Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1890-11-25
PATRIOTISM in SCHOOLS


Genuine Love OF Country Can Not lie
Founded Upon Words Alone.
The development OF tho virtue OF love
OF country, which is symbolized by the
raising OF so many now and beautiful
flags over sohool-houses, should not end,
by any means, with tho hanging out OF
those banners Unless there Is, in the
teaching OF tho schools, distinct and
intelligent care to ground the pupils in
tho true lovc Of country which. comes
with intelligent knowledge OF it. and to
inspire the young with something OF
the air, the light, the life and beauty OF
the land, tho flags MAJ as we'll DO left
TO flutter into shreds.
Genuine love OF our country can not
be founded upon words alone. nor upon
the mere recitation OF deeds OF heroism
and past public services. To be the true
spirit which. has always animated great
peoples, our American patriotism must
have special tie to tho sofia feeling
which allies itself to the trees, the flow
ers, the birds, the prairies, their soil
and story and their manifold produc-
tions and colorings, the hills, the wild
creatures Oh tne WOODS anu neius' anu
every thihs 'nat Is distihcuVeiy Amer
lean.
Acquaintance with the episodes OF
our history and knowledge OF our con-
stitutlon and laws arc highly impor-
tant part OF our education Of an Amer
lean citizen nut hia eouinment should
not ehd win them- ihey represent inc
ihteiieetuai part OF ones patriousm'
the "edrt OF IL is nourished from its ro-
NANCE its natural features its SOIL ana
products the animals the atmosphere
the skies-all things which make the
earliest and most lasting Impression
upon the individual, and through which
every sentiment is typihed to him.
III we take the writings oil great pa
triotic poet like Mr.. whittier, we hnd
that these natural things are well known
to him, and their shaping influenco.upon
character appreciated.
In Mr.. Whittier's poems there is q
constant reference OF sentiments and
ideas to tho soil and the aspects OF
nature. lie makes no mistake about
the flowers and trees which he weaves
into his songs, nor about the birds which
warble through them. There is abund-
ance OF native light and color.
But the ignorance oil these things
among many Americans Is striking.
Not long since there went the rounds
oil portion OF the press OF this country
an extract which told what birds sing
earliest In the morning" II was stated
that tho sky-lark sang at about such an
hour, the shatiinch at another hour. the
tomtit at another, AMI SO on through
somewhat long list
Now every bird in this list was an
European bird and not one OF them
could be heard In this country save In a
cage or an avlary' Yet this extract
whlch came from an English periodlcai'
wasgiVen IN good iaith oy many Amer
ican journals Us statement OF tne or
aer IN which american oiras oegih
their singing IN tne morhiug.
Many Americans, IN their natural
love ior trees, plant sometimes In ig-
horahco OF their Iorelgh origin. trees
which VIII not thrive or reach their iui'
beauty IN our SOIL passing py nauSe
trees ana shruos OF superior beauty
vigor ana signiAcaace, FOR there Is
Sshihcahce IN hstarai Things as wei ~
IN iaces anu hgures' anu more heai'ny
sentiments IN the hatu'ai sciences ihah