Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-08-01

II
infancy no language spoken save that Of
their parents and friends who were Of for
eign birth, they were entirely ignorant Of
the language of America, where they first
saw the light Of day. Htodsy you should
visit one of these same rural communities
you would be greeted in a. pure English Is
yoa can hear in any portion Of the United
States. Hyou shorid question these youths
In American history yen would find that
they could tell you about Washington and
Jefferson and the Revolution Of 1878; that
they were familiar with the events Of 1912,
Of 1876 and Of 1851; that they could speak
inseIligently Of the noted personages and
events Of the present day. II you should
question them In geography You would
find that they could discourse intelligently
regarding Maryland, and the rest OF the
States Of the Union; that they could tell
you the location and the population Of
New York, Of Philadelphia, of Baltimore,
and of the other important cities Of the
country. You would discover, in fact, that
in these few years these boys and girls
have been transformed into American boys
and girls, speaking the language of Ameri-
CO, familiar with the history and the Gus
toms Of America, in love with the laws and
the institutions of America And who Is
responsible for the marvellous chsnge that
has been wrought 20 speedily in that rural
community The Country school lsacheI
the young woman win her saIaEy III fn,LZY
or thirty i've dollars > month y ~
into that district and labored lovingly
patiently. earnestly with her rising genera
ton Of candinavian-A This
country school teacher assurediy has q
trophy for her labors that the wisest and
proudest statesman in all America would
not despise.
The result OF the teachers labor Is
characterized by permanent good. The
lessons that I learned in the public schools
during the formative period Of youth, say
between the years of seven and fourteen,
whether these lessons were in the ordinary
branches Of secular learning. or touched
upon my duties and obligations towards
my fellow men were the most enduring
lessons ever learned, My geography and
my grammar and my ethics that imbibed
during these years Of youth remain with
me to day as fresh as If il were bat yester-
day that learned them. My experience
is not different from that of others. The
teacher who initiates a class of boys and
girls into the beauties of geography, be-
ginning with the little world that bounds
their youthful vision and leading them
step by step into knowledge of the great
world that lies beyond them-the great
world OF States and countries and CONT
nents and oceans-or who conducts them
through the mazes of grammar, teaching
them TO use with correctness and precision
the noble English language, or who, turn.
ing from the physical TO the moral, dwells
on the wisdom Of virtue and the folly OF
vice, on the nobleness of truth and the
baseness Of falsehood can feel assured that
his words do not fall in desert places which
will vanish like the misis of morning. He
is helping to mould the thoughts and form
the habits Of those who may in after years
fill positions of honor and trust in the
nation. He Is laying the foundation ofthe
moral code so broad and deep in the mind
Of youth that the temptations Of after years
will be powerless to shake Il. He IL build.
ing in the mind Of youth the citadel of
moral character which neither the disrep-
utable arts of the politician, nor the brides
of wealth will be able to overthrow.
The opportunity the teacher has for in.
culcating lessons of good citizenship in the
minds of the youthful generation is not one
to be neglected or lightly esteemed. Our
country stands in need to-day of more of
the spirit of true patriotism-not of the
rampant, rabid brand OF so called patrio-
tism that fosters sectional hatred; not of the
sort Of so called patriotism that inspired a
United States Senator in a recent speech
in Bridgeport, Conn, to declare: ave will
place our flag on all the seas of the earth,
restore the merchant marine to its place,
and will increase our white, strong armed
squadrons 30 that they command the res
pct of all nations. We will annex the
Hawaiian Islands, fortify Pearl Harbor,
build the Nicaragua canal, and marry two
great oceans. We will show people q
foreign policy that is American in every
fiber, and hoist the American flag on what
ever island we think best and no hand
shall ever pull it down." The kind of
patriotism that American citizens need to-
day Is not that which leads them TO plant
the American flag in foreign lands or on
the distant islands of the sea, but that which
leads them to purify and elevate politics at
home. We need not an aggressive policy
abroad that shall inspire us to conquer the
nations of the world by force of arms, but
an aggressive policy at home that shall in
spire us TO work in the interest of clean
and healthy government In this age of
blind partnership and ring-rule, of selfish
greed. of aristocratic tendencies. Of oppres.
sion of the poor and servile obeisance 10
the rich we need especially to kindle in
the mind of youth spirit Of Independence.
Of brotherly love, Of democratic equality
and of impartial justice before the law.
The teacher because he has the greatest
opportunity of all men for doing good
ought to consider himself the most FORUM
ate of men. His work is selfrewarding.
Blessed is the teacher Of whom his pupils
can say as Xenophon in the Memorabilia