WAUBEKA, Wis. — Every June, Waubeka residents revere perhaps the nation’s most enduring symbol, celebrating Flag Day, a holiday that escapes the notice of many Americans.
But this unincorporated Wisconsin city about 35 miles north of Milwaukee takes the day seriously. After all, it claims to be the birthplace of Flag Day, thanks to a tenacious teacher in a one-room schoolhouse.
Here are some things you need to know about the obscure flag-waving holiday.
Flag Day commemorates June 14, 1777, when the Continental Congress determined the composition of the nation’s standard: “Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United States shall have thirteen stripes, alternately red and white; that the union shall be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation of June 14 as Flag Day in 1916, and in 1949 President Harry S. Truman signed the formal observance into law. And it falls during Flag Week, following another congressional ruling in 1966.
Yes, the flag is used prominently on Independence Day. But the emblem is important enough to have its own day, according to David Janik, a Waubeka native and second-generation chairman of the National Flag Day Foundation.
“On the 4th of July we celebrate our independence,” Janik said. “But on Flag Day we celebrate the birth of our flag, which is the symbol of our country, the symbol that is seen all over the world as the helper, the people who do not leave you out in the cold. ”
On June 14, 1885, Bernard J. Cigrand, an 18-year-old Waubeka native teaching at Stony Hill School, put a flag in his inkwell and gave his students an essay on what the flag means to them. Cigrand left for dental school in Chicago the following year, but he never gave up his advocacy for a national day dedicated to the flag.
Cigrand realized his dream in 1916 when Wilson issued his proclamation.
Although he died in 1932, Waubeka never forgot Cigrand and in 1946 community leaders organized the town’s Flag Day celebration, which has been held continuously since.
Yes. The earliest record of Flag Day concerns a man named George Morris who organized such a commemoration on June 14, 1861 in Hartford, Connecticut, marked by a patriotic program and prayers for the Union Army’s success in a fledgling Civil War. But apparently the festivities were never repeated.
Pennsylvanians will challenge Cigrand’s coronation as “Father of Flag Day.” William T. Kerr, a native of Pittsburgh, began his advocacy in 1888 and a year later became national chairman of the American Flag Day Foundation, a position he held for half a century. Kerr was among those who stood with Truman when he signed the Flag Day Act.
As for the expected friendly rivalry, Janik said his father, the late Jack Janik, “made that happen.” The elder Janik traveled to Washington and lobbied Congress, which passed a resolution in 2004 calling Waubeka “the birthplace of Flag Day.”
Besides the parade, the bands, the patriotism awards, the military honor guards and a dog named Harlow who turns 8 on Flag Day and wears a red, white and blue skipper on her head, there are the essays.
In the spirit of Cigrand and his students 139 years ago, the Waubeka Flag Day celebration includes an annual essay contest and draws entries from across the country – this year from New York to Nevada and from Wisconsin to Texas.
The Stars and Stripes “represent a nation where immigrants like my grandparents are welcomed, where diversity is celebrated, and where justice is available for all,” wrote Neel Sood, a fourth-grader from Bridgewater, New Jersey.
Adell, Wisconsin, 7th grader Ryan Spang wrote that “the American flag represents unity. We are one nation, united by our similarities and differences. We support people in our communities in times of need and we cheer them on in times of success.”
Flag Day is not like Thanksgiving, Memorial Day and a few other federal holidays that usually mean Americans can spend the day off.
Instead, it is officially recognized nationally, government services are still open and mail is still delivered. Only Pennsylvania marks it as a state holiday, allowing residents to stay home from work and school.
But another backyard barbecue isn’t necessary to feel the love in Waubeka.
“Our passion for the flag here runs very deep,” Janik said. “The flag is the symbol of our country – it symbolizes individualism, success, loss, courage and chivalry. People need a compass to guide them, and the flag is a great compass.”
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O’Connor reported from Springfield, Illinois.