The American Salute That History Erased

In her last blog, Marcie talked about visiting the tiny town of Goffs, California—current population: three. While we were there, we toured the beautifully restored one-room schoolhouse built during Goffs' heyday in 1914. The restored one-room schoolhouse in Goffs, CA Our docent, Chris Wirth, was a fount of information. As our group grew from two - Marcie and me - to more than ten in the large classroom, Chris helped us to imagine what school was like more than a century ago. He shared stories about Goffs' early years and the families who carved out a living in the Mojave Desert. Then he asked a question that caught everyone off guard."If you were a schoolchild in 1914, how would you salute the flag while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance?"The answers came quickly. A few of us—including me—placed our right hands over our hearts. A couple of people snapped off military salutes. One gave a three-fingered Boy Scout salute.Marcie had a different idea. After only a slight hesitation, she…