While in the School Line today, waiting for School to get out, I watched the “Flag Team” lower the American Flag and fold it up.
It reminded me of when I got to be on the Flag Team in Elementary School.
It was a great honor to get put on the Flag Team.
For one week, my team and I would go to the Principles Office, get the American Flag and walk out to the Flag Pole.
Then we would take our places.
Each person got one corner of the Flag.
The Flag would have been folded up into a Triangle Shape.
It’s supposed to resemble the Triangle hats worn during the Revolutionary War.
Others might call it a “Paper Football” shape.
We would carefully unfold the Flag, tie it to the rope and raise it.
I’m not sure if I Soluted the Flag as it got raised, but that sounds like something I would’ve done.
Then, around 2 in the afternoon, the Flag Team would meet back out at the Flag Pole and lower the Flag.
I remember not letting it touch the ground because “Johnny,” a kid on our team, kept saying, “Don’t let it touch the ground. They’ll have to dispose of it if it touches the ground…”
Then, after not letting it touch the ground, we would carefully fold the Flag up into a triangle and return it to the Principles Office.
The Flag Team would do that for five days.
Then, another team would get picked for the next week.
Today, as I watch this Flag Team, you can tell that they take great pride in their job.
I can even imagine one of them, probably someone named “Johnny,” saying, “Don’t let it touch the ground. They’ll have to dispose of it if you let it touch the ground…”
That was a pretty stressful week, now that I think about it.
It’s a good memory now, though.
