It's a Grand Old Flag Day

Monday was Flag Day and Huntington citizens are urged to fly their flag throughout this week, designated National Flag Week.

There are guidelines associated with not only how to display the U.S. flag, but also how to dispose of what is called an "unserviceable" flag. 

In an effort to make this process easier and, hence, more likely to happen, Town Councilman Mark Cuthbertson spearheaded an initiative several years ago called the Flag Deposit Box Project. 

He obtained two retired U.S. Postal Service boxes that were then retrofitted and painted enabling them to serve as official disposal containers for old and damaged American Flags.

The boxes were placed in front of the Nathan Hale Veterans of Foreign War building on Pulaski Road in Huntington Station and the Northport American Legion, just off Main Street in the village.

Both veterans organizations oversee the deposits and dispose of flags at their Flag Day ceremonies. The Nathan Hale VFW did have its ceremony scheduled for June 12, but that has been postponed until further notice.

All deposited flags will be collected and destroyed by burning, in accordance with U.S. Government Code Regulations, Title 36, Chapter 10, Section 176-8K.

Flag Day came about back on June 14, 1885 when a 19-year-old teacher at Stony Hill School in Waubeka, Wisconsin placed a small 38-star flag on a stick in a bottle on his desk and assigned his students essays on the flag and its significance. 

That teenaged teacher, Bernard J. Cigrand, was an American patriot who would eventually become the founder of Flag Day. Born in Wisconsin in 1866, he was a contributing editor of Encyclopedia Americana and the Chicago-based organization known as the Sons of America appointed Cigrand editor-in-chief of its magazine, American Standard.

Cigrand wrote about the recognition and meaning of Flag Day, laws and customs regulating the use of the flag and other articles advocating recognition of the flag's June 14 adoption. 

On the third Saturday in June 1894, more than 300,000 Chicago school children celebrated the first Flag Day. From there, governors, mayors and five U.S. presidents agreed that Flag Day should be observed in all the states on June 14, the anniversary of the official adoption of the flag. 

In 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress officially designating June 14 of every year "National Flag Day." Legislation unanimously voted on by Congress in June 2004 states that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, where Cigrand was born. 

The National Flag Day Foundation strives to carry on the tradition of the first Flag Day observance, says its president John Janik. The foundation initiates fundraising efforts to support Cigrands' dream to "fittingly commemorate the birthday of the American Flag and to carry the message of our Flag to the future leaders of our great country – our youth."

When To Display The Flag

According to the American Flag Foundation, Inc. the flag should be displayed on all days, but especially on:

• New Year's Day (Jan. 1)
• Inauguration Day (Jan. 20)
• Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday (third Monday in January) 
• Lincoln's birthday (Feb. 12) 
• Washington's birthday (third Monday in February) 
• Easter Sunday - (variable) 
• Mother's Day (second Sunday in May)
• Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May) 
• Memorial Day (half-staff until noon May 30 and last Monday in May) 
• Flag Day (June 14) 
• Independence Day (July 4) 
• Labor Day (first Monday in September) 
• Columbus Day (second Monday in October) 
• Navy Day (Oct. 27) 
• Veterans Day (Nov. 11) 
• Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) 
• Christmas Day (Dec. 25) 
• Other days as may be proclaimed by the president of the United States, including birthdays of states (date of admission) and state holidays.

It is important to remember that when displayed at night, the U.S. flag must be properly illuminated.