THis is the 1890's salute to the flag
This is NOT the salute those kids were doing, in fact, thaks to your post, I did some searching myself, and BEllamy's original recommendations were:
After leaving the pulpit, Francis Bellamy decided to advance his authoritarian ideas through the public schools. Bellamy wrote the Pledge of Allegiance for Youth's Companion, a popular children's magazine. With the aid of the National Education Association, Bellamy and the editors of Youth's Companion got the Pledge adopted as part of the National Public School Celebration on Columbus Day 1892.
Bellamy's recommended ritual for honoring the flag had students all but goosestepping their way through the Pledge: "At a signal from the Principal the pupils, in ordered ranks, hands to the side, face the Flag. Another signal is given; every pupil gives the Flag the military salute--right hand lifted, palm downward, to a line with the forehead and close to it... At the words, 'to my Flag,' the right hand is extended gracefully, palm upward, towards the Flag, and remains in this gesture till the end of the affirmation; whereupon all hands immediately drop to the side." After the rise of Nazism, this form of salute was thought to be in poor taste, to say the least, and replaced with today's hand-on-heart gesture.
I have to admit I never knew there was a two step salute, but to post the picture of the kids doing a SIEG HIEL salute as the plege is misinformative, it was a two step salute with the arm outstretched after a military salute
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thaks to your post, I did some searching myself, and Bellamy's original recommendations were... Wow, thanks for doing the due diligence and researching that. I didn't know about the two-step salute either, and find it fascinating.
Almost makes me want to sit here and research all the various forms of salute through the ages (I believe the Romans had some good ones). Almost.... dinner is late, and finally beckons. Maybe tomorrow ;-)
Thanks again!