American Legion Post 1181 members spoke about freedom, responsibility, and patriotism with fourth graders at the Circleville Elementary School in the town of Wallkill on Nov. 6.
The program started with a prerecorded mini-lecture by post commander and Army veteran Jim Scali, who explained American freedom, the sacrifices made to establish and keep it, and how people can pay tribute to these sacrifices and their country in their daily lives.
“You, our young Americans, will determine the direction of our country,” Mr. Scali said to the students. “Our past generations are turning over our nation to you. Be vigilant and love your country.”
The first vice commander of the post, Barry Schnipper, quizzed the kids after the short speech.
He asked them about Veterans Day, how its meaning differs from that of Memorial Day, about the purpose of having a military, and about the various kinds of freedom people enjoy in the country.
“Yes, freedom is about being able to do what you want to do,” Mr. Schnipper replied to a student. “But remember, we are a nation of laws, and you do what you want to do within the realms of the law.
“And you cannot just do something to hurt somebody else.”
When he asked about ways to keep the United States great, students came up with answers such as not saying “I don’t care,” keeping the country clean, and feeding the homeless.
Post members Paul Eurich and Tom Nosworthy demonstrated the proper way to fold an American flag, then Mr. Schnipper played a tune called “To the Colors” on a trumpet.
When a student asked about a good way to dispose of an American flag, Mr. Schnipper said: “That is called flag retirement. How do you retire American flags? You have a service, burn the flags, and bury the ashes.”
He added that several local veteran organizations offer the service.
“Having the veterans come in to share their experiences and explain patriotism to our students is vital,” Circleville Elementary School Principal Kristin Slover told The Epoch Times. “We thank them for their service and for offering to come in and educate our students.”
Over the past eight years, American Legion Post 1181 members have delivered the patriotism program to about 52,000 students in Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster counties, according to Mr. Schnipper.
The post started the program in 2015, in the wake of a local school district’s decision to have students recite the Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic under the banner of inclusivity, he said.
“The Pledge of Allegiance is supposed to be in English and English only; it is supposed to instill patriotism and a feeling of togetherness in the country,” he told The Epoch Times. “When you say the Pledge of Allegiance in any language other than English, you are divisive.”
Mr. Scali told The Epoch Times that it was important to keep spreading patriotism among young students.
“For kids that are 10 years old, they are more likely to absorb more than, say, if they are 18,” he said. “And part of the American Legion’s mission is to speak to the youth.”
The American Legion, the nation’s largest war veteran organization, was founded in 1919 on four pillars of service: veterans, a strong national defense, Americanism, and youth.
American Legion Post 1181 was chartered in 1937 and welcomes any veteran who has been honorably discharged.
