Sarah Hinson

By Patrick Kavanagh
History of Women in Forest Lawn Lawn Cemetery

Section 1, Lot 64
Date of Death: 3/20/1926
(Teacher; Flag Day)

Sarah was born in Buffalo on February 25, 1841, the daughter of Squire and Mrs. George Hinson. Sarah was educated in the Buffalo through the Buffalo School System, and at a private finishing school.

She began teaching in Buffalo at School 13 and then moved to School 4 on Elk Street. When she was 23, in 1864, Miss Hinson transferred to School 31 on Emslie Street where she spent nearly 50 years, roughly 30 as a teacher before becoming school principal.

She began Flag Day exercises, (teaching the children to salute the Flag and repeat the Pledge of Allegiance) to instill in her pupils proper respect for the nation's flag, holding the first ceremony in 1891. She chose June 14th because that was the day in 1777 when the Continental Congress accepted the design of the "American" Flag.

The following year, other teachers and other schools did the same, and over the years, the idea caught on around the Country.

Flag Day became an official holiday under Woodrow Wilson in 1916.


In 1910, Miss Hinson resigned as principal and was the first womanappointed to the Board of School Examiners, the forerunner to the presentBuffalo School Board. Mayor Louis Fuhrmann made this appointment.

MissHinson served on the Board from 1910-1916. She continued to work as amember of the Teacher's Association and as chairman of its Fellowshipcommittee. In this capacity, Miss Hinson would visit teachers, in their homes,when there was sickness or death.

She lived at 322 Lafayette Avenue, Buffalo,NY until her death on March 20, 1926 at age of 85.

Her grave at Forest Lawn is marked with a flagpole flying the American Flag.


See also: Highlights of Buffalo's History, 1841-1926


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