Today's DAR
I miss so many things as a result of restrictions prompted by the pandemic, but especially meeting Daughters from around the world to thank you in person for your outstanding service and unwavering dedication to our work. As fortunate as we are to have virtual options to stay connected, there is simply no substitute for being together. For example, I am so anxious for us to once again share our Opening Ritual in person. I surely do miss hearing your voices raised with pride to sing our National Anthem and to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America. And I particularly crave the sound of thousands of voices lifted in unison at our Continental Congresses to attest to “The American’s Creed.”
While we await the return of our time-honored communal traditions, I thought you might enjoy knowing more about The American’s Creed and our Society’s long connection to it.
On the eve of World War I, a contest approved by President Wilson was announced to secure "the best summary of the political faith of America." In March 1917, the City of Baltimore offered a prize of $1,000 for the best entry (an amount equal to about $17,000 today). More than 3,000 entries were submitted prior to the closing of the contest on September 14, 1917. Fifty of these were turned over to a committee, and "Creed No. 384 " was selected as the best. The author was 49-year-old William Tyler Page, of Friendship Heights, Md. His entry was selected because it was “not only brief and simple but also remarkably comprehensive of the best in American ideals, history, and tradition, as expressed by the founders of the Republic, and its greatest statesmen and writers.” The Creed was accepted by the U.S. House of Representatives on April 3, 1918, and read for the first time by Dr. Claxton, Commissioner of Education, in Congress on April 6.
Dr. Claxton explained the significance of the creed, as follows: “This is a creed very fitting to be announced at this time, and the good thing about it is that it is not new, but it sums up the fundamental faith of all the greatest of our leaders from the beginning until now; a creed that can be recommended not only by those who may come from the shores of Europe or Asia to make their home among us and become of us, but to those of our flesh and blood who come from the shores of eternity to grow up among and to take our places and to carry on our institutional life and to support and defend the country.”
Within days of its being accepted by the House, it was read for the first time before our National Society during the 27th Continental Congress, April 15-20, 1918. For the ensuing 28th Continental Congress in 1919, the Daughters invited Page himself to lead them in in reciting the Creed:
PRESIDENT GENERAL Sarah Guernsey: “We have the great pleasure and honor of having with us this morning the author of The American's Creed, Mr. William Tyler Page. We will open the 28th Continental Congress by all rising and reading aloud the Creed, which you will find in your program. Mr. Page will lead the reading.”
Thus began a Congress tradition that would last until 1942, at the 52nd Continental Congress, when the Daughters would eulogize Page through a formal resolution:
“Memorial to the Hon. William Tyler Page
Whereas Tyler Page was for twenty-three years a close friend and wise counselor to this Society, sharing with it his great vision and spiritual interpretation of The American's Creed of which he was the author; and
Whereas the Honorable Mr. Page came each year to the Continental Congress, leading the assembly in the recital of his American's Creed, that being one of the outstanding features of each annual Congress;
Resolved, That the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution express its sorrow at the passing of this friend and hereby acknowledge with deep gratitude his services to the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution and to the public at large."
Thanks to the NSDAR Archives Collection at our National Headquarters, I am able to share with you an audio recording produced in 1941 of Mr. Page reciting The American’s Creed, listen here.
