The Newtown bee., 1892-08-26

One hundred and fifteen years have come and gone since the stars and stripes 1 first fioated over the City of Brotherly Love. No one since that day has ever
 made suggestion by way of improve
 ment, either in colors, character of the
 stars representing the States, or in it's
 proportionate length or breadth, save as
 one star after another appears in the field
 of blue, never again to set, so long as the spirit of independence and the love of lib- erty pervades the minds of the American
 people.
 No foreign power has ever been able yet to haul down our flag and substitute | another. The stars and stripes were ever the rallying emblem in Revolutionary times and not less so in the war of the Rebellion. Though tattered and torn, | and riddled with the enemy's bullets, we never loose sight of the fact that it still remains the emblem of our whole coun- try and, whenever insulted, whether on sea or land, we have more than seventy million of brave men and courageous women, of all ages, together with all the wealth of great nation, to maintain and protect our constitution and the flag of our country against any foreign foe and save ourselves from degradation and in- suit.
 have said, on other public occasions and repeat here, that both the consti- tuition of our country, as well as the dec laration of independence, ought to be made part of the daily study in all the common schools in the land. There are two things to be somewhat feared in the affairs of our State and country and both enter largely into the workings of both State and national politics. The un- worthy member of society, who will bar ter away his political honor and thereby do violence to himself and others, for a less sum of money even than did Judas Iscariot his Lord and Master, ought to be disfranchised forever. Then we are to fear those who come to our shore from foreign lands never having had granted them but little, if any, political or per sonal freedom, who cannot distinguish between American liberty under our law and license to do their will, whether right or wrong. These men are numer- ous and are constantly coming into the country from all parts of the world and must be educated in the American way and improve their citizenship, or they may tear down faster than others can build up.
 Out of the common schools in this country come our best citizens and most worthy women. Right here, out of this little school, where we celebrate this flag raising, have come many good and use ful men and women, who, by their edu- cation and efforts, have made the world better for their having lived in it.
 It is we'll to note some of the wonder full changes that have taken place in the mind and actions of men during the last half century. Then, most of the teach CTS and preachers of the Gospel actually believed in literal burning, but never consuming, the wicked people who died without repentance. Such doctrines and teachings as were upheld and proclaim ed, 50 years ago, are now only used to make up the history of former days, when ignorence and superstition were made use of to subdue and control the actions of good men and sinners of all ages. Such teachers have been compelled to take an advance step, or lose both their salaries and their situations. Fifty years more will be likely to so far infuse into the minds of men so much philosophy of reasoning and common sense as will cause them to love God for His goodness, as we would friend for his kindness.
 Public school teachers, as well, have advanced in the methods of governing children and imparting knowledge to them. Fifty years ago, a school teacher was sought for who possessed the physi- cal ability to govern his school and usu- ally he did so to the sorrow of many of his pupils during the Winter. I well re- member a lady teacher, whose best rec ommendation was that she could lift a barrel of cider into the hind end of cart. She never had any difficulty in. passing examination and was always em- ployed, Summer and Winter. Every school district could then boast of some big boy who could lick 'sthe school mas ter.'' Surely as he enrolled his name as a pupil, the contest came off, usually during the first two weeks of school and to the great amusement of other big boys, who could hardly wait for another Winter, when they, too, would be big enough to have a tussle with the school master. Great and important changes in the methods of imparting knowledge to children in our public schools have taken place and now the rod and ferule and other tortures and degrading punish ments are known and felt no more.
 Teachers and scholars, too, have grown into a better manhood. The brain or mind, which is to govern matter through life, is now more carefully looked after and trained in the ways of useful knoWl- edge and made the keeper and governor of it's own tenement wherein 1t dwells.