Yes, Red; it would be a pity, and I am afraid it has come about in many schools, not because it was declared a prayer and so illegal, but because no one has time for it anymore. I would like to hear from people who KNOW that the school in their neighborhood still teaches it to the students and has them recite it at least once a week. Our patriotism becomes shaky in times of security and neglecting to use the Pledge and the Anthem are partly to blame, it seems to me. The Anthem is not difficult to understand nor to sing if it is played in a key a third lower so we can all sing it. It has a range of only one octave and a third; no more than many popular songs. Win Terrell On Fri, 14 Sep 2001 09:29:19 -0500 "Diana Boothe" <[email protected]> writes: > Commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance > by Red Skelton > > As a schoolboy, one of Red Skelton's teachers explained the words > and > meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance to his class. > > Skelton later wrote down, and eventually recorded, his > recollection of > this lecture. It is followed by an observation of his own. > > I - Me; an individual; a committee of one. > Pledge - Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without > self-pity. > > Allegiance - My love and my devotion. > > To the Flag - Our standard; Old Glory ; a symbol of Freedom; > wherever she > waves there is respect, because your loyalty has given her a dignity > that > shouts, Freedom is everybody's job. > > United - That means that we have all come together. > > States - Individual communities that have united into forty-eight > great > states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity > and > purpose. All divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a > common > purpose, and that is love for country. > > And to the Republic - Republic--a state in which sovereign power > is > invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And > government > is the people; and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the > leaders > to the people. > > For which it stands > > One Nation - One Nation--meaning, so blessed by God. > > Indivisible - Incapable of being divided. > > With Liberty - Which is Freedom; the right of power to live one's > own > life, without threats, fear, or some sort of retaliation. > > And Justice - The principle, or qualities, of dealing fairly with > others. > > For All - For All--which means, boys and girls, it's as much your > country > as it is mine. > > And now, boys and girls, let me hear you recite the Pledge of > Allegiance: > > "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, > and to > the Republic, for which it stands; one nation, indivisible, with > liberty and > justice for all." > > "Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our > country, and > two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance: "Under God." > > "Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer, and that > would be > eliminated from schools, too?" > > Red Skelton > > > > ==== ARKANSAS Mailing List ==== > ListAdministrator of Arkansas-L > Diana Boothe [email protected] > > ============================== > Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp >