PATRIOTIC FOURTH DEGREE DISTRICT PORTAL
MARQUETTE PROVINCE
NORTHERN ILLINOIS DISTRICT
Patriotism with Passion, Purpose & Pride
Each assembly is encouraged to achieve the following awards:
The Knights of Columbus 4th Degree instructional manuals for the American Flag, 4th Degree Assembly rules and laws, program manual, color corps drill manual, protocol booklet and responsibilities of the faithful Navigator can be downloaded on the links below.
In addition to the above handbooks, 4th degree forms can be downloaded from:
Listed below are Knights of Columbus vendors:
The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America:
The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an oath of loyalty to the national flag and the republic of the United States of America, originally composed by Francis Bellamy in 1892.
The Pledge of Allegiance has undergone several revisions since it was initially written back in 1892 by Baptist minister Francis Bellamy. The last significant change came in 1954 during the midst of the Cold War, when President Dwight Eisenhower signed a congressional resolution adding the words "under God".
This revision would have never happened without advocacy by the Knights of Columbus.
In a letter thanking the Order, President Eisenhower stated that these words "remind Americans that despite our great physical strength we must remain humble. They will help us to keep constantly in our minds and hearts the spiritual and moral principles which alone give dignity to man, and upon which our way of life is founded."
The original Pledge had no references to God. However, the Knights personally inserted "under God" into their recitations at the opening of Fourth Degree assembly meetings in 1951. Momentum grew within the Knights to petition the United States Congress to revise the Pledge.
In 1954, due the the efforts of the Knights of Columbus President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law. The Pledge is predominantly sworn by children in public schools in response to state laws requiring the Pledge to be offered. Congressional sessions open with the swearing of the Pledge, as do government meetings at local levels, meetings held by the Knights of Columbus, Boy Scouts of America, other organizations, and many sporting events.
According to the United States Flag Code, the Pledge:
"should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart.
When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute."
The flagpole should be illuminated at all times, either by (sunlight or an appropriate light source at night.
The flag should be flown in fair weather, unless the flag is designed for inclement weather use.
The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.
The flag should not be used for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for this purpose. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.
The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.
The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.
The flag should never have any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind placed on it, or attached to it.
The flag should never be used for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
It should be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an east and west street or to the east in a north and south street.
It should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. By "half-staff" is meant lowering the flag to one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff.
Crepe streamers may be affixed to spear heads or flagstaffs in a parade only by order of the President of the United States.
The American Flag should always be at the peak. When the flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States or to the right of the flag of the United States.
The flag may be suspended from a rope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of the side walk, the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.
The flag may be projected from the window sill, balcony, or front of a building, with the union of the flag placed at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half-staff.
The flag, when carried in a procession with another flag, or flags, should be either on the marching right; that is, the flag's own right, or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.
The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of States or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from staffs.
When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
The flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker (to the right of the audience).
Custom and not the flag code hold that the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence as part of the audience, in the position of honor at the audience's right.
It should be so placed that the union is at the head and over the left shoulder. The flag should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground.
The flag should be displayed flat, whether indoors or out. When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag's own right, that is, to the observer's left. When displayed in a window it should be displayed in the same way, that is with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street. When festoons, rosettes or draping is desired, bunting of blue, white and red should be used, but never the flag.
Section 38. Official Dress Uniform.
The official dress for the Fourth Degree shall be:
A member serving in the armed forces of his country, full time police and firefighters shall be considered in proper attire when dressed in a Class A or dress uniform.
The colored patches to be used are as follows:
The colors worn by the Supreme Master, Vice Supreme Masters, Masters and Faithful Navigators may continue to be worn by such officers following their completion of service in that office, for life. This does not apply to Assembly Color Corps Commanders and District Marshals when they complete a term.
These colors shall be mandatory June 10, 2017.
Official Dress Uniform- Section 39
For a candidate: black or dark (blue or grey) business suit with black shoes, plain white dress shirt as described above, necktie, and candidate identification.
For a candidate serving in the armed forces of his country, full time police and firefighters: a Class A or dress uniform.
The social baldric, presented at the exemplification. should only be worn at functions when the Fourth Degree member is dressed in a business suit or tuxedo. The social baldric is not worn with the official dress uniform. For honor guard: official dress uniform as set forth in section 38.
For honor guard: official dress uniform as set forth in section 38.
Dress for Exemplification - Section 40
The official regalia when serving in a Color Corps (Honor Guard or Color Guard) is the same as the official Service baldric worn over the coat, from right shoulder to left hip; and Silver sword.
The Supreme Master, Vice Supreme Masters, Masters and former such officers only shall be permitted to bear the gold sword; and White gloves.Color Corp - Section 41
Assembly may henceforth establish a uniform drill corps with the approval of the Master of the District and such unit shall be known as "Fourth Degree Color Corps of __________ Assembly."
A Color Corps may participate in exemplifications, religious and public functions only with the consent of the Master. The Master shall have full control of the Color Corps in his district, except as hereinafter provided and shall be held strictly accountable for such unit.
The Faithful Navigator shall appoint a Commander of the Color Corps for his Assembly. One and only one Commander shall be appointed.
Procedure and Manual of the Sword - Section 42
The procedure and Manual of the Sword shall be in accordance with the "Color Corps Drill Manual." In the absence of such directive the District Master has full control provided, however, that he first receives approval of such procedure from the Supreme Master.
The uniform and uniform replacements can be purchase on the Knights of Columbus Uniform website by clicking this KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS UNIFORMS button.
They are located at:
Knights of Columbus Uniforms
230 Supply Room Road
Oxford, Al 36203
Phone: (833) 562-4327
Fax: (256) 835-7699