Flag Day and what it means
50 Years Ago
From the Herald and Democrat in 1969 Editor’s Note: This is as written in 1969.
Each year we observe June 14 as “Flag Day” to commemorate the adoption of the “Stars and Stripes” as the official national banner by the Continental Congress, June 14, 1777.
Flag Day is not a National Holiday, but rather an annual observance, first formally proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson May 30, 1916, as a special day for display of the flag, with particular attention to its origin and meaning as a symbol of independence and freedom.
A year ago, a wave of demonstrations against our flag by the very people it protects, culminating in burnings and tramplings of the flag, shocked America. Today these incidents of disrespect seem to be dying out and hopefully never will occur again. For it is the flag which symbolizes the principles, truths, goals and traditions which are part of our national heritage.
It is said that when the “Stars and Stripes” was presented to General George Washington, he made this statement: “We take the stars from heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity representing liberty.”
The development of the flag parallels the historical development of our country.
30 Years Ago
From the Herald-Democrat in 1989
Benjamin West and his second grade classmates left Northside Elementary with more than just memories — they left the school two trees, one of which was dedicated to Lois Kimball, a secondgrade teacher who was retiring.
The idea for the trees was brought up by West, when he and some classmates thought there was not enough shade on the school’s playground. While Kimball helped the classes collect money for the trees, she did not know that one would become a living dedication to her years of service.
10 Years Ago
From the Herald-Leader in 2009 The Pea Ridge Blackhawks were in the market for a new head coach of their football team. Mark Laster, who had been the head coach at Pea Ridge for the previous two years, was to be recommended on Thursday as wide receiver coach for the Siloam Springs Panthers, first-year Panthers’ coach Bryan Ross said.
“We’re going to recommend that he be hired,” Ross said while watching his team at a football camp in Fort Smith. “He has accepted the position.”
Ross called Laster a hard worker.
“Everyone that we talked to — and I’ve known him for a little bit — said he’s a first-class person,” Ross said. “Those are the people we want. I feel pretty fortunate that we were able to get him.”
The vacancy at Siloam Springs opened when wide receiver coach Brian Raney left to join Clint Ashcraft’s staff at Conway.