This Ceremony is meant for Boy Scouts.
Decide
for yourself if it is appropriate for your younger scouts or not.
Whatever ceremony
you attempt, these guidelines will help make it go smoothly:
- Who
will carry the flag?
- Who will be the color guards and what
formation will they make?
- Who will give the directions for the
ceremony?
- What song will be sung? Who will start the song?
- Who
will say or read any extra parts?
- After the Pledge of
Allegiance, will the Scout Law, Scout Oath, and/or Outdoor Code be
recited?
- In what order will the parts of the ceremony take
place?
- When will the group practice?
- Where will the
flags be placed at the end of the ceremony?
Remember
these points of U.S. Flag etiquette:
- The U.S. Flag is always
displayed to the far right of other flags, or in the center and higher
than all others.
- The U.S. Flag is displayed in a stand to the
speaker's right as he faces the audience in an auditorium.
- The
U.S. Flag is raised briskly and lowered slowly.
- When posting
flags in stands, the U.S. Flag is always the last one posted and the
first one lifted.
- When raising flags on flag poles, the U.S.
Flag s always the first one raised and the last one lowered.
- The
U.S. Flag should not be carried flat or horizontally.
- The U.S.
Flag should not touch anything below it, should not have anything placed
on or above it, should not be used to cover anything, and should be
kept clean.
- When displayed after dark, the U.S. Flag should be
illuminated.
- When no longer suitable for display, a U.S. Flag
should be burned in a special flag retirement ceremony.
Freedom Candles
Equipment:
4
Candles
Spotlight or bright flashlight
6 Scouts
(Darken
Room. 4 person color guard in back of room - each member has an unlit
candle. One scout with spotlight seated front center of audience.)
Color guard enters with flagbearer in lead and 3 scouts following.
They stop at center stage.
One scout grasps the upper right
corner of the flag and raises it up so the flag hangs full.
Other
two scouts each take a single knee at two lower corners of the flag.
Narrator scout steps forward and lights each of the four candles to
illuminate the flag then returns to position to the audience's right.
Narrator: You see here the past, present and future of our
country. The stripes of our flag stand for the original 13 colonies that
began our nation. The stars represent the current 50 states. The blue
field represents the dreams of the future. The Scouts represent the men
of tomorrow. The lit candles remind us of our four great freedoms and
if any of those are lost our nation will be lost:
- Freedom of
Speech
- Freedom of Religion
- Freedom from Want
- Freedom
from Oppression
(each scout loudly says his Freedom and blows
out his candle)
(after a couple seconds, the spotlight scout
turns his light directly on the flag.)
Narrator: In this
world of oppression, fear, and lack of freedoms, the United States of
America stands forth. In our country, the four freedoms do exist and are
an example for all.
Narrator: Please stand. Scouts salute
and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Face the Flag
(Color
guard brings in the flag. Read this poem before saying the Pledge of
Allegiance.)
Face the Flag of stars and bars,
Of red and white
and blue,
A flag that guarantees the rights
For men like me and
you.
Face the flag, friends, read what's written there
The
history, the progress, and the heritage we share
Our flag reflects
the past, friends, but stands for so much more
And in this age of
challenge, it still flies in the fore.
It leads the forward
movement shared by all mankind
To learn, to love, to live with peace
in mind
To learn the mysteries of space, as well as those of earth
To
love each man for what he is, regardless of his birth.
To live
without the fear of reprisal for belief
To ease the the tensions of
the world that cries out for relief.
Face the Flag of stars and
bars,
Of red and white and blue,
A flag that guarantees the rights
For
men like me and you
Face the flag, friends, take a good long
look
What you're seeing now can't be found in any history book
It's
the present and the future so it's being written now
And you're the
one to write it, but the flag can show you how.
Do you know what
it stands for? What it's makers meant?
To think, to speak, the
privilege of dissent
To think our leaders might be wrong, to stand
and tell them so
These are things that other men under other flags
will never know.
But, responsibility, that's the cross that free
men must bear
And if you don't accept that, the freedom isn't there.
Face
the Flag of stars and bars,
Of red and white and blue,
A flag
that guarantees the rights
For men like me and you.
Face the
flag, friends, and face reality
Our strengths and our freedoms are
based in unity
The flag is but a symbol, friends, of the world's
greatest nation
And as long as it keeps flying, there's cause for
celebration.
So do what you've got to do, but always keep in mind
A
lot of other people believe in peace, but there are the other kind
If
we want to keep these freedoms, we may have to fight again
God
forbid, but if we do, let's always fight to win.
For the fate of a
loser is futile and it's bare
No love, no peace, just misery and
despair.
Face the flag, friends, and thank God it's still there.
Remember Me?
Some people call me Old Glory,
others call me the Star Spangled Banner, but what ever they call me I
am your Flag, the Flag of the United States of America. Something has
been bothering me, so I thought I might talk it over with you, because
it is about you and me.
I remember some time ago people lined on
both sides of the street to watch the parade and naturally, I was
leading every parade, proudly waving in the breeze. When your daddy saw
me coming he immediately removed his hat and placed it against his left
shoulder so that his hand was directly over his heart. Remember?
And
you, I remember you, standing there straight as a soldier. You didn't
have a hat, but you were giving the right salute. Remember little
sister? Not to be outdone, she was saluting the same as you with her
right hand over her heart. Remember?
What happened? I am still
the same old flag. Oh, I have a few more stars since the old days. A lot
more blood has been shed since those parades of long ago.
But
now I don't feel as proud as I used to. When I come down your street,
you just stand there with your hands in your pockets and I may get a
small glance and then you look away. Then I see the children running
around and shouting, they didn't seem to know who I am. I saw one man
take his hat off, then looked around. He didn't see anybody else with
their hats off so he quickly put his hat back on.
Is it a sin to
be patriotic anymore? Have you forgotten what I stand for and where I've
been? Anzio, Guadalcanal, Korea, Viet Nam, Okinawa. Take a look at the
memorial honor rolls sometime of those who
never came back to keep
this Republic Free. One Nation Under God. When you salute me, you are
actually saluting them.
Well, it wont be long until I'll be
coming down your street again. So, when you see me, stand straight,
place your right hand over your heart, and I'll salute you by waving
back, and I'll know that ...
YOU REMEMBER!
I Am Your Flag
I
am your flag.
I was born June 14, 1777.
I am more then just
cloth shaped into a design.
I am the refuge of the World's oppressed
people.
I am the silent sentinel of freedom.
I am the emblem of
the greatest sovereign nation on earth.
I am the inspiration for
which American Patriots gave their lives and fortunes.
I have led
your sons into battle from Valley Forge to the dense jungles of Vietnam.
I walk in silence with each of your honored dead to their final
resting place beneath the silent white crosses - row upon row.
I
have flown through peace and war; strife and prosperity; and amidst it
all, I have been respected.
I am your flag.
My red stripes
symbolize the blood spilled in defense of this glorious nation.
My
white stripes signify the yurning tears shed by Americans who lost their
sons and daughters.
My blue field is indicative of God's heaven,
under which I fly.
My stars, clustered together, unify fifty states
as one, for God and Country. "Old Glory" is my nickname, and I proudly
wave on high. Honor me, respect me, defend me with your lives and your
fortunes.
Never let my enemies tear me down from my lofty position,
lest I never return.
Keep alight the fires of patriotism; strive
earnestly for the spirit of Democracy.
Worship God and I shall
remain the bulwark of peace and freedom for all mankind.
I am Your
Flag!
Scouting Flag
The
flag of the United States is a symbol of our country and all it
represents. One of the many great things our flag represents is
Scouting. Let's look at the flag from our Scouting viewpoint.
The
white stripes are all Scouts with their clean, fresh desire to learn,
be with the best of others, and still stand out in their own
individuality.
The red stripes can represent the parents, who
have given their sons the blood of inheritance, the closeness of
constant support, the brilliance of visible good example and distinction
of encouraging self-reliance.
The blue field represents the
Scouting organization with it's broad principles and high ideals bound
together with sound practices serving a teaching and supporting
background.
The white stars are Scout leaders - all those who
promote the interest of Boy Scouts, guide them in self-leadership,
brighten the way of their growth, and illuminate the goals to
constructive manhood.
Just a Piece of Cloth
It's just a piece of cloth, that's all it is
Just a piece of
cloth.
But when a little breeze comes along, it stirs and comes to
life
And flutters and snaps in the wind, all red and white and blue.
Then
you realize that no other piece of cloth could be like it.
It has
your whole life wrapped up in it.
The meals you eat, the time you
spend with your family,
The kind of things boys and girls learn at
school,
The strange and wonderful thoughts you get in church.
Those
stars on it,
They make you feel just as free as the stars
in the
wide, wide, deep night.
And the stripes,
they are the bars of
blood
To any dictator who would try to change this way of life.
Just
a piece of cloth, that's all it is
Until you put your soul into it
and give it meaning;
Then it is the symbol of liberty and decency
and
fair dealing for everyone.
It is just a piece of cloth
Until we
breathe life into it,
Until we make it stand for everything we
believe in
And refuse to live without it.
Freedom
Equipment:
One scout wearing a jacket over his scout uniform and is blindfolded,
gagged, and hands bound. Another scout to lead him to the front and
perform actions.
(scout is brought forward)
This is an
American boy.
The American Revolution won him freedom.
(Scout
unbinds him.)
The Constitution guarantees him free speech.
(Scout removes gag.)
Public education lets him understand the world.
(Scout removes blindfold.)
Scouting teaches him to preserve and
enjoy his heritage and to become a good citizen.
(Remove jacket to
show uniform.)
As Americans, let's pledge our allegiance in
gratitude for the opportunities and freedoms we enjoy in this country.
Scout Promise
Equipment: Red, white,
and blue candles. 3 scouts.
Have you noticed the strong bond
between our flag and our Scout Promise?
(Scout lights white
candle)
One of the colors of the flag is white, It is the symbol of
purity and perfection, It is like the first part of our Scout Promise,
Our Duty to God.
(Scout lights red candle)
The color red in
our flag means sacrifice and courage, the qualities of the founders of
our country. Red is the symbol of the second part of the Scout Promise.
Our duty to other people requires courage to help anyone in trouble and
the self-sacrifice of putting others first.
(Scout lights blue
candle)
Blue is the color of faith. It represents the Scout Law,
which we faithfully follow. We do our best to be true and honest and
strong in character.
Let's dedicate ourselves with our Pledge of
Allegiance and follow with the Boy Scout Promise.
I am an American
(Flags are processed in.)
Up
to 10 scouts can each speak one of the following, or have each scout
have multiple parts:
My country gives each one of us the
opportunity to advance according to his ambition. Education is for all.
I am an American.
My country means love of freedom, faith in
democracy, justice and equality. I am an American.
My country
believes in the moral worth of the common
man. I am an American.
My
country gives us the privilege of expressing beliefs or opinions
without fear of persecution. I am an American.
My country has
the best form of government. It is my duty to keep it that way. I am an
American.
My country promises life, liberty, and the pursuit
of
happiness. I am an American.
My country gives us a privilege
that we will protect and defend even with our lives. I am an American.
My
country is, and always shall remain, the land of the free and the home
of the brave. I am an American.
My country meets any need or
suffering with compassion and loyalty. I am an American.
My
country believes in the freedom of the individual. I am an American.
Please
join in the Pledge of Allegiance.
National Anthem
I
occasionally stop to look at the Flag rippling in the breeze around our
town. I think it's a baeutiful flag, with it's 13 stripes and it's
stars on a field of blue.
Red is a symbol of Bravery, White is a
symbol of Purity, and Blue is a symbol of Love and Devotion.
The
cloth of which our Flag is made is made up of millions of threads and
stitched, and all bound together and each doing it's part, making our
Flag.
In the same way, our Country is made up of millions of
individuals, with different religious beliefs, different colors and
creeds, but all bound together in the common cause to see that Liberty
and Justice prevails in this Country.
When looking at our flag, I
can understand how proud Francis Scott Key was when he wrote our
National Anthem. He had visited a British battle ship anchored in
Baltimore Harbor to intercede for the release of a friend of his held
captive by the British. When he walked into the British Captain's cabin
he overheard the plans the British were making to assault Fort McHenry
that night. The British Captain agreed to release Key's friend, but made
Francis Scott Key remain overnight aboard the ship so he could not give
away the plans for the attack.
As darkness was closing in,
Francis Scott Key was on the deck of the ship and the last thing he saw
was Old Glory proudly floating above Fort McHenry. During the night, the
British made a terrific assault on Fort McHenry and Francis Scott Key
had his doubts as to whether the Fort could stand during the night. As
dawn was breaking, Francis Scott Key walked out onto the deck of the
ship. The first thing that met his eyes was Old Glory still proudly
flying above the Fort, and the words of our National Anthem, The Star
Spangled Banner, came to him at this time.
Oh say can you see,
by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the
twilight's last gleaming.
I think we should be as proud of our
Flag as was Francis Scott Key, and that we should re-pledge our
Allegiance to our Flag.