Francis J. Bellamy, an editor of Youth's Companion, thought it would be a fine thing if on that day all the schoolchildren of America, in unison, offered something to their nation. He composed a pledge that the Bureau of Education mailed to virtually every school. As originally worded, it began, "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands …" A
Francis J. Bellamy, who was an editor at Youth's Companion, envisioned a day when American schoolchildren could unite to express their loyalty to the nation. To bring this idea to life, he drafted a pledge that emphasized their allegiance, which the Bureau of Education distributed widely to schools across the country. The pledge began with the words, "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands,"...
