Veterans teach flag etiquette to students

Kids at St. Agnes Cathedral School learn how to properly treat our nation’s symbol

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Leading up to the Memorial Day holiday, students at the St. Agnes Cathedral School were invited to participate in a special presentation made by Frank Colón, commander of American Legion Post 303, about flag etiquette and the history of our nation’s emblem.

Congress officially adopted the Stars and Stripes as the symbol of the United States of America on June 14, 1777, at the height of the Revolutionary War against the British monarchy.

Originally it consisted of 13 red and white stripes and 13 stars, to represent the original 13 colonies united. And as the nation grew, so did the flag, which was changed to include 50 stars representing each of the 50 states.

More than two centuries later, in 1998, the United States Flag Code was adopted to set forward advisory rules on the proper display and care of the national flag.

The code stipulates that the flag must never be flown in inclement weather, nothing should be touching beneath it, it should never be strewn on the ground, and that it should be cleaned and mended when necessary.

During the lesson on May 23, students from kindergarten to fourth grade were invited to the St. Agnes Parish Center, where they also learned how to properly fold the flag, the meaning and importance of flying the flag at half-mast, and how to appropriately and respectful destroy a flag when it is in a condition that is no longer fit to be displayed.