Ceremony honors flag, veterans

The Plains High School honored Veterans Day last Thursday by holding a ceremony in front of the school by the flagpole. The ceremony, which involved veterans from the Plains VFW Post 3596 and was attended by all of Plains’ student body, was intended as a way for the school to replace its flags and take a moment to remember those who have served in the Armed Forces.

The event was organized by Plains High School Superintendent Thom Chisholm. Chisholm knew that the school’s flags needed to be replaced after years of service, but he hoped he could use the opportunity for some good.

“Number one, my flags were in poor repair. It was something that I’d been wanting to do,” Chisholm said. “When I ordered them, I looked ahead and saw that, wow, Veterans Day is coming up. It’d be nice if we could kill two birds with one stone and create a little ceremony for our students’ educational purposes.”

To get the ceremony underway, Chisholm had a few logistical aspects to work out. For starters, he contacted the VFW Post to make sure that veterans would want to be involved. Chisholm also needed to contact the local Boy Scout Troop, because the Boy Scouts handle the retiring ceremony of the community’s flags.

The biggest logistical challenge of the ceremony had to do with the arrival of the guest of honor.

“My biggest concern was making sure that the flags would arrive on time.  But they did,” Chisholm said.

To secure the involvement of area veterans, Chisholm discussed the ceremony with James Gillibrand, commander of VFW Post 3596. For Gillibrand, the ceremony came at the perfect time.

“It was fun, and it really worked out great,” Gillibrand said. “Two things came together at a great time.

Last Thursday’s ceremony was the first of its kind with the school, and the first such ceremony that Jillibrand and the post have been involved in.

The VFW Post conducts several outreach programs in the community, which run in the vein of patriotism and service to country. They have the Voice of Democracy program at the school, where students make recordings explaining the meaning of patriotism in a creative way. So far, the post has received nine entries from Plains, eight from Thompson Falls, and two from homeschooled students.

The Patriot’s Pen is a similar program, except entries are accepted in essay form. The post has received 10 entries for that so far.

The VFW Post’s involvement in Thursday’s ceremony comes as a continuation of this outreach, and as a way to educate students.

“We wanted to make sure it was don right, and that respect is shown for the flag,” Gillibrand said.

Also, the veterans enjoyed being involved with the school.

“Everyone was excited to do their part,” Gillibrand said.

Chisholm said that the ceremony was a large part of the school’s observance of Veterans Day, and was a tremendous opportunity to not only pay respect to the flag, but to those who have served as well.

“I want the kids to honor and have respect for the veterans who have given something of themselves, either their lives or their time, for the betterment of all of us in the community,” Chisholm said. “And I think that it’s very important that our students have an understanding of that, and have respect for those who have given that. It’s kind of close to home here, with Mr. Pettit being gone overseas.”

The ceremony had personal significance for Chisholm as he remembered what Veterans Day meant to him.

“I take great pride in the veterans of Plains, all veterans, but the veterans of Plains in particular,” Chisholm said, “and I just wanted my students to be aware of that.”

Members of Chisholm’s family have served in the Armed Forces, so Veterans Day is a holiday that is personally significant. Chisholm’s father is a veteran of the Korean Conflict, and his brother has made his career in the Coast Guard, having recently retired with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer.

“Whenever I think of the military, I think of my brother, and the commitment he made,” Chisholm said. “And, my dad, since he had been to Korea.”

Though other organizations in the community replace their flag every year, Chisholm does not see the school following this example. Though when the time comes, Chisholm hopes to be able to hold a similar ceremony.

“It will likely be another four or five years until we have to retire these flags, unless they were damaged,” Chisholm said. “I would look forward to doing it.”

There are also other options with Chisholm’s choice of flag, ones that would be far less maintenance.

“We thought about getting all-weather flags that we would leave up all the time, but my maintenance supervisor, Bill Hand, he takes great pride that that’s part of his daily duties, to raise and lower the flag every day,” Chisholm said. “And when I discussed it with him, he said, ‘I would just rather do this.’ It’s his own point of respect for the country.”

Chisholm also hoped that the ceremony showed the community that the school was taking the opportunity to teach students about Veterans Day.

“The biggest thing is that I wanted to make sure that the public is aware that we recognized Veterans Day,” Chisholm said. “Many people called and asked why we were in school on Veterans Day, and, although it is a federal holiday, it’s a holiday that in the federal regulations also calls for educational observance, such as Columbus Day. It’s not one where everyone is off; it’s optional.”

The law requires that the schools take that day to try and educate in some way, shape or form. The school utilized other means as well. There were many lessons held in classrooms that were centered on themes of Veterans Day, especially in history classes. But, the ceremony tied the whole day together.

Chisholm was genuinely impressed with the conduct of the students in attendance at the ceremony.

“I found the kids were very, very respectful. That was greatly appreciated of them,” Chisholm said. “And they were sincere; they weren’t just doing it because I wanted them to, they did it because, I think, they felt it was necessary.”

All in all, Chisholm hoped that the ceremony had an impact on the students and got them thinking about what Veterans Day meant. So far, he has been pleased with the feedback he has gotten.

“I had rave reviews—the students loved it,” Chisholm said. “I had students come up and thank me in the halls, kids that normally aren’t too excited about things like that. They expressed their appreciation."