I remember this so well: I was in the 4th grade at Teresa Bunker elementary school. Our fine principal, Mr. Ellison gathered the 6 grades in the multi purpose room, the room that held both excited and terrifying memories, from Walt Disney movies to polio shots. Here we gathered and me not knowing whether this would be exciting or horrible memory, I entered and witnessed a giant flag draped across the top of the roof trusses, the trusses so high that only the toughest boys in class could climb to on the knotted rope test. Mr. Ellison welcomed us and asked us to be as good and reverent as we could while we listened to Red Skelton. Oh this is going to be fantastic I whispered to my homeroom mates. We all loved Red Skelton and his hour long weekly variety television show. But then a few moments into the recorded performance I was baffled; he wasnt being funny, he was serious. I listened intently, Mr Skelton was a hero to me. By the time he was finished I was committed forever to our nation and our flag. I was converted to patriotism. A few key teachers told stories of their lives and their feelings of patriotism, including one teacher that had served recently in the war in Viet Nam. In closing Mr. Ellison told us how special we were as members of this nation under this flag and more importantly how special it was for him to be our principal. It is no wonder that when both Mr. Skelton and Mr. Ellison passed away years later that part of me went with them. Though they are gone my deep feeling of respect for the flag and our country go on and on. God bless the United States of America.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 03:32:04 +0000