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The History Of Flag Day

 The History Of Flag Day

Image via Wikipedia

 

 

The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America’s birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as ‘Flag Birthday’. In numerous magazines and newspaper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as ‘Flag Birthday’, or ‘Flag Day’.

 

On June 14, 1889, George Balch, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, planned appropriate ceremonies for the children of his school, and his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the State Board of Education of New York. On June 14, 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and on June 14 of the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, celebrated Flag Day.

 

Following the suggestion of Colonel J Granville Leach (at the time historian of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution), the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America on April 25, 1893 adopted a resolution requesting the mayor of Philadelphia and all others in authority and all private citizens to display the Flag on June 14th. Leach went on to recommend that thereafter the day be known as ‘Flag Day’, and on that day, school children be assembled for appropriate exercises, with each child being given a small Flag.

 

Two weeks later on May 8th, the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution unanimously endorsed the action of the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames. As a result of the resolution, Dr. Edward Brooks, then Superintendent of Public Schools of Philadelphia, directed that Flag Day exercises be held on June 14, 1893 in Independence Square. School children were assembled, each carrying a small Flag, and patriotic songs were sung and addresses delivered.

 

In 1894, the governor of New York directed that on June 14 the Flag be displayed on all public buildings. With BJ Cigrand and Leroy Van Horn as the moving spirits, the Illinois organization, known as the American Flag Day Association, was organized for the purpose of promoting the holding of Flag Day exercises. On June 14th, 1894, under the auspices of this association, the first general public school children’s celebration of Flag Day in Chicago was held in Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks, with more than 300,000 children participating.

 

Adults, too, participated in patriotic programs. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, delivered a 1914 Flag Day address in which he repeated words he said the flag had spoken to him that morning: “I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself.”

 

Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day – the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 – was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson’s proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

http://www.usflag.org/

Take some time to visit the site (link above).  Share with your children the meaning of the flag, its colors and symbols. 
Learn how to respectfully display your American flag.  There is a great deal of useful and interesting information on the site.   

God Bless America! 

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Distracted Driving!

April is Distracted Driving Month!

What is the number one distraction behind the wheel – using a cell phone!

Unfortunately, you are four times more likely to crash if talking on a cell phone.  Hands-free is often considered a safe alternative, but studies show hands-free devices provide no safety benefit because it’s the conversation , not the device that creates the danger.  Cell phone use while driving isn’t just a visual and manual distraction, but a cognitive distraction.  In addition to taking their eyes and hands off the wheel, cell phone talkers take their mind off the primary task of driving.  They display slower reaction times and tend to have difficulty staying in their lane.  They are also less likely to notice exits, red lights and stop signs, as well as other relevant objects and visual cues.  Cell phone conversation is just one type of distracted driving.  Texting while driving is extremely dangerous and illegal in Virginia and Maryland- it increases your chances of a crash by up to 23 times.  Other common distracting behaviors behind the wheel include tending to pets and children, reaching for a moving object, smoking, personal grooming, reading, eating and drinking, looking at an external object and drowsy driving.

 

Top 10 Tips to Minimize Your Distracted Driving

  •  CHANGE YOUR WAYS and recognize the activities that distract you such as eating, conversing on the phone, or changing a CD.  
  • MAKE A PLAN.  Get directions, study your route, and check weather and road conditions.
  • MANAGE YOUR TIME so that you do not have to multitask or drive aggressively on the road.
  • DON’T LET YOUR DRIVE TIME BECOME YOUR DOWN TIME.
  • SCAN the roadway to make sure that you are aware of others on the road at all times. Be prepared for the unpredictability of others.
  • CONCENTRATE on your driving.  Make sure that you are not upset or tired when getting on the road.
  • PULL OVER to a safe place if you need to do something that will take your eyes and/or mind off of the road.
  • REDUCE THE USE! Use GPS and other technology sensibly. Program devices before you hit the gas.
  • TAKE A REFRESHER CLASS! A driver improvement class can raise your awareness and help you assess your driving behaviors and might save you money on your car insurance.
  • BUCKLE UP, EVERY TRIP, EVERY TIME.  Making sure that everyone is properly buckled up is the best defense against distracted drivers.
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Taste of Europe applies for ABC License

The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has notified this office that the following owner has applied for a license to sell alcoholic beverages at a location in or near your neighborhood:

BUSINESS TRADE NAME:    Taste of Europe (Mr. Anastas Budagov)
LOCATION:                       7522 Granby Street
LICENSE APPLIED FOR:    Wine and Beer Off Premises

The Virginia State Code mandates that this office respond promptly to the ABC Commission on this application.  I would appreciate any comments or concerns that citizens of your community may have regarding this application.

If any citizen of the community objects to this application, please notify this office in writing or by email (leeann.lucas@norfolk.gov), of the objection and include that individual’s address.  Also, please advise if citizens who object would be willing to testify before the local ABC Commission.  Comments must be returned no later than February 22, 2011, in order to be included in the City Manager’s response to the ABC Commission.

Thank you for your cooperation.  If you require additional information you may contact David Parks at (757) 664-4740.

LeeAnn Lucas
Legal Coordinator I
Office of the City Attorney
810 Union St., Suite 900 / Norfolk, VA 23510
Direct – (757) 664-4220 / Fax – (757) 664-4201
email – leeann.lucas@norfolk.gov

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Thole Street Median Cleanup

  • Saturday, September 25th at 9 am
  • One or two hours is all we ask!
  • Litter clean up volunteers: meet at Tinee Giant parking lot at 9 am and bring work gloves if you have them.
  • Median weeding and mulching volunteers: meet at 9 am at one of the Thole Street medians, either at Tinee Giant (parking lot) or in front of Suburban Park Elementary. Please bring work gloves. Other tools that would be useful: gardening tools, garden rake, garage broom, or shovel. Bruce Larson will coordinate the Tinee Giant medians and Steve Collins will coordinate the Suburban Park Elementary medians.

Questions?

Call Bruce Larson at 757-761-0192 or email larsonontheroad@msn.com