Dakota Datebook: Flag Day, Joe and Jack

Flag Day

Oh, say – do you remember that June 14 is Flag Day? That means that, from the dawn's early light to the bright rocket's – or, in this case, firecrackers' glare – we'll be honoring the red, white and blue banner of stars and stripes and commemorating when the United States adopted it as a symbol of our nation.

The flag has meant many things to many people. During trying times, patriotism often seems especially important. During World War II, in 1942, a sense of patriotism permeated every-day life in North Dakota. Doing what you could, giving what you could and doing without were ways of expressing support of the country and its soldiers overseas. If you were listening on June 5, you heard about food rationing that went on throughout the country in response to scarce supplies. Here in North Dakota, farmers were encouraged to "farm for freedom." Their crops helped with grain shortages, and their livestock helped with other food shortages.

In fact, patriotism was not just for the farmers. On this day, the Devils Lake Journal reported that in response to the calls for more eggs, one unlikely individual was doing her part to fulfill her duty. A seven-year-old white giant hen, owned by the Matt Bloomquist family, was "doubling her output" by laying one double yolk, oversized egg each day. Four of the eggs weighed almost 14 ounces.

But on June 12, too, everyone's "every-day" patriotism was made a little more special, as the people of Devils Lake were already celebrating their country and Flag Day. They had a big program for the holiday, with music performed by the Boys Concert Band, some community singing, a dramatic reading of a piece titled, "Your Flag and My Flag." This was followed by a meal, and, of course, a parade, led by a line of "massed flags" from local businesses.

And the patriotism spread across the country – as did the honoring of the flag. In fact, in Montana, a man who had so many lumps of sugar stolen from his restaurant decided to try other ways of keeping his sugar there. But when he adorned the sugar lumps with mini-American Flags, the "patriotic pilferers" changed their tactics, and afterward, he couldn't keep his bowls of sugar "equipped with flags," as so many people took them.

Stealing was, perhaps, not the best way of honoring our country's starred and striped banner; however, the patriotism and celebrations did bring it honor. And the star-spangled banner did – and does – "yet wave o'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave."

Dakota Datebook written by Sarah Walker.

Joe and Jack

On June 7 in 1879, a The Bismarck Tribune story read: "A. L. Ophir writes ... from Fort Buford a lively sketch of a pistol interview between French Joe and California Jack, Yellowstone characters. Unfortunately, no one [was] hurt.

"During Joe's absence at Buford, an exciting scene occurred at his ranche (sic), twenty-five miles up the river. His hired man, Slim Jim McDonald, was awakened in the night by a knock on the front door. He tumbled out of his bunk and admitted four guns backed by four masked men. They wanted his money. Jim was suddenly attacked with chills and fever ..." the story read.

"The robbers gently laid him over a bench and gave him a dozen with a harness thug. Jim squealed and handed over twelve dollars. The visitors then loaded themselves with two guns, a revolver, a sack of flour, forty pounds of sugar, several blankets, two hundred rounds of ammunition and a gallon of whiskey, unmixed with alkali. They escaped without difficulty."

Dakota Datebook written by Merry Helm.

"Dakota Datebook" is a radio series from Prairie Public in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota and with funding from Humanities North Dakota.