DAR celebrates U.S. Constitution Day
Thanks to the Daughters of the American Revolution Maj. Nathaniel Mitchell Chapter in Georgetown, the celebration of U.S. Constitution Day takes place each year Sept. 17 on The Circle.
This year’s guest speaker, Larry Mayo of Lewes, has devoted more than a decade to understanding and teaching courses on the U.S. Constitution. Mayo is also a musician, recording artist, public speaker, radio personality and amateur historian.
As a certified instructor and president of the Institute on the Constitution, Mayo has spent the last decade presenting courses to students, adults of all ages, civic organizations and even General Assembly legislators. Mayo said he took a 12-week course in 2013 on the Constitution, and he was surprised how little he knew. It’s now become his life’s mission to learn and teach.
Mayo said the U.S. Constitution is the oldest such document in the world at 236 years. He said the average age of constitutions is 17 years. Delaware adopted its constitution in 1897.
Mayo said the Constitution allows citizens to elect officials to secure the people’s God-given rights. “Their authority comes from the Constitution, and they must follow it. It’s the one purpose,” he said, adding everyone is guaranteed the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
He said people don’t understand how God and government are connected.
In the scheme of things, he said, the government is of the people, by the people for the sole purpose to secure their rights. He said man created society, people created the states, and states created the federal government. “The state constitution is where the real power is,” Mayo added.
Mayo said 70% of citizens can’t pass an immigration test, and 78% of elected officials cannot pass it either. “We don’t read it, don’t talk about it and don’t teach our children,” he said.
U.S. Constitution Day is held Sept. 17 with the Bells Across America ceremony at 4 p.m. Taking part in this year’s ceremony were Carol Evans, chapter regent; Karen Parker, chapter chaplain and town crier; Sussex Tech High School Coast Guard JROTC; singer Cathy Gorman; and Georgetown Mayor Bill West. Carson Hastings, Children of the American Revolution honorary president, read the first 10 amendments, while chapter member Sue Bramhall read amendments 11 through 27.
The chapter, formed in 1972, is named after Revolutionary War hero Nathaniel Mitchell, who led the Delaware militia and later formed a Delaware troop that endured the winter of 1777 at Valley Forge, Pa., with Gen. George Washington. He was a resident of Laurel.
