As new states gainedindependence and enteredthe United States, thenumber of stars andstripes increased. Howev-er, in 1818, Congress en-acted a law to restore theoriginal 13 stripes and onlyinclude additional starsto symbolize incomingstates. A century after en-acting the Flag Resolu-

tion, the first Flag Daywas observed on June 14,1877.

While Woodrow Wilsonproclaimed a day of recog-nition for the banner in1916, it wasn’t until 1949when regulators officiallydesignated June 14 as FlagDay, a national day of ob-servance. Do you knowhow you are going to cel-ebrate this year? Considersharing the occasion withyour peers and loved ones.

In the communityJune 14 is a day to cele-

brate the historic symbol-ism of our nation’s banner.You can do your part bydonating your time or re-sources to benefit the oc-casion.

Reach out to local lead-ers to inquire about volun-teering to help raise flagsthroughout your commu-nity. Many businesses andpublic parks in your area

may need help acquiringand displaying the banner.You also can offer to do-nate flags to ensure thereare enough throughoutthe area.

Consider hosting a com-munity event invitingpeers and neighbors tocelebrate the day. Make itan event where others re-flect on what the flagmeans to them and praisethe active or retired serv-ice people in their lives.

In the classroomIf you are an educator,

Flag Day is an awesomeopportunity to teach yourstudents about their re-sponsibility to respect thesymbol. Take the followingideas from the NationalEducation Associationwhen developing a positivelesson plan.

• History of Flag Day:Discuss the origins andimportance of the holiday.

• Changes to the flag:The banner hasn’t alwaysappeared the same, itshistory is an interestingand entertaining storyto show students howthe country has evolved;and

• Overview of the Warof 1812: Explain how thesignificance of this con-flict had in shaping theStar-Spangled Bannerand its connection to theflag.

Celebrating Flag Day“The flag of the United States be 13 alternate stripes red and white, that the Unionbe 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” This resolutionby John Adams was adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, placingour nation’s banner in the spotlight as a respected symbol.

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• The flag should neverbe displayed with theunion down, except as asignal of dire distress in in-stances of extreme dangerto life or property.

• The flag should nevertouch anything beneath it,such as the ground, thefloor, water or merchan-dise.

• The flag should never becarried flat or horizontally,but always aloft and free.

• The flag should nev-er be used as wearingapparel, bedding ordrapery.

• The flag should neverbe fastened, displayed,used or stored in such amanner as to permit it to

be easily torn, soiled ordamaged in any way.

• The flag should neverbe used as a covering for aceiling.

• The flag should neverbe used as a receptacle forreceiving, holding, carry-

ing or delivering anything. • No part of the flag

should ever be used as acostume or athletic uni-form. However, a patchmay be affixed to the uni-form of military personnel,firemen, policemen and

members of patriotic or-ganizations.

• The flag, when it is insuch condition that it is nolonger a fitting emblemfor display, should be de-stroyed in a dignified way,preferably by burning.

The Flag Code was adoptedto protect our nation’s symbolof freedom and accomplish-ment of those who haveserved. If you are unfamiliarwith the rules of the banner,it’s possible to be uninten-tionally disrespectful.

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Respect forthe flag

The flag may be dis-played 24 hours a day ifwell lit during the hours ofdarkness. The Congres-sional Research Servicereports that the dignityaccorded to the banner ispreserved by lighting thatprevents its being en-veloped in darkness.

If you feel your flagshould wave during night-time hours, it’s importantto have a sufficient lightsource to display its recog-nizable stars and stripes.Here are some ideas to

consider when creating apatriotic display.

Create a light sourceIf you’re flagpole is not

around an electricalsource, you have a few dif-ferent options to providelight. Remember yourbudget when you decidewhich avenue is the bestfor your yard.

• Extension cord: Oneway to achieve a beam oflight is investing in a lightbulb rated for outdoor use.Check your local hard-ware store for a spike-mounted beam so you caneasily transport it out ofyour way during daytimehours. You also couldchoose a heavy-duty ex-tension cord designed tohandle the electricity re-quired for extended peri-ods of time.

• Outdoor outlet: If youwould rather have a per-manent light fixture inyour yard to display OldGlory, assistance from a li-censed electrician is amust. They can tap intoyour home’s current elec-

trical source and installan approved outdoor out-let.

• Solar lights: Modernsolar power is incrediblyefficient as a light source;just be sure it has the pow-er and durability to main-tain its shine overnight.

All-weather flagIf you intend to wave

your flag 24 hours, it’scrucial to have a bannerthat can withstand the ex-tended use and inclement-outdoor elements. Accord-ing to the U.S. Flag Code,“The flag should not bedisplayed on days whenthe weather is inclement,except when an all-weath-er flag is displayed.” An all-weather flag provides youwith a banner that is madeof high-quality materialswhile being able to flow inthe breeze.

During your search,look for flags made from anylon material for extra-long use or heavyweightcotton to maintain a tradi-tional appearance whileboosting durability.

Flying the flag at nightAccording tothe UnitedStates FlagCode, Americanflags should beflown from sun-rise to sunset.However, withenough illumi-nation, it is per-fectly acceptableto representyour patriotismthroughout thenight.

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Happy Flag Day

One Flag, one land, one heart, onehand, one Nation, evermore.

-Oliver Wendell Holmes

The Rx for all of your air conditioningand heating headaches.

Check out a few of thelocations open to the pub-lic for citizens to pay theirrespects and witness theflags that hold a specialplace in history, in per-son.

Star-Spangled BannerNational Museum ofAmerican History,Washington, D.C.

The flag considered thesource of lyrics whichwould become our Na-tional Anthem is proudlyon display in D.C. TheStar-Spangled Banner waspenned by Francis ScottKey after being held cap-tive during the War of1812. Key was inspired bya lone United States flagflying over Fort McHenryafter a failed invasion bythe British.

The banner on displayfeatures 15 stars and isconsidered one of the mostmeaningful banners in thecountry’s history.

9/11 Flag9/11 Memorial andMuseum, New York City, N.Y.

September 11, 2001 willforever hold a heart-wrenching place in ournation’s history. Terroristattacks would claim thelives of thousands of citi-zens and first respondersand destroy some of themost famous buildings inthe world.

An iconic image fromthe destruction showedthree firemen raising theAmerican flag over thewreckage of the WorldTrade Center. Consideredlost for many years, it waseventually recovered in2016, when it was donat-ed to the 9/11 Museumand Memorial, where itrests today.

13-Star FlagHistorical Society,New London, Ct.

The Nathaniel ShawFlag, which was namedafter its original owner, isone of the few remainingauthentic 13-star flags

flown during the Ameri-can Revolution. While thebanner has requiredrestoration to appear pre-sentable, it is gives us apeek at the humble ori-gins of our nation.

USS ArizonaArizona State CapitalMuseum

The flag displayed overthe USS Arizona whenJapan attacked Pearl Har-bor, forcing us into WorldWar II is showcased atthe Arizona Capitol Muse-um in Phoenix. Artifactsretrieved from the sunkenship also are featured.

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Where to see historical flags

The American flag has a rich history. The stories behindsome historical banners offer humbling perspectives of agrowing nation. Fortunately, many of the most famous flagsare still on display in facilities throughout the country.

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Laying this symbol ofAmerica to rest is a hum-bling experience andshould be done with care.The Flag Code expressesthat the preferred way ofdisposal is through a dig-nified manner, preferablyburning.

Do you know how totell when your banner isready for a respectful re-tirement? Consider thesefactors to determine whenand how to release OldGlory from its display.

The right timeBefore assuming your

flag is due for a replace-ment, it’s important to in-spect it carefully. Manytimes, exposure to out-

door elements takes a tollon a flag’s cleanliness andcan make it appear tooweathered to continue toserve. However, when itsphysical integrity is intact, a simple washing canbring it back to life.

When analyzing the in-tegrity of your flag’s mate-rial, look beyond easilycleaned obstructions. Youwill know it is beyond re-pairable when you noticeprominent holes or frayededges that will alter itssize and texture aftermending.

Who is authorized toretire a flag?

The Flag Code doesn’trestrict anyone from retir-ing a banner, so use yourbest judgment to choose

someone who will takethe responsibility serious-ly. Here are some ideas toconsider if you plan toconduct a ceremony, fromthe Independence HallAssociation.

• One flag should beused in the ceremony torepresent all banners in-cluded in the retirementservice. The remainder ofsymbols should be col-

lectively incinerated;• The solemn service

should be conducted out-doors, in conjunction witha campfire program;

• The ceremony shouldinclude two color guards,one representing the flagin use and another forthe banner to be retired;and

• A leader of the serviceshould call the group to

attention, order a salute,lead the Pledge of Alle-giance, order the flag re-tired and remain at thescene until the fire is safe-ly extinguished and ashesare burned.

Other optionsOf course, the pre-

ferred method of a digni-fied retirement is byburning. If the experi-

ence is out of your com-fort zone, however, agood avenue to seek isyour local Veterans ofForeign Wars club orAmerican Legion. Theseknowledgeable expertscan point you in theright direction of a flag-retirement service orhost a ceremony to en-sure it is done properlyand respectfully.

Retiring abattered flagWhen you deem a flag toobattered to be displayed hon-orably, retirement requires arespectful ceremony.

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Unfortunately, manyhave merely memorizedthe words without under-standing the significanceit has to their country andfreedom. If you are a par-ent or mentor, it’s impor-tant to educate our youthabout its significance.

A Brief HistoryThe Pledge of Alle-

giance gained its first ma-jor publicity through anofficial program calledthe National PublicSchools Celebration ofColumbus Day. It wasSeptember 8, 1892 whenthe prose was printed inthe Youth’s Companionleaflet and distributed toschools throughout thecountry.

While it has seen a fewrevisions since its originalform was penned byFrancis Bellamy, it be-came a staple in class-rooms while remainingunrecognized by Con-gress. According to the

American Legion, it wasn’tuntil 1942, when thePledge was officially in-cluded in the United StatesFlag Code and 1945 whenthe official name of thePledge of Allegiance wasadopted.

Its ImportanceWhen discussing the

Pledge of Allegiance withyounger children, explainthat it is an opportunity todisplay their loyalty as a cit-izen to our country. Itshould be considered anact of unity for students tostand together and paytheir respect to America’sbanner.

Children should be en-couraged to learn moreabout the meaning of thePledge, rather than only re-cite the words. It is in-tended to inspire curiosityabout the country’s historyand help build a strongersense of patriotism.

Proper EtiquetteMuch like the Nation-

al Anthem, there is a

proper way to show yourrespect to the flag duringthe Pledge. Here are thesteps, from the U.S. FlagCode.

• The pledge is to be re-cited by standing at at-tention;

• Face the flag andplace the right hand overthe heart;

• People in uniformmust face the flag, re-main silent and take themilitary salute; and

• Those not in uniformmust remove any non-religious headdress withtheir right hand, place it

on their left shoulder, insuch a way that theirright hand is over theheart.

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In fact, the Flag Code encour-ages banners to be cleaned ormended when necessary. Beforecommitting to a retirement cer-emony, try to prolong a flag’sduty with maintenance or re-pairs.

While it is disrespectful for aflag to touch the ground, it canhappen during regular raisingand lowering. It’s important toeliminate the dirt or grime im-mediately to avoid a lasting stain.

If you are unsure on how toproperly wash your Americanflag, don’t hesitate to visit a local-dry cleaner. Most experts can an-

alyze the current condition anddecide a best course of action. It’simportant to follow their clean-ing instructions, as impropertechniques may cause irre-versible damage to your banner.

Here are a couple of ways toprolong the life of your symbol ofAmerican tradition and her-itage.

At-home washingFor those who can clean a

flag without the help of a profes-sional service, special careshould be administered.

If possible, reach out to themanufacturer for specific clean-ing instructions.

For most materials, it’s easy toget great results by hand-wash-ing your banner in cold water,with a mild detergent. Makesure to lay the flag flat while itdries and avoid hanging or fold-ing it while wet. This will help itsrecognizable colors stay in placewithout bleeding into one an-other.

Once you have completed thecleaning, inspect it to ensure thefilth has been removed and thereare not issues like holes or frays.

Routine cleaning is impor-tant to maintain and examinethe integrity of a flag as elementslike dirt, salt and air pollutantscan have a negative impact.

Repair

If you notice small tears inthe fabric of your banner, im-mediate repair it to limit theamount of damage. A smallimperfection can be exposedduring rippling winds or poorweather conditions.

This correction is usuallybest left to the experts as fre-quent modifications can alterthe appearance and size, lead-ing it to a state where retire-ment is necessary.

Search for a flag-repair facil-ity in your area or seek assis-tance from patriotic organiza-tions to find a professional.

Restore and repair your f lag

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Light damage or a dirty appearance doesn’talways mean a flag should be retired.

The Pledge of Allegiance“I pledge allegiance to theFlag of the United States ofAmerica, and to the Republicfor which it stands, one Na-tion under God, indivisible,with liberty and justice for all.”In classrooms across the country,millions of students partake insaying the Pledge of Allegiance.

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