Immaculate Conception School in Clarksville ended the first Mass of the school year with a special flag dedication ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 15, the Feast of the Assumption, in the school chapel.
Along with Father Jacob Dio, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksville, offering prayers and blessings for the success of the upcoming academic year, the Mass also included the presentation and dedication of three flags – the American flag, the Vatican flag, and the Knights of Columbus flag – donated by Knights of Columbus Council 3537 for the school’s chapel. The three dedicated flags match those that stand near the altar of Immaculate Conception Church.
The ceremony was coordinated by Council Honor Guard Director Kent Booker. He has 24 years of service as a U.S. Army military policeman, during which time he also served on several honor and color guards.
Five eighth grade students participated in the ceremony, which included the presentation of the colors, the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance, the posting of the colors, and the reading of each flag’s significance.
“The symbolism of the flags will help students and families from Immaculate Conception School appreciate the connection with Immaculate Conception Church, which was established in 1845 at the corner of Franklin and Seventh Streets,” Stephen Baird, co-chairperson of the Immaculate Conception School Advisory Council, explained.
The original St. Mary School was built near the church but was closed in the early 1970s. The parish reopened the school in 2000 after acquiring property on Madison Street several miles away. The name of the school was changed in 2010 from St. Mary to Immaculate Conception to clarify its connection to the church, explained Baird.
