The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-05-22

of properly observing Decoration Day
This coming from you, standing as you
do, at the head of the educational forces
of this county, l am unwilling to let &c
unchallenged, as 1 believe the doctrine
you approve to be wrong.
Inasmuch as the same objection lies to
appropriating the celebration of the
Fourth of July, I'll consider the general
subject Of National Holidays. In thi,
country in my Judgment we pay far too
little attention to the proper observance
OF these days. We leave it to ''spontan.
eous movement" and with what result?
The. object of the observance of these
days is not simply to parade the streets,
listen to music and speeches and pay a
personal tribute to deceased soldiers.
A far higher and nobler object is to be
attained. To every mind young and old
comes the suggestive inquiry what is
all this worth? What is the inspiring
cause of this demonstration?
And as the deeds of the heroes of nc
and '6l recounted, as the line of old
veterans march by, the representatives
of hundred bloody battle fields, follow
ing the flag they love so well, keeping
time to the inspiring strains of music
suggestive of scenes of trial and danger;
does not every child old enough to APP
preciate the situation, mentally dedicate
himself to the service of his country? Re-
solving, that come what will that as for him
he is ready to emulate the example of the
boys of '61, he will take more pride in
defending the honor of the country in
civil affairs and be in all respects better
citizen. The boys of to day will be the
rulers of few years hence. how all i'm
portant that they should be educated in
patriotictism and inspired with love ~
the country's good name aud D"oor
Again iuto our state Comes every wear
q iaise ho'iioer OF persons, uneducated,
'niouen no fault of their own, unac-
quainted with our language and our
history, yet in a short time without any
other preparation for citizenship than
what comes from contact with others
and the lessons taught at these public
demonstrations. These celebrations are
Just what opens to such new chapter
IN life, they begin to realize the import
ance and significance of being citizens of
this great Republic, when they observe
the tributes paid to heroic and unselfsh
acts. Aud desire to be worthy of the
boon conferred is naturally awakened.
1t being admitted as it must be, that
the observance of these days has bene-
fetal educational influence then the in
quiry remains, how can we reach the
greatest number. Certainly not by re-
stricting it spontaneous movements, :"
those parties who will engage in spon-
taneous movements are already sufficient
ly educated. As we'll might you say that
we should leave the matter of school
education to spontaneous movement, the
very persons who Iced it most under
such policy will not get it. The chill
dren of the uneducated, the cold and
selfish become citizens with the effiuxion
of time just as certainly as the children
of the educated, the generous and the
patriotic, and it is quite as important for
the state for its own good, to see that
when the parent neglects, that the child
of such parent should have all of those
educational influences thrown around
him that can reasonably be done.
The reason why these celebrations
should be made and paid for by the
municipality is, that education of this
kind is necessary for all of the citizens
of a republic, the public receives the
benefit; if you limit to private contribu-
ton, the man who will not contribute
will seek to excuse his niggardiness by
jibes and sneers at all demonstrations of
the kind contemplated. He don't want
his children to attend or he does not want
to attend himself, because he is conscious
of his own littleness; but make it a mat
ter which belongs to the public, pay the
reasonable expenses therefor out of the
public treasury and you change the stu
alton entirely; then one and all become
interested in seeing and hearing a demon
stration worthy of the city. Does it not
seem small to you, upon reflection, that
city like ours should refuse to appro-
pirate $50 to pay portion of the expen-
ses of celebrating Memorial Day when
we are to have as our guest and orator a
distinguished citizen of our commercial
metropolis, considering also that upon
that day that amount will be returned to
the city in shape of trade, more than ten
fold
You are not unfamiliar with the means
adopted by European governments to
inspire its citizens with love of country
and its results. Should we be less dill
gent or less interested in developing a
love of country here when every citizen
becomes to g certain extent ruler?
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DEMOCRATIC caunuses will be held in