. "OLD GLORY": THE AMERICAN FLAG
Most American have great respect for their flag and every school day begins with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Stars and Stripes. Written in 1892, this pledge is recited in schools before classes begin and it serves as a sign of unity and identity for the various groups of people who have come from so many different lands and cultures.
Students stand at attention with their right hand over their heart, face the flag which is displayed in the classroom before them and begin, " I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America." Even the immigrants who come from distant lands must recite this pledge to the flag when they become eligible for citizenship.
The American flag is also known as "Old Glory" and over the years has evolved to its present form of fifty stars and thirteen stripes. The stars represent the fifty states and the stripes stand for the original thirteen colonies.
The first version of the flag with its stars and stripes appeared in 1777, but only had thirteen stars. As each new state joined the union, a new star was added. The last star to be added was in 1960 after Hawaii became the fiftieth state. In the future if another state joins the Union, another star will be added to the field of blue. The number of stripes, however, remains consistent and never changes.
The design of the flag may have altered over the years, but the colors; red, white and blue have remained constant. In 1782 the Congress of the United States proclaimed that red stood for hardiness and courage, white stood for purity and innocence, and blue for justice and perseverance.
President Wilson in 1916 and later President Coolidge in 1927 suggested in proclamations to fellow countrymen that a special day be set aside to honor the flag. In 1949 the American Congress gave official recognition of June 14 as Flag Day.
It was the flag which inspired the creation of the national anthem during the War of 1812. During that war the British attacked Fort McHenry and the battle which raged throughout the night was witnessed by Francis Scott Key, an American poet and lawyer working as an attorney in Washington. He had noticed at dawn the day after the battle that the American flag was still waving over the fort and had survived the conflict. This had so amazed him that he was inspired to write the words to the American anthem. The words were written to fit the melody of a popular drinking song. Today this rousing song of national pride is rightly called, "The Star Spangled Banner" and it continues to inspire all those, both young and old, who are proud to be Americans.
Later in 1931 it was recognized as the national anthem and today every school assembly and professional baseball game begins with this well-known anthem which sings of the "Star Spangled Banner" waving "over the land of the free and the home of the brave."
Many, however, find the melody difficult to sing and attempts have been made unsuccessfully to simplify the music. Today the actual "Star Spangled Banner" which flew over Fort McHenry is on display at the Smithsonian Institution in the nation's capital.