Cultus Club Ladies Learn About Betsy Ross

CULTUS CLUB NEWS

March 17, 2015

The meeting was called to order by the Club President.  She indicated that today was the day that elections would be held to vote for the Club presidency for 2015-16. Club members were also told that the special Mountain Star Hospital project is complete and that a total of twenty-two receiving blankets, onesies, and burp bibs had been donated. The Pledge of Allegiance was then led by JaNae Friedli and the Collect was given by Dona Brian.  Elections were held, with Georgia Mills remaining as President, Beth Nielsen as Vice President, and Lois Wright as Secretary.

The time was then given to our special guest, Dorothy Argyle.  She spoke about Betsy Ross and how she came to be the one to design the first American flag.

Betsy was of the Quaker religion and grew up learning how to do many things.  She came from a family of seventeen children.  Her father earned a living by making items for homes in the community.

Betsy wanted to make an item for her dolls, so she went into her father’s workshop.  Knowing that it was against the rules, she stood on a chair on a tabletop and kept swiping at a small saw until it flew off its holding place and hit her on the head and “bit” her finger.

Her mother ‘solved’ the problem by giving Betsy her own timble and teaching her to sew.  Her first big attempt was to make a replica of the Liberty Bell on fabric, and she won first prize in the contest.  This took her to the point where she was asked to make a flag with thirteen stripes and thirteen stars that represented the thirteen colonies then in existence.

It is interesting that, in the flag we have today, the thirteen stripes are still there to represent the original settlements.

It was truly an enjoyable meeting.

Dorothy spends quite a bit of time visiting schools to teach children these concepts of the American flag.  She teaches them how very important it is to pay attention to it in parades and to be sure to place their hand over their heart.  

St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes were served after the meeting.

Georgia Mills