The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-05-03


Reserve District when lis father was a resi-
dent of Akron, O.. and graduated third in his
class of AZ in the year 1851.
He spent the following Is years in the Regu-
lar Army, holding positions of great response
bility and trust. For two years he travelled all
over the United States inspecting arsenals, con-
dition, etc., giving him valuable experience
at the commencement Of the war of the rebel
lion.
In May, 1862, by direction of Secretary of
| War Stanton, who was his warm friend, he was
ordered to Washington to reorganize the Ord
nance Bureau of the,War Department., through
which bureau several hundred millions OF dol
lars worth of war material was purchased, paid
for, issued to the Army. and thereafter duly
accounted for to the Treasury Department.
After spending year at West Point as Pro-
fessor of Ordnance and Gunnery, he left the
Army at the close of the year 1865, preferring
the independence of civil life. In 1872 he en-
tered the service of the Erie Railway Company
as Engineer in charge of the New York and
| New Jersey property.
In 1885 and 1856 he was Expert Engineer in
| the Office of the Commissioner of Accounts in
| the city of New York, and in the Spring of 1886
he received an order to make an exhaustive
examination of the Department of Health.
| Through these examinations he received new
strength in his patriotic work, and became
deeply interested in the tenement-house sys-
| tenn. After this he spent months in the State
Library at Albany getting out statistics in re-
| gard to the number and nationality of emil
grants landing in New York City prior to 1S47
when the Emigration Commission was estab-
| lished
| This investigation led him to trace the social
condition of the emigrants in the homes from
which they came, aud in these researches
particularly as regarded the condition of the
working classes in Ireland and England for the
| last 100 years.
4 ~. - -, nr1r
mainly the Astor which having complete file
of parliamentary papers from 1901 to the present
! time, afforded him unusual facilities for the
study of the English social conditions, ETC.
In the Spring of 1898 his attention was first
called to the subject of our public schools and
] their relation to patriotic education. He be-
came intensely interested in the whole matter,
| so much so that he felt constrained to address
the President of the Board of Education of
| New York i'm a letter dated Sept. 4, 1888.
In pursuance of the subject in the Fall of
| 1883 he communicated with all the State Super
intendents of Public Instruction throughout
the United States received all their last reports
and went through them all. He obtained from
them list of some 5000 County, City, and
Town school officers, with whom he proposed to
| communicate for the purpose of ascertaining
the number OF parochial or other UNCONVENTIONAL
or sectarian schools in the United States. He
found that TO carry out his plan would cost
over Pl,UUU, anu ne was ODl1geu TO aDanuOn IT,
March g. 1889, he was elected Auditor of the
Board of Education for the City of New York,
and temporarily gave up his work of investi
CATION. He has been doing grand, patriotic,
and Christian work for the 81 Industrial schools,
with their 1000 children, who are exclusively
of foreign birth or foreign parentage. and
mainly from the most ignorant class of cit-
zens.
In January, 1889, Col Balch commenced a
careful examination'of each of the 81 schools
of the Children's Aid Society, task which
occupied some two months This examna-
ton embraced the relations existing between
the teachers and the parents, and finally what
steps had been taken or what special exercises
were observed to awaken and stimulate spirit
of patriotism among the scholars; and if in
use, how far they had been successful.
The teachers welcomed the movement in all
these> schools, and especially the principals,
who found a keen appreciation of the impera-
tive necessity of developing and encouraging
distinctly American ideal, of how important
it was that the child should understand just
what the school was FOR, and why the children
attended il, and their future destinies az Amer
lean citizens. Firmly believing that what
ever we wish to see introduced in the life Of
Nation, must first be introduced in the life of
its Schools" what could be more important
for these children than to understand their
personal relation to the country of their birth
| to enjoy, and the love of country which would
be developed as they gradually became familiar
with its history aud the many radical differ
ences between its institutions and political
principles and those of all other nations2
Any plan which would succeed with these
children could surely succeed under any other
conditions. Such plan has been formulated
by Col. Balch, and one of its elementary steps
consists in the salutation of our National flag
by the pupils of every one of the 81 Aid Schools
at the daily morning exercise.
In May and June, 1891, the pupils were all
visited, and the plan explained to The children,
in which there was wonderful overflow of en-
thusiasm that would have done credit to our
young Americans.
The introduction Of the salute was so success
full that it was decided to take another step in
training these children in American ways and
customs, aud let the pupils vote to decide
whether they would continue to salute the
flag every morning until the next annual
election. The first patriotic election took place
Nov. l, 1891 at p. M, simultaneously in the
81 schools of the society.
Out of 5,138 children and teachers enrolled
on the day, 1906, or 81 per cent, voted OF
these, Al voted against the proposition, and
4,262, or 95.9 per. cent, in favor of the salute.
There was no interference or electioneering to
influence the children in their votes, but it was
left for them to choose Of their own free will and
accord. The second patriotic election took
place Nov. z, 1892, aud has continued with the
same regularity as our State elections
Such were some of the considerations and ex-
plantations which led COL Balch to so warmly
espouse the cause of patriotism and the educa-
ton of our rising generation in love for our
country and flag. In recent letter he said:
50 propose, under God to give all that re-
mains to me in life, that | may in some de-
gree repay the inestimable gift conferred upon
me by being born in the 10Th century, citizen
of this grand Republic"
In all my life l have never been personally
acquainted with anyone who threw his whole
energy and soul into labor of love and patr-
otsm for his fellOw-man fully as did my
| ideal american citizen as set forth in the char
acter aud life of Col. George T. Balch. He was
sincere and earnest Christian gentleman, who
loved his country and flag with devotion that
made him a true. born American hero.
The grand old hero is silent in DEATH but his
patriotic instructions will live forever, build
ing up generation of loyal. patriotic Ameri-
can citizens, who will honor the name and life
of Comrade George Il. Balch, and make his
life immortal among the grand army of heroes
who have responded to the last tattoo and are
in line with the heavenly:host waiting for the
final muster-ou of the once great army of
Union patriots.
TWELFTH NATIONAL CONVENTION.
Abbie Lynch, Secretary of the Committee on
Entertainment of Ladies, Citizens Executive
Board, 28th National Eneampment, writes that
work is progressing satisfactorily. Commit
tees are busly at work cordially supDorted bv