Roy Exum: A Little History Lesson

  • Thursday, October 20, 2016
  • Roy Exum

We are told that, as of today, San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick holds the dual distinction of being “the most hated man in the NFL” and the wearer of “this year’s No. 1 Most-Purchased NFL jersey.” We also know that early voting just opened in “The Election of the Lesser of Two Evils” and, in Nashville, our educators are struggling with what parts of actual history should be omitted from our school books.

So with all three factors being brought into play, it seems a good time for a wonderful tale to be told. You see, on this very night 124 years ago, every boy and girl sat on the hearth before the fire and their parents helped each memorize the most immortal 23 words you – yourself -- have ever said. Each kid was urged to “be ready,” just like you were back in the day. 

So on the morning of October 21, 1892, the first thing each child did when they got to school was to stand tall and straight, facing the flag, do the “salute,” (place your right hand over your heart) and with due pride recite, “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” 

Believe it or not, the whole thing started as an advertising gimmick. At that time the most popular magazine in all the land was “Youth’s Companion” and an enterprising marketer, James Upham, came up with the idea of offering a free flag to a school if enough kids coughed up a nickel apiece for a subscription. Yes, every “free” flag was actually financed by the children but, hey, that how it’s been from the very get-go. 

A public relations guy, a part-time preacher named Francis Bellamy, was tasked to write an “oath” as part of the reason every school in America must have its own flag and it is believed he came up with the first “Pledge of Allegiance” in less than two hours. Bellamy’s pledge was circulated by the magazine and, lo and behold, our nation’s oath was born. 

The slick-talking Upham sold the National Education Association on “the patriotic plan” the summer before. In July Congress approved the idea of a patriotic pledge. President Benjamin Harrison then signed the daily recitation into law with the inaugural date as Columbus Day (the second Monday in October). 

The flag launch was a huge success – 25,000 Star-Spangled Banners were supplied to schools the first year. As you know, everywhere a group of citizens gathers 124 years later, be it the Kiwanis Club or the halls of Congress, the pledge is now recited by almost all of us every day. 

Since that first version, the pledge has been changed four times and six more stars, representing the addition of states, have been added to the union (symbolized by the blue part of the flag.) In 1923 the words “the United States of America” were added to the “Republic” and not until 1954 were the words “under God” inserted by President Dwight Eisenhower, this one week after “Ike” was baptized as a Presbyterian. 

Today the correct pledge is: “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."
The six states that were added to the union after the Pledge of Allegiance was written into law were Utah (1896), Oklahoma (1908), Arizona and New Mexico (1912), Alaska (1959) and Hawaii (1960.) 

Yes, a lot has changed since the Pledge was said in classrooms. For instance, Bellamy said in an interview he wanted to include the words “equality” and “fraternity” but was dissuaded by the fear the school superintendents would balk, this because women and African-Americans were both regarded (back in those days) as “unequal” in the eyes of school superintendents! 

Ever since “under God” was added during the ‘Cold War’ because of “godless Communists,” it has been repeatedly challenged but perhaps the best legal response was included in 2015 by New Jersey Superior Court Judge David F. Bauman. 

In dismissing a lawsuit that purported the phrase “under God” in the pledge created a climate of discrimination because it promoted religion, making non-believers “second-class citizens,” Judge Bauman found "...the Pledge of Allegiance does not violate the rights of those who don't believe in God and does not have to be removed from the patriotic message." 

His decision read, this from Wikipedia, "Under (the association members') reasoning, the very constitution under which (the members) seek redress for perceived atheistic marginalization could itself be deem unconstitutional, an absurd proposition which (association members) do not and cannot advance here." 

The Judge “the student could skip the pledge, but upheld a New Jersey law that says pupils must recite the pledge unless they have “conscientious scruples” that do not allow it. 

His summation? “As a matter of historical tradition, the words ‘under God’ can no more be expunged from the national consciousness than the words ‘In God We Trust’ from every coin in the land, than the words ‘so help me God’ from every presidential oath since 1789, or than the prayer that has opened every congressional session of legislative business since 1787.” 

This is why 46 of the union’s 50 states are required to allow time for the Pledge of Allegiance every day. Don’t you wish that Vermont, Iowa, Wyoming and Hawaii will soon return to their senses? 

* * * 

In 1969 the comedian Red Skelton had a Comedy Hour on CBS and took a chance on doing a self-written monologue about how a teacher, Mr. Laswell, made the Pledge of Allegiance come alive before Skelton quit school in the seventh grade. The network received over 200,000 requests for copies during the next week and Skelton’s rendition has since become an American classic. It still brings the same reaction from people that it did 47 years ago. 

royexum@aol.com

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