| See similar images: ID 137645, ID 138555, ID 140037. I.P. Rumsey is Lucy Holt's father.
According to Lucy Holt's great granddaughter Shan Holt in August 2018, "Holt children viewed it as a signal honor to raise the flag every morning, with one of the adults on the Island, and lower it, fold it, and put it away at dusk. Oddly, neither W. A., Alfred, nor Donald saw active service in the armed forces. I.P. Rumsey, of course, was a captain in the Union Army, and later all three of Don’s sons served (Marines, Don, Jr.; Air Force, Dorsey; Army, Bill). So the flag ritual was a symbol of patriotism for the family, I believe. All of us kids were taught the proper way to fold the flag (triangle fold). Jeannette kept up this tradition during her tenure as Lodge hostess, but it has lapsed in recent years. At the Ark, there was a fun story about the Don Sr. and Gordon Wheeler being responsible for raising and lowering the flag daily. Knowing that the flag is supposed to fly perpetually over the grave of Francis Scott Key, once when they forgot and left the flag flying all night, they tried to escape judgment by making a sign that read 'Here Lies the Body of Francis Scott Key. Don’t take the flag down, Just let it be.' The sign survives, and can be seen at the Ark today." |
