Show What Old Glory Means By KAREN I Old Glory is a symbol of the freedoms for which our nation Stands stands One of the freedoms for which which our nation stands Is the freedom freedom of expression of our thoughts and another is the right to meet in assembly where we we discuss our thoughts Old Glory grants the privilege of a afree afree afree free and informed press and tl the e right to our own religious convictions Our flag is a symbol symbol sym sym- bol of self It represents l law w and order and demands h honesty lesty on the part of menh men chosen h sen to administer the law lawand lawand I and honesty on the part of those I r required required to live the law It stands for righteousness and dignity of men ITHE THE COLORS red white and blue which were borrowed from the Mother Country's were chosen for their strong symbolic symbolic sym sym- b bolic lic meaning The stripes of r red d and wl white te symbolize the thirteen colonies which originally originally ii nally lly constituted the United st States tes of America The white Stripes signifying the purity t and innocence of our nation area are a aj challenge to us as young Americans to keep the whiteness whiteness whiter white white- r ness ness ss of the flag pure without t tarnish or stain from our ac actions actions ac- ac tt ns or wrong dealings The red represents hardiness and valor T To me this brings to mind the c courageous courageous young colonists who broke away from a tyrant nation t to stand alone for what they be believed to be right and just The They believed that governments were l instituted among men for the g good od and Iding of man and thus s they should derive thep the p power of authority from those g governed verned The thousands who rive gave their lives had faith in this y young ung nation and their faith was well 1111 founded for America has grown own to be the greatest and most powerful nation in thew the w World The blue field of canton containing containing con con- fifty pointed five five stars represents the states of the un union un- un i. i ion n with the same unlimited mi ted possibilities pos pos- and expansion as the stars in the heavens It signifies signi sf f fees fies s vigilance perseverance and justice This indicates that W eve we will be forever watchful andon and andon on on n. n guard to prevent any anyone from stealing our freedom It also 6 the hardships young men and women had to bear In Inc c conquering settling and and settling a wil wll- wilderness of unexplored terri terri- tories EACH AMERICAN i feel should have his heart fi filled lied wi with th pride whenever he sees Old Gory Glory unfurled and waving The flag ag ag vibrates to and fro over a rui nation that stretches rom from pm the mighty Atlantic Ocean over Xer three million square miles f beautiful hills rivers lakes By JOHN H H. H JOHNSON JOHNSONI Perhaps it is presumptuous I for a fifteen ye year r old to even attempt an essay on this subI sub sub- I We have n never ver hidden in inthe inthe inthe the hills defending her against invaders Our sheltered lives make a strong sincere statement statement state state- statement ment about Old Glory a bit aca aca- demic HOWEVER OUR flag lag has a strange almost mystic ability of adapting itself to the circumstances circum circum- I stances under which it Is dis dis- played I have been surprised to see how adventuresome it looks briskly blowing on n the stern of ofa a ship entering San Francisco bay And did you ever notice how silent and judicial it seems standing in folds in a courtroom courtroom courtroom court court- room It appears innocent in the hand of ot a child waving it during a pa parade parade pa- pa rade and dignified and strangely old when held by the oldest veterans veterans veterans vet vet- erans there It marches in silent salute during a military ceremony ceremony ceremony cere cere- mony and seems eager hurried when it is run up a flagpole early in the morning TO MANY of us probably the most tragic and emotional scene we have ever witnessed was the funeral of President Kennedy We saw the horse we heard the dirge and the muffled drums and there grieving on I Ithe the casket was Old Glory Ti Time me changes many of our impressions and later years with their dulling veneer of what passes for sophistication warps our thinking about too many manyI j I things But Dut surely as a nation I Ilour I lour our affection pride and awe for fori i lour our country's flag will linger j i forever I 1 I OLD GLORY herself was a abit ai i bit rambunctious in her day when our country was young She waved from log forts in the wilderness wilderness and led cavalry charges in western canyons I Her colors inspired Rough RoughRiders Riders Riders Rid Rid- ers at San san q uan and rag ragtag tag soldiers soldiers sol sol- diers against pst Santa Anna at the Alamo Each generation has fol followed followed tol- tol tolI I lowed her to io some distant shore and raised raise her in jungles on beaches bud and in the snows of alien lands I I I monumental cities and enter entex enterprising enterprising industries over countless countless countless count count- less prospering farm lands to the great Pacific it seems to speak of the courage of our forefathers and seems to ask us Will Vill we fight as valiantly for the cause of mans man's freedom Will we seek to help those who are are in need Will we be wise enough to maintain justice and honor in our land and equality to all deserving men Will we keep principles before personal gains and thus maintain the in integrity integrity integrity in- in and nd dignity of our na nation nation nation na- na tion We should remember Goethe's words He only earns his freedom and existence who dail daily conquers them anew |