To the editor:
Flag day is June 14. It is the day to honor the symbol of our country. A flag is a symbol for the people united in some way. We live in N.C. and our state has a flag as does every state in the U.S.A.  Come to the flag museum in downtown Columbus to see them and many more interesting flags, including the development of the American flag, which we now honor.
Flags, like our stars and stripes that symbolize countries haven’t been in use very long but, banners carried in war, showing loyalty to a military leader is a very old custom. Remember King Solomon; he lived in the 10th century BC. Even that long ago, the army carried Solomon’s banners.
In historic movies, Knights in armors carried a banner to show his loyalty to a King. Italy was the first country to have a national flag. There was no king for the flag to represent, so it symbolized the land.
Flags have been important at sea also. Every ship flies a flag so anyone can tell what country the ship is from. When the war for independence was being fought, George Washington was the head of the army, and he had a flag. In fact, there were many flag. But on June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress with the war going on “resolved that the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white, the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
In spite of the myth about Betsy Ross making our flag, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Francis Hopkinson, designed and made the first flag.
Francis Scott Key did write to words to the Star Spangled Banner, and it was published as poetry in the newspaper. The tune we sing was a popular drinking song and used by about 20 different songs.
Honor our flag!
– Jane Janke, Columbus