Let no dishonor or disgrace ever sully its beautiful red. Let nothing separate its field of stars. These "old soldiers" cannot live much longer. They give into your keeping the flag, which you must keep for their and our country's sake. Permit me in conclusion to read the peroration of Captain Foster at Indianapolis: "Accept it, then, in all its fullness of meaning. It is not a painted rag. It is a whole National history. It is the Constitution. It is the Government. It is the Emblem of Liberty and Education. It is the Union and the Nation.

"There is room in this country for only one flag, and 'Old Glory' must head the procession, or it cannot march."
"Then cheer the flag this dear old flag,
That stands for education,
While loud hurrahs and wild hurrahs,
Each youth and gentle maiden.
Yes cheer the flag, our dear old flag,
Emblem of the Nation.
From sea to sea, for liberty
It floats for all creation."

On behalf of the schools, Miss Sara L. Garrett, the Principal, accepted the flag in the following well-chosen words: "It gives me pleasure to accept, in behalf of the school, this symbol of our glorious Nationality and pride of all patriots at hearts. The object lesson in patriotism you have today given these children will live in their minds throughout all time. When this flag floats from the school building on the birthdays of distinguished men and heroes and on special days of the school and of the Nation as Arbor Day, and Decoration Day, these pupils will become inspired with an exalted patriotism that will live and glow after the youngest pupil of the primary department shall have graduated and gone forth to the attic duties of life. May the time hasten when the public school will be generally regarded as the cornerstone of the republic and when our National flag shall float over every school house from Maine to Texas and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. While with grateful hearts we thank you for this beautiful gift, we can best express our feelings in the words of Sumner: "Our National flag! He must be cold indeed who can behold its folds fluttering in the breeze, without feeling a pride of country. It is a piece of bunting high in the air yet it speaks sublimely and every part has a voice. Even its colors have a language which was officially recognized by our fathers. Red is for valor, white for purity, and blue is for justice, and altogether, bunting, stripes, stars and colors relaying in the sky make the flag of our country to be cherished by all our hearts to be upheld by all our hands."

The occasion will long be remembered by those present. After singing of "America" by the assembly three cheers were proposed for the flag and they were given with enthusiasm. Long may the beautiful flag wave from the staff on the Manning school house and may each pupil be instilled with patriotic principles by the waving of the national emblem. --END--