A moth-eaten rag on a worm-eaten pole

It does not look likely to stir a man's soul,

'Tis the deeds that were done 'neath the moth-eaten rag,

When the pole was a staff, and the rag was a flag.

Sir Edward B. Hamley

But how does the sight of a mouldering flag hanging forlornly in the corner of a classroom stir the souls of students separated from such deeds by time, geography, culture, and language? I teach history in an international school in China’s capital; most of the students are Asian, foreign nationals, and learning in English as a second language. I focus on ensuring my students feel history and not just to articulate it—a key means is through flags.

The most immediate use of flags is as an ensemble; the veritable onslaught of colour in my classroom creates an immediate reaction from students (and parents!). The back wall is a riot of red, made up of communist flags from all over. Red is such a powerful symbol—no matter the weather or environment, it sticks out. Blowing in the wind on a pole outside the class, the country’s flag reminds students of what it had to overcome, what it has achieved, and what it stands for.

Some flags illustrate specific points in lessons. The junks in the badge of the old colonial flag of Hong Kong, with the Chinese dragon losing the Pearl of the Orient to the British lion, recall the “national humiliation” that saw the first of the unequal treaties signed at Nanking in 1842. The bright red maple leaf is used to explain to students the legacy the Battle of Vimy Ridge continues to exert on Canadians. The dozens of ensigns that once represented the nations of the British Empire but today are long forgotten, suggest the vagaries of time and human ambition, whilst the hammers and sickles throughout illustrate the idea of communities over countries. And yet if studying history is little more than reflecting on “the register of crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind”, in China it can be a state crime. Unlike other subjects, history offers students a taste of the forbidden where even possessing a Tibetan flag or that of Nationalist China is illegal. The result is a level of engaging discussion which, with flags, students can follow visually.

For example, one student immediately noticed in a Chinese propaganda poster how the five people shown seem to represent the stars on the Chinese flag, with the largest (representing the Communist Party) in the middle surrounded by smaller people representing the various groups in society. This is the type of analysis I hope students can demonstrate by the end of my course. A girl in my Grade 11 class recently noted how the key symbols shown in a Nazi poster were the very ones adopted for the state flag (suspended above her) of the Communist regime that replaced it.

Through the use of visual stimulus, my students and I engage in a discussion of ideology that transcended anything we could have hoped for through a simple reading of the text. Flags provide other stimuli besides colour and their symbols. Nearly all my flags are vintage, individually- sewn pieces of fabric slowly falling apart, which once represented nations but today register little more than idle curiosity. Compared to cheap, printed, mass- produced flags, the seams and stitches of such old flags add an extra dimension to my class which gives students a subconscious awareness of the traditions and history that went into making such symbols. The musty smell of the heavy fabric adds weight to the history I’m teaching, providing, I hope, the same feeling of wonder one gets by looking at old standards hanging alone in the corner of some old church.





British Empire Flag

Glorious h eavy multi-layered cotton sewn flag measuring approximately 156" (396cm) x 60" (152cm). Originally constructed for the British Empire Exhibition (1924-1925) held at Wembley, this particular flag is a museum piece that was acquired at the closing of the Uralla War Museum in New South Wales, Australia in 2013. Many smaller versions (parade flags) exist, but this full sized version rarely comes up for auction. Sometimes unofficially, albeit erroneously, also called the “Dominion Flag” or “British Empire Flag” the flag takes the form of a U.K. white ensign defaced with the arms and attributes of the dominions:



Australia

The coat of arms of Australia (formally known as the Commonwealth Coat of Arms) is the official symbol of Australia. The initial coat of arms, as displayed on this flag, was official from 07 May 1908 - 18 September 1912.



Canada

The badge featured here displays an earlier Coat of Arms of the country's initial 7 provinces (including the first draft of the Coat of Arms of British Columbia), and was semi-official between the years of 1873-1896.



India

The Star of India centred on the flag was in place during British rule between the years of 1858-1947.



New Zealand

A unique representation of New Zealand's Southern Cross. Although similar to the National Colonial Flag of Australia, the St. George's Cross overlaid with four white stars in the four quarters of the Cross, represents the Southern Cross of New Zealand. The difference being the number of points on the stars (Australia 7, New Zealand 5). The Governor of New Zealand flag (1869-1874) also displays the St. George's cross with four 5-pointed white stars in a similar fashion.



South Africa

This original rendition of the Coat of Arms of South Africa was in place from 17 September 1910 - 1930.









Personal hand-sewn flag: Various examples and used in action on V-E Day.

Flag proposals for the Federal Commonwealth Society.

