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Washington Evening Journal
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Ringing in history
WASHINGTON - The echoes of the Washington fire bell rang throughout downtown to celebrate the beginning of Constitution Week.
Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution as well as the Washington city mayor met outside of the fire station to ring the old fire bell.
Constitution Week is a commemoration of the U.S. Constitution and is celebrated Sept. 17 through 23.
Mayor Jaron Rosien signed a proclamation recognizing the week.
In 1955, DAR petitioned Congress to set aside the week annually. The resolution was later adopted by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Dwight Eisenhower into public law on Aug. 2, 1956, according to the DAR.
After ringing the bell, Julie Mangold, the regent of the Washington DAR chapter, shared a few facts about the Constitution.
'Amendment 1 of the Constitution does not include the words ‘freedom of expression' but over time it has been ruled to include limits to the freedom of speech/press/assembly for defamation, perjury, contempt of court, hate speech, size of public demonstrations, trade secrets, noise pollution, classified information and treason,” Mangold read.
The bell, now located in front of the newly remodeled fire station, was originally on top of what is now the Washington County Assessors building and is Washington's original fire bell.
Washington Mayor Jaron Rosien signed a proclamation recognizing Sept. 17 through the 23 as Constitution Week. (Caitlin Yamada/ The Union)
Representatives from the Daughters of the American Revolution Evelyn Heald, Julie Mangold and Jeri Klein as well as the Washington Mayor Jaron Rosien posed in front of the Washington fire bell after ringing it to signify the start of Consitution Week. (Caitlin Yamada/ The Union)
Mayor Jaron Rosien ringing the fire bell to mark the beginning of Consitution Week. (Caitlin Yamada/ The Union)
