The Guild 6-27-2002 The History of Our Pledge of Allegiance

6-27-2002

[BigWaveBetty]

The Pledge of Allegiance

On September 8, 1892 a Boston-based youth magazine "The Youth's Companion" published a 22-word recitation for school children to use during planned activities the following month to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America. Under the title "The Pledge to the Flag", the composition was the earliest version of what we now know as the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

The October 11, 1892 Columbus Day celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the discovery of America was planned for years in advance, and anticipated much as modern Americans look forward to and plan for the advent of a new century. The United States had recovered from most of the effects of its Civil War that began 30 years earlier, and people from around the world were flocking to the "Land of Opportunity". The previous year almost a half million immigrants had entered the United States through the Barge Office in Battery Park, New York and on New Years day of 1892 the new Federal Bureau of Receiving's station at Ellis Island had opened.

Two men interested in both education and planned Columbus Day celebrations around our Nation's 44 states were Francis Bellamy and James Upham. To this day it is still unknown which of the two men actually authored the words that were to become the Pledge of Allegiance. It was published anonymously and not copyrighted. James Upham was an employee of the Boston publishing firm that produced "The Youth's Companion" in which it first appeared. Francis Bellamy was an educator who served as chairman of the National committee of educators and civic leaders who were planning the Columbus Day activities. What we do know for certain is that the words first appeared in the September 8, 1892 issue of "The Youth's Companion", and a month later more than 12 million school children recited the words for the first time in schools across the nation. Our Pledge of Allegiance was born, but like anything new, it took many years to "reach maturity", and underwent several changes along the way. That first Pledge of Allegiance read:

I pledge allegiance to my Flag,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.

October 11, 1892

After the Columbus Day celebration the Pledge to the Flag became a popular daily routine in America's public schools, but gained little attention elsewhere for almost 25 years. Finally, on Flag Day - June 14, 1923, the Pledge received major attention from adults who had gathered for the first National Flag Conference in Washington, D.C. Here their Conference agenda took note of the wording in the Pledge. There was concern that, with the number of immigrants now living in the United States, there might be some confusion when the words "My Flag" were recited. To correct this the pledge was altered to read:

I pledge allegiance to my the
Flag of the United States,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.

June 14, 1923

The following year the wording was changed again to read:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.

June 14, 1924

The Pledge of Allegiance continued to be recited daily by children in schools across America, and gained heightened popularity among adults during the patriotic fervor created by World War II. It still was an "unofficial" pledge until June 22, 1942 when the United States Congress included the Pledge to the Flag in the United States Flag Code (Title 36). This was the first Official sanction given to the words that had been recited each day by children for almost fifty years. One year after receiving this official sanction, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that school children could not be forced to recite the Pledge as part of their daily routine. In 1945 the Pledge to the Flag received its official title as:

The Pledge of Allegiance

The last change in the Pledge of Allegiance occurred on June 14 (Flag Day), 1954 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved adding the words "under God". As he authorized this change he said:

"In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."

This was the last change made to the Pledge of Allegiance. The 23 words what had been initially penned for a Columbus Day celebration now comprised a Thirty-one profession of loyalty and devotion to not only a flag, but to a way of life....the American ideal. Those words now read:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation under God, indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.

June 14, 1954

The Pledge of Allegiance
by Red Skelton
January 14, 1969

Click the flag to hear Red Skelton's entire speech.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution

Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

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[codebreaker]

I bet she sure is popular around the office with that outfit..and did the Queen see it at Ascot?

The rumour also is that the Queen will attend the Wimbledon tennis tournament finals in her Golden Jubliee year next week for the first time since 1977 when Virgina Wade was in the final.

The field seems to be wide open and the Brit Tim Henman has a good chance at winning, the first hometown boy since 1937..

[codebreaker]

LOL! No way I was putting that one up..I'm brave but not crazy

[lodwick]

I am honestly telling you that everyone from the White House, all the way down to PorkysPornPalace of ProrcinePigs reads the Guild.

From Strange Cosmos I posted 57 Things Every Woman Should Know...I thought it seemed familar, but when HLL saw it, she notified me that she had personally WRITTEN IT.

Most don't post to us - but the world reads The Guild.

[CIApilot]

Guilders, If any California members are still logged on:
When the House today voted on this pledge issue, only 3 members voted 'No', i.e., they support the Circuit Court ruling against the pledge. Two 'nos' were Pete Stark (Fremont/East Bay) and Mike Honda (San Jose/Santa Clara), two of the most left-wing whackos in all CA. Please, please, please telephone:
Rep. Michael Honda - 408-244-8085.
Rep. Pete Stark - 510-494-1388.

[mountaineer]

Yes, I believe the expression "leave something to the imagination" has been forgotten by this breezy young woman.

[codebreaker]

I can see the Queens handlers diving over themselves to prevent her from seeing her 'outfit.'

[Timeout]

Great Job, BWB!

What is it with these libbers? Doris Kearns Goodwin is now on TV lecturing us that it's not at all clear the Pledge ruling won't be upheld....because FDR would have opposed the addition of "under God". Huh?

For DKG, if it didn't involve FDR or LBJ, it DNH...(Did Not Happen).

Also, isn't it funny how that atheist daddy all of a sudden has all those death threats on his answering machine?! When is the media going to get clued in that the libs long ago learned that faking death threats somehow makes their case more sympathetic to the media?

I've decided liberals don't tell lies. They ARE lies!

[Endeavor]

re:Ascot photo: no need for imagination there.

[Endeavor]

Virginia Wade - she was a classy player. You are making me feel very old, Codebreaker. I also was a big fan of Evonne Goolagong. She, too, was a classy player. Martina will never fill those shoes.

[Endeavor]

Mountaineer - sorry to stomp on your "imagination" line. I hadn't gotten that far in the thread. Great minds!

[BigWaveBetty]

Oh yuck, DKG!! It's been so long since I've had to look at that horse mug I can't remember. Is it eyebrows or eyelashes she's missing?

Btw Doris, nobody ran it by FDR, or did they and your liberal lies have distored your view of history so that you wouldn't know if indeed it was brought up by congress. That would make FDR look bad and we can't have that.

That atheist daddy is such a tool of the left. All we heard about were the "threatening" calls, what nobody called to say congrats? I heard him say that ALL his atheist friends agree with the ruling. Perhaps they're too stupid to use a telephone and just wandered on over to his house.

[Endeavor]

"For DKG, if it didn't involve FDR or LBJ, it DNH...(Did Not Happen). "

We should probably add to that list the name of the woman DKG loved to plagarize. W/o her, it DNH for DKG.

[SuziQ]

Thanks for the info about your friend's book. I'll have to find a copy of that for my family.

[SuziQ]

So the Knights of Columbus had something to do with the 'under God' phrase being added to the Pledge? No wonder the libs go nuts about it, it has something to do with those dead white European males AND the Catholic Church!

[SuziQ]

Why does she even bother to have that on? Just wear the thong, what's the difference???

Good point! NO pun intended! Have you noticed how saggy the boobs of some of these skinny women are?

[BigWaveBetty]

In this undated file photo: Eli, the baby elephant, joins The Who pop group and Nicola Austine, left, and Toni Lee, right, on a ride from the BBCs Lime Grove studios in London, to promote one of their singles. Members of the group from left: Roger Daltrey (lead singer), Keith Moon (drums), Peter Townsend (lead guitar), and John Entwistle (bass guitar) . Entwistle, 57, was found dead Thursday, June 27, 2002 in his Las Vegas hotel room, according to officials with MCA Records and the Clark County Coroner's Office. (AP Photo/PA)

The bad puns are begging to get out but I'll be good. It is a shame, always loved The Who. God rest his soul.

[BigWaveBetty]

Referee Pierluigi Collina of Italy gestures during the second round World Cup Finals match between Japan and Turkey in Sendai in this June 18, 2002 file photo. Collina will referee Sunday's World Cup final between Brazil and Germany. The appointment of the 42-year-old financial adviser from Viareggio is no surprise. Over the last five years he has firmly established himself as the best in the world, a fact recognized by FIFA who voted him its top referee for the fourth time in January. Photo by Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

Has he been rumaging around hilly's closet?

[BigWaveBetty]

Anti-globalization protesters wade into a pond in Calgary after staging a mud protest June 27, 2002. The G8 Summit of the world's leading industrial nations ended today. REUTERS/Dan Riedlhuber

Eeewwwwww!

[r9etb]

Why does she even bother to have that on? Just wear the thong, what's the difference???

Mosquito netting, of course. Wouldn't do to be seen scratching yourself madly at Ascot....

[BigWaveBetty]

Paul Arnold of Virginia Beach, Va., sits with part of his collection of more than 160 G.I. Joe action figures Wednesday, June 26, 2002, in Virginia Beach. Arnold's collection includes the one female nurse figure produced, a Shore Patrol figure and an Air Security figure along with hundreds of accessories from clothing and vehicles to a space capsule and suits. (AP Photo/Gary C. Knapp)

Do you think he's married? The left hand tells the story.

Good night ladies and gents. Prayers for Billy.