Teacher Teaches Patriotism
When I entered the first grade at Donaldson School, one of my most vivid and pleasant memories is of the ritual we went through, weather permitting, of raising the American Flag. Each morning, when the first bell was rung, all teachers and students in the first six grades gathered around the flag pole on the front lawn and two students under the direction of Mrs. Nettie Gibbs, came out carrying the flag. As we stood quietly with our hands over our hearts, the flag was raised on the pole and then we all said the Pledge of Allegiance.
We then quietly formed lines and marched into our classrooms. We were taught to respect the flag, the way to present it, to fold it and never, never let it touch the ground.
From my earliest memories, the American Flag has been, in my eyes, a symbol of all the wonderful things this country stands for. The freedoms we have; freedom of speech and religion, freedom of doing what we want, making of our life what we choose, yes, even to spit on and burn that symbol that grants us this freedom. To me, it represents all this country has gone through from its inception to become the greatest nation in the world. The flag has flown on our ships in time of war, gone with our troops into battle and draped the coffins of the brave men and women who have laid down their lives for it. It is not just material. It is the symbol of our nation, our home, the home of the free and the brave.
When I was in school, you could read the Bible and each morning Mrs. Nettie would read a scripture or let some student read one and the we would sing. We sang the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean,” “God Bless America,” “The National Anthem,” “America the Beautiful,” and all those songs that taught us about our country and how we should love and respect it. Mrs. Nettie was a devoted teacher, who went far beyond the bounds of just teaching the three R’s. She taught us about the love and respect we need for this great land and she taught it through example. There was never an assembly or program that I can remember when Mrs. Nettie was there, when the American Flag was not presented and the pledge said.
Today I still get tears in my eyes and all choked up when I hear our “National Anthem” and see the flag. I often think about Mrs. Nettie and how much she taught me and the others at Donaldson about our country and how we should love and honor it. Our country is not perfect, but then how can it be when it is filled with imperfect people. It is still the best one around and God has been good to it.
I hope and pray when this Gulf War crisis is over that our people will still wave the flag and sing the songs that tell what a wonderful country this is. The song, “God Bless the U.S.A.” was not around when I was in school, but if it had been Mrs. Nettie would have been standing there singing it also, because she was proud to be an American and taught me to be proud too.
This Tidbit in Time shared by the Hot Spring County Historical Society
The Heritage, Vol. 35, p.4