By James B. DeMasters

This is a story which every citizen should know and cherish as a jewel on wisdom. On the back of the U.S. One Dollar Bill is our country's motto. "In God We Trust" and a representation of The Great Seal of the United States.

The first committee on the Great Seal was fromed July 4, 1776, and consisted of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. These were great scholars, versed in foreigh languages and familiar with ancient history and philosophy.

The face of the Great Seal is on the right of the dollar with the American bald eagle, our nation's symbol. As the eagle lives nobly and majestically on high cliffs, so should our ideals be high. As the eagle's breast is protected by a shield, so are our individual rights, which we hold dear, protected by our Congress.

Clutched in the eagle's right claw is an olive branch and in the left claw are thirteen arrows. This signifies that our government has the power of peace or war. The head of the eagle always truns toward the olives indicating a desire for peace, even in war. In the eagle's beak is a ribbon with the motto, "E Pluribus Unum" meaning "Out of Many, One." Above the eagle is a heavenly burst with 13 stars, which indicates the spiritual above the material.

On the left is the reverse of the Great Seal with an incomplete Egyptian pyramid representing "Solid Strength and Duration." The unfinished pyramid means that the United States will always build, grow and improve. The thirteen layers of the pyramid refer to the Thirteen States and the separate stones represent local self-government. At the bottom are the words "Novus Ordo Seclorum" meaning the "New Order of the Ages."

Above the pyramid is an eye within a triangle, Since ancient times this has been the "All-Seeing Eye of God." And last, "Annuit Coeptis" means "God has Favored our undertakings."