Question

Read the passage.

A Flag with 50 Stars

The first American flag to have red and white stripes and white stars on a blue field was flown in 1776, shortly after the United States declared its independence from Great Britain. Legend has it that a Philadelphia seamstress named Betsy Ross was hired by George Washington himself to create this flag. There is no evidence that this legend is true, and no one knows for certain who made the first flag, which had 13 stars and 13 stripes. However, we know for a fact that the first flag to have 50 stars—the one we have today—was designed by a high school student.

In 1958, Bob Heft was a 17-year-old student at Lancaster High School in Ohio. At that time, the United States had only 48 states but was on the verge of accepting two more: Alaska and Hawaii. The U.S. flag at the time had six neat rows of eight stars each. What would be the best way to add two more stars while keeping the arrangement neat and orderly? This was the question that Bob’s history teacher posed to the class.

The teacher gave the students an assignment: design a flag with 50 stars. Bob spent hours in the attic of his house, cutting up a 48-star flag and rearranging the stars until they fit just right. He was pleased with his solution to the problem, but his teacher found it less than perfect and gave him a B minus. Outraged, Bob told his teacher that he was going to send his design to his member of Congress, Walter Moeller. His teacher replied that if Bob’s design was accepted as the new flag, he would be more than happy to change the grade to an A.

A year later, Bob had graduated and was working as a draftsman when he received a call at work. He never would have imagined a call from President Eisenhower—but that's who it was! Now that Alaska and Hawaii had been admitted as states, Congressman Moeller had succeeded in having Bob's design chosen as the new U.S. flag. Bob Heft was invited to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony during which his design was officially adopted as the new flag of the United States.

Which statement best describes the author’s viewpoint toward in "A Flag with 50 Stars"?


A. Bob is to be admired for believing in himself and his work.


B. Bob's teacher is unreasonable and unfair.


C. Congress should pay more attention to the ideas of young people.


D. People make too much of the importance of historical accuracy.

Answer 1

The author views Bob Heft's design of the 50-star flag with admiration for his self-belief and persistence, and there's an implied critique of the teacher's initial skepticism. The narrative underscores the value of young people's contributions to national symbols, suggesting the importance of recognizing and nurturing these ideas.

Step-by-step explanation:

The author's viewpoint toward Bob Heft and his 50-star flag design in "A Flag with 50 Stars" carries a tone of admiration for Bob's initiative and belief in his work. Rather than an emphasis on the teacher's judgment or the necessity of historical accuracy, the narrative focuses on Bob's creative problem-solving and determination in seeing his design through to official adoption. The narrative exemplifies personal initiative and the impact of young people's contributions, particularly when considering that the state of Alaska's flag was also designed by a young Benny Benson at age 13, further reinforcing the theme that youth have valuable ideas worthy of recognition.

The passage implies a critique of Bob's teacher by portraying the scenario where the teacher underestimated the potential of Bob's design, which ultimately gained presidential approval. This anecdote serves to highlight Bob's conviction in his work despite initial skepticism. Additionally, the mention of the design contest for the Alaska flag that was won by a 13-year-old suggests that the author values the contributions of the younger generation and finds significance in nurturing and acknowledging their ideas.

The passage does not directly address concerns regarding the importance of historical accuracy or the attention Congress gives to young people's ideas, but it does suggest that when young individuals like Bob Heft or Benny Benson participate meaningfully, their contributions can result in significant outcomes, such as the creation of state and national symbols. The underlying message of the story is one of empowerment and the potential for young people's ideas to shape national identity.