History - Interview with Robert Heft
After learning about Robert Heft's design of the current flag, students came up with some questions which we emailed Mr. Heft. He answered immediately, and also mailed us some photos to use. The following is our interview:
What happened to your original 50 star flag?
- I still own the original flag but am offering it for sale so I can set up an educational trust fund for my great nephew and great niece (Edward Heft II) age six and (Juliah Heft) age two. I also have recently had my toes removed on my right foot from diabetes. I get around very well now, and make about 200 + school appearances per year.
Why did you pick the flag project to do when you were in high school?
- I selected the flag project because I was fascinated by the use of flags while in Boy Scouts and also by the Betsy Ross story. Remember, then we didn't have the internet, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Pokemon Trading cards etc.
How did you make that flag? How did you put the stars on it?
- The flag was made from our family 48 star flag, but separating the red & white stripes from the blue field and then replacing the field with a piece of blue cotton broadcloth and then added 100 stars (50 on either side). I cut out the stars from a white piece of (Bondex) which has a heat activated glue on the reverse side. I placed the stars on by using a yard stick and proportional dividers, tacking one little tip of each star, until they were straight and equally spaced. When this was done, I then pressed them on the one side, flipped the flag over and matched them on the other side.
Who did you send or give your flag to – somebody in Congress, or the President?
- I took the flag over to my congressman, Walter H. Moeller then Ohio 10th Congressional District, and he took it to Washington. He submitted it to the U. S. Flag Selection Committee and eventually President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
When did you design a flag with 51 stars?
- I designed the 50 star flag on April 18, 1958, two years before it became official (July 4th, 1960 at 12:01 p.m. EST). It even preceded the 49 star flag by nearly 1 ½ years. It was out of sequence. Two weeks after making the 50 star flag, I thought that I would go even further and made the 51 star flag....just in case. I'm still waiting for that to happen (Ha-Ha)
Can you send us a picture or tell us about the 51 star flag you also designed?
- Yes I can and will. While designing the 51 star flag, I looked at our family 48 star flag and gave it some thought. I came up with the idea that if I were to add a star to every other row, I would then have a flag with 9-8-9-8-9-=8 stars thus making the 51 star flag. Remember, I did not have a computer and thus I did it mathematically. Remember the 48 star flag had six rows of eight stars per row.
- As a side note, the reason I did not make a 49 star flag, I didn't feel it was challenging. WOW, 6 x 8 = 48. You didn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out.
Did you go to college?
- I attended College at Ohio University and graduate work at Ohio State University and Northwest Community College in Archbold, Ohio. I taught high school for 10 years and college for 22 years. I then served as the Education Manager for Junior Achievement of Northeast Michigan for 4 1/2 years.
Are you married, and do you have children?
- I have never been married. I raised my nephew Edward Heft for 15 years and now helping to raise my great nephew and great niece. Keep in mind that since designing the flag as a 17 year old, I have been doing speeches for over 47 years and travel about 125,000 + miles per year. I have been to all 50 states many times and visited 57 countries.
- I was in New Jersey last year and did shows in New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania & Massachusetts.
- I am the District Governor of Lions Clubs of Michigan and will be attending our International Convention in Boston in June and July of 2006.
-
In closing, make every minute count in school and in life. You just never know how life will turn out. If you believe in what you are doing (and it's proper), never let anybody discourage you. Follow your dreams. ...
Patriotically yours,
Robert G. (Bob) Heft
Designer of America's 50 Star Flag
|
|
|
