The Highlands Flagpole Vandals
A small-town mystery where a stolen rope prevents the local club from honoring Lincoln and Washington.
The rope has been taken from the flagpole on the club house in two installments. The Woman's club does not mind the intrinsic loss but deeply deplores the lack of patriotism in the guilty party. Mr. Lehnhard had intended displaying the flag upon Lincoln’s and Washington's birthdays, but altho a new rope can easily be secured there will be considerable difficulty in attaching it to the pole and the plan will probably have to be abandoned.
“The Woman’s club does not mind the intrinsic loss but deeply deplores the lack of patriotism in the guilty party.”
Petty acts of vandalism against public symbols are a timeless annoyance. While the flag pole at the Highlands club house has long since vanished, this snippet captures the specific tension of a community trying to maintain patriotic morale during the height of the First World War.
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