STRIPES=

BY HENRY RUSSELL WRAY

While every lad and lassie in the land knows and has read all about the
famous old Liberty Bell, too little is known of the origin and growth of
America's dearest emblem--her flag. William Penn's city--Philadelphia--is
gemmed with many historical landmarks, but none should be more dear to us
than that little old building still standing on Arch street, over whose
doorway is the number--239. For in a small back room in this primitive
dwelling, during the uncertain struggle for independence by the American
colonies, was designed and made the first American flag, known as the
"Stars and Stripes," now respected and honored in every quarter of the
world, and loved and patriotically worshiped at home.

The early history of our great flag is very interesting.

It is a matter of record that during the early days of the Revolution
the colonists made use of flags of various devices.

It is nowadays generally accepted as a fact that the final idea of the
Stars and Stripes as a national flag was borrowed from or suggested by
the coat of arms of General George Washington's family.

The first definite action taken by the colonies toward creating a flag,
was a resolution passed by Congress in 1775, appointing a committee of
three gentlemen--Benjamin Franklin and Messrs. Harrison and Lynch--to
consider and devise a national flag. The result of the work of this
committee was the adoption of the "King's Colors" as a union (or corner
square), combined with thirteen stripes, alternate red and white,
showing "that although the colonies united for defense against England's
tyranny, they still acknowledged her sovereignty."

[Illustration: NUMBER 239 ARCH STREET, PHILADELPHIA--THE HOUSE IN WHICH
THE FIRST "STARS AND STRIPES" WAS MADE]

The first public acceptance, recognition, and salute of this flag
occurred January 2, 1776, at Washington's headquarters, Cambridge,
Massachusetts. The name given to this flag was "The Flag of the Union,"
and sometimes it was called the "Cambridge Flag." The design of this
flag was a combination of the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew in
a blue field in the upper left-hand corner, bordered by thirteen stripes
for the thirteen colonies.

But in the spring of 1777 Congress appointed another committee
"authorized to design a suitable flag for the nation."

This committee seems to have consisted of General George Washington and
Robert Morris. They