ROCHELLE — As one of their daily tasks, fifth grade students at Tilton School are in charge of raising the flag each morning and lowering it before the school day ends. Two veterans visited the school earlier this month to teach them the rules of etiquette for this symbol of American freedom.

VFW Post 3878 commander Bill Bumgarner and former commander Guy Bays demonstrated the proper way to raise the flag briskly and lower it ceremoniously.
“The VFW is always generous in offering to send representatives over to show our students proper flag etiquette,” said Tilton School teacher Noelle Brown. “They talk about the colors of our flag and what they represent, special holidays to display the flag at half-staff, and make sure that students know that the flag should be illuminated if it is flying at night.”

Teaching flag etiquette is something the VFW has done for many years at Tilton and other area schools.
“We go each year to show the students. We bring booklets that have the history of the flag, what the colors mean — the red signifies the courage and sacrifice, and the blue is loyalty and unity of our citizens,” Bays said. “We also explain how the flags are supposed to be displayed and folded.
The VFW also stores over 500 casket flags from deceased veterans that families have donated. Each year the members and volunteers display close to 200 of the flags at Lawnridge Cemetery for Memorial Day.
Just as there is etiquette to displaying and care for the flag, there is also a proper way to dispose of the old and tattered ones. Bays said anyone is welcome to bring their worn out flags to the VFW post so that they may be retired properly.