The St. Johns herald., 1889-10-10
The Schools and the Flag.


 in New York on Monday there was
 added a comparatively new feature
 to the exercises. This was gene
 ral display of the American flag.
 A little over two years ago it was
 for the first time suggested in that
 city that the schools, by display
 of the stars and stripes and by the
 united effort of the public educa-
 tors in teaching the children some thing of the patriotic history of their country, would be doing a na- tional service. This is an innova- ton in the right direction; and since the modern idea denies that education is circumscribed by text books. the time and effort expended in making patriots as we'll as schol- ars will, it is believed, bring equally good results. The future security of the republic depends to great extent upon the children in the pub lie schools, and the importance of patriotic as we'll as scholastic foundation to citizenship has not been sufficiently considered in the education of the young. Patriotism is not politics. The love of coun- try is not the evolution of an intel lectual process, nor is it yet the out growth of national vanity or com mercial interest. It is sentiment, having it's origin in the human af fections, the love of home, and the protection of home interests. Be ing a sentiment 1t may merge into when 1t is not tempered by an intelligent civilization. There is a growing impression that the public schools may take a wider range than the mere elucidation of problems or the un. folding of natural and scientific laws. It is now held that boy cannot too early regard himself as a citizen of the Republic and be taught, along with a clear idea of such responsibility, loyal rever- ence for the flag and for the names that have perpetuated it. Should the first day of every opening school year be given over to a semi-social review of public affairs, to the car rying of banners, and the singing of patriotic songs, it would be a day we'll spent. The Republic has very serious problems be- fore it of race and of the amalga- of nationa!ities and reli- gions. The children in the schools to-day must be equipped not only with education, but the loyalty to solve these problems. The best wisdom of the present can do no more than mold this plastic mate rial for national security. The in- flux of foreigners is so great and their participation in political life so immediate that we can only hope to overcome by degrees their preju- dices of birth and training, or even them from our public policy Commercial interest, ath- CT than patriotism, sends immi- grants to America, and the men born and reared in Germany or Ire land will die, and naturally enough With a lingering love Tn hls heart for the Fatherland and the Emerald Isle. While his intention to be- come a citizen is honest and sin cere, it is not always easy for him to become thoroughly American ized but through the public school his children must be taught the same love of this country that the father has for the land of his birth It must be during these impression able years that the descendants of Italians, and Irish are made, not German, Italian or Irish Americans, but plain patriotic It is through the en-