What date did public schools first recite the pledge of Allegiance?

Public schools first recited the Pledge of Allegiance on October 12, 1892, during a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. The pledge was originally written by Francis Bellamy in 1892 and was intended to promote patriotism among schoolchildren. It was later officially adopted by the U.S. Congress in 1942.