I was taught the Pledge of Allegiance facing the Stars & Stripes adorned with 48 stars, just like the one that was raised on Iwo Jima. And in my career as a schoolboy I continued pledging to "the 48" until about 1964 when a new school was built and each class was adorned with the 50 star flag acknowledging Alaska & Hawaii as our new additions. In my adulthood I've often ponder if the four or five year lag was a budget concern, or politics. While one might think the answer to that question should be obvious; the huge black and white photo of Orville Henderson, the school's superintendent, might change your mind.
Orville stared at each child as they walked the halls past the administration office. With an almost Greek god like imminence, he stared from behind wire-rimmed glasses with a jaw of steel. That stare dripped with a sentiment that was common at the time; the 20th. Century will never be as good as the last one. The flags weren't changed until Orville was at rest 6' deep.
Old people like that were funny. They didn't believe in air-conditioning. They believed students should be seen and not heard. And they also believed that if your older bothers were trouble, you deserved a smack just as a reminder that "someone was watching you". I'm glad none of our younger generations ever met Orville's ilk. The clash would be of biblical proportions....literally.
So from my teen years on I pledged allegiance and honored our fifty stars at every ball game and public event. It was the flag draped over every box flown back stateside from S.E. Asia and ever place an American soldier has given their life for us. It was the flag that was atop the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The 50 stars has earned its place in history just as the old 48 did also.
So now if the people of Puerto Rico vote to become a part of our union we might have to replace our 50 star for a 51 star flag. I'm guessing a new filed of blue would have 3 rows of nine stars and three of eight, but that would probably be up to some congressional action.
Ace Hardware will probably run a Fourth of July promo. And as an American I will welcome our new members with open arms. My old flag is needing replacing anyway....
And if we do get a new state I will gladly tell them what I tell all new members of these United States: Pay your taxes, learn some English....and for chrissake learn how to drive.
oh....and get off my lawn. 😉
Only a couple of years younger, so my memories run along the same lines. I remember well the day all of the students in our little two-room school were led by the two teachers out onto the playground shortly after the school day had commenced. The two school cooks/janitors appeared with a new 50-star flag and proceeded to go through a somewhat ceremonial lowering of the 48-star flag and replacement with the new flag. I'm betting that none of us kids would have believed then that all these many years later we have not yet witnessed a similar reason to change out our flag.
If I recall correctly, the 49 Star flag was "official" for nearly a year.
Loyal
#49 - Alaska July 4, 1959 ?? July 3, 1960 1 year
#50 - Hawaii July 4, 1960 ?? present 57 year
I think the key in the jump from the 48 to the 50-star flag for many users came about because the 49-star flag became official on July 4, 1959 but the official date of recognition of Hawaii as a State came only a few weeks later on August 21, 1959. Schools probably chose to wait because they knew they would be buying new ones the very next year, if not sooner. Thus, Alaska got cheated a bit. But, I'd bet every school in Alaska put up a 49-star flag immediately and then very reluctantly took it down whenever they happened to get around to it.
In the '90s when I was with the highway department I spent a lot of time in the 77 courthouses around the state researching for R/W. I happened to be at the Grant County courthouse in Medford one day. They were in the middle of a renovation and had half the place tore up.
One bathroom that was still working was in the basement and was pristine early 20th. century plumbing and fixtures. Being in the basement the windows were high up the wall and glazed with the rough privacy glass common to the time...except for one that apparently had been broken and re-glazed with regular pane glass. Which gave all the sidewalk traffic a grand view of all the men who would be standing in front of the floor length urinals. Except for the fact that someone in the maintenance department (probably a male...) had covered the window with an American flag. As I stood there taking care of business I counted the stars and realized it had 48 stars.
I reasoned in my mind the old flag had been nestled in some closet or storage room somewhere that smelled of moth balls. Someone in need of drapery for the basement men's room had dug it out and put it to good use. And it was a fine specimen. Made of the same heavy weave construction I remembered from my flag-boy days at elementary school. I wanted that flag bad....
My maturity got the best of me and overcame my "Cash boys" mentality that "it's only a crime if you get caught"....I left the flag in place. I've often wondered what sort of charges the DA would have drummed up to prosecute a flag thief. 😉
paden cash, post: 432039, member: 20 wrote: I spent a lot of time in the 77 courthouses around the state...
[MEDIA=youtube]a6vwXbQZvJo[/MEDIA]
Looks like Puerto Rico's referendum for statehood passed with a large majority. Will they become our 51st. state?
Not so fast...that's ultimately up to the U.S. congress to admit new states.
So I guess it's time for Puerto Rico to start hiring lobbyists and smearing money around....Welcome to the United States, have a nice day!
paden cash, post: 432039, member: 20 wrote: As I stood there taking care of business I counted the stars and realized it had 48 stars.
I'd be somewhat leery of someone loitering in the men's room counting stars! That or you just drank 2 gallons of beer prior to relieveing yourself. 😉
Hey! Number people are number people. It's what we do. We are so good at it that when we announce some great statistic "There are 725 ceiling tiles in this room." people look at us in awe (or maybe it's apprehension).
FL/GA PLS., post: 432116, member: 379 wrote: I'd be somewhat leery of someone loitering in the men's room counting stars! That or you just drank 2 gallons of beer prior to relieveing yourself. 😉
Seeing stars maybe lol
From what I hear Puerto Rico's bid for statehood might have a rough time getting through congress; supposedly they only had a 23% voter turnout and their debt is greater than that of any current state. I'm not trying to drift into P & R just stating something I heard on the radio.
Lee D, post: 432139, member: 7971 wrote: From what I hear Puerto Rico's bid for statehood might have a rough time getting through congress; supposedly they only had a 23% voter turnout and their debt is greater than that of any current state. I'm not trying to drift into P & R just stating something I heard on the radio.
Even without having to pay Federal income tax, social security or anything else, they are still bankrupt. But if granted Statehood the 77% that didn't vote will probably apply for welfare benefits which we get to pay for.
As Lee D said "I'm not trying to drift into P & R" just what I read.
[USER=1]@Wendell[/USER]: Throw this out if it violates rules,
There are other reasons and all are political
Adding two more US Senators is not palatable to some.
Large pharmaceutical business interests
I guess that they would have to ban legal cockfighting. Every small town has a cockfighting rink in the center.
But Acadiana here still has a vibrant cockfighting industry.
I worked in PR for quite some time.
Plus the city that I was raised in Jersey has a very large Puerto Rican population.
When I worked on the island, there was a lot of petty theft. Also car theft but when caught stealing a car the offender typically was shot by police on scene.. Instant justice and a strong deterrent message.
They do serve in the US military but are denied rights and privileges.
Particularly no right to vote.
Also met a lot of folks who retired in the U.S. and returned to live on family property or a more conducive retirement environment.
Maybe technically political, but I would say that it isn't all that partisan. That's when the hackles start to rise.....
Holy Cow, post: 432123, member: 50 wrote: Hey! Number people are number people. It's what we do. We are so good at it that when we announce some great statistic "There are 725 ceiling tiles in this room." people look at us in awe (or maybe it's apprehension).
"Forty-eight stars! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
I barely remember the 48 star flag. I started School about 2 months after the 49 star flag was official. I do not remember ever seeing one. As far as I remember, we went straight from 48 to 50 stars. By the time I started 2nd grade the 50 star flag was official.
My son told me that a majority did not vote at all due to their opposition to Statehood...
