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I was probably in the 6th grade when the pledge was changed. Adding "under God" wasn't upsetting to anyone, as I remember it. After all, we were usually reciting the Lord's Prayer right after the pledge. (And yes, this was a public school.)

But even as a kid, a couple of things did bother me. First, I found it vaguely unsettling that something as apparently ancient and venerable as the pledge could be changed at all. I never thought very deeply about it, but I can still remember that I found the concept of revising the pledge a bit puzzling. But what does a kid know?

Also, having learned the old pledge, I always thought it had a certain wonderful cadence to the flow of the words, and that this almost musical quality was disrupted by the addition of "under God." Try it yourself, aloud. Say the words: " ... one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." It sounds lyrical. At least to me. With the extra words added , the pledge has more meaning, of course; but it's always sounded somewhat choppy. Which is certainly not relevant to the court's decision.

One more recollection, while I'm at it. Most of us were probably saying: " ... one nation, invisible ... " It wasn't until around the 5th or 6th grade that I finally got that word right and understood what it meant.

Most of us were probably saying: " ... one nation, invisible ... "

That, and wondering who this Richard Stans guy was and why there was a whole republic just for him.

I was probably in the 6th grade when the pledge was changed. Adding "under God" wasn't upsetting to anyone, as I remember it. After all, we were usually reciting the Lord's Prayer right after the pledge. (And yes, this was a public school.)

That reminded me of one of my most embarrassing moments as a school boy. I went to catholic school, kindergarten through 12th grade. But one year I had a chemistry teacher which was, well, bad. Hated his job I think. Anyway he flunked the whole class except for, I think two, and so I had to go to "summer school" to make it up. Summer school was at the public school. Well, back then they not only said the Lords prayer but there was a bible reading to open the class. This was about 1959-60 We took turns. Now even though I went to catholic school and we of course said prayers to begin the day there, we did not read the bible. Back then it was not a priority. So I did not have a clue what to read. So I just opened the book up and picked a section. Well.... let me say it was one of those parts that had nothing but begats in it. I was really embarrassed. You had to be there I guess. Now it seems funny but it was not at the time.

How far we have come since then. From praying and reading the bible every day, in public schools, to... what?