Honor 'Old Glory' on June 14

Rachel Carr, Student Intern

Thursday, June 14, commemorates the 225th birthday of the United States flag.

Flag Day is meant as a day for all Americans to celebrate and show respect for the flag and its designers and makers, as a symbol of the independence and unity of America.

The idea for Flag Day is believed to have originated in 1885 with the help of a school teacher who arranged for his students to celebrate Flag Birthday.

Although some people celebrated the flag in decades that followed, Flag Day was not an established holiday until President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed it so in 1916.

It wasn't until 1949 that President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 as National Flag Day each year, but it remains an unofficial holiday.

Since then, the president has been requested to issue a yearly proclamation that asks government officials to display the U.S. flag on all government buildings and urges the American people to observe Flag Day on the anniversary of the flag's adoption - June 14.

Pennsylvania remains the first and only state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday.

Often times, American Legion Posts or local Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts conduct a dignified flag disposal ceremony to honor 'Old Glory' on Flag Day.

New Prague area residents can bring all flags in need of disposal to the Park Ballroom club room Tuesday, June 19, between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

We have a country that has been fought for in many wars...none of which were fought here. The freedom that we have is something many other countries are envious of