Flag Raised at The Old Hornbine School

The Hornbine School was restored in 1968 during Rehoboth’s 325th Anniversary. That August, the Hornbine Association held a ceremony to raise a flag that was given to the school by President and Mrs. Johnson. The flag had flown over the White House on July 27th of that year. The special flag was presented to George Sarkisian, the 325th anniversary committee chairperson. John Waterman, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, was master of ceremonies. Miss Rehoboth, Katherine Perates, raised the flag. Members of the 3rd Battalion, 5th artillery, Rehoboth Nike Site served as Color Guard. Mrs. Ida (Horton) Read, a teacher at the school in 1918 and 1922, spoke of her years at the school. She introduced several former students in attendance. Although we now use a 28 star flag, which would have been used during the 1840s, we continue to raise the “Johnson” flag occasionally.

During the 325th celebration, The Hornbine School Association had one member that was a real “go-getter”. He arranged for a 17-piece band from the Newport Naval Base to attend the flag raising! He persuaded Lester Brander, who owned the Brander Bus Company here in Rehoboth, to provide the transportation. Years later, Mr. Brander told this writer what happened behind the scenes that day.

The Band leader was under the impression that his Navy Band was going to the opening of a brand-new elementary school building in Rehoboth. Mr Brander drove down to the Navy Base in Rhode Island; the Band boarded the bus with all their instruments and Mr. Brander drove toward Rehoboth. Eventually, Mr. Brander got off the highway and drove his bus down winding roads that seemed to the Band Leader to get progressively more out in the wilderness. The Band leader finally approached Mr. Brander and asked, “Where are we going?” He became very upset when Mr. Brander told him they were going to entertain a gathering out in the woods at a little one-room school house! But from all accounts, the Band performed well; entertained the gathering and never let on that they had been mislead.