The National tribune., 1897-04-29
4 NATIONS SABBATH.
Annual Celebration Of Pure
Patriotism at Hand.

almost here, and it Is pleasant to learn OF moro
determined effort than ever before to have tho
day kept both IN letter and spirit The Woman's
Relief Corps has been tho greatest possible as
sistance to Posts in securing the more general
participation Of the public in the day by on
listing the children in its observance, both in
the schools. through the Introduction OF patri-
otto teaching and in the exercises at hall and
cemetery.
The great privileges and opportunities OF
this annual celebration Of pure and exalted
patriotism should inspire every woman to put
forth her best endeavors to have its lessons i'm
pressed upon the hearts and consciences OF tho
rising generation. 1t is not enough that the
children Of soldiers, or of the families of those
who are members of auxiliary societies. are
singled out to participate in the exercises Of
the day Sometimes this defeats the very OBJ
ject for which We labor. by creating the feeling
that only old soldiers and their families have
al. intercst in Memorial Day.
What wo ali must do is to insist that Mo
mortal Day belongs 10 the people, ana that
thoy must rally in their strength and demand
OF their respective States law requiring that
this be the one sacred day specially set apart
for the proper c0mmem0ration OF the valor ana
virtues of American citizenship. To this end
1t is best to enlist the active co operation on
Memorial Day of all the schools and all civic
and military associations rs WELL
1t is ali unwse and narrow policy which some
times leads the Grand Army Posts to go alone
to the cemetery aud strew flowers over the
graves of their honored comrades-in- arms. To
make the custom National and perpetual, all
patriotic citizens should be asked to tako part.
Then, when the last soldier Is mustered out.
hare sVi LAT ha Inv nd dev ed
who will carry on the observances OF Memorial
Day then will be solved the question how to
get flowers to decorate the soldiers graves,
which individuals and societies are now di-
verting to the graves OF their own dead.
The Grand Army and the Woman's Relief
Corps should unite actively in the new CAM
paign Of Matchmaking Memorial Day, and pre-
senting it a beautiful gift to tho American peo-
pie. 1t is sometimes said that when the Grand
Army is mustered out the Sons OF Veterans
will carry out this sacred trust, and it Is
equally true that to the extent of their ability
they doubtless will. But to leave it to the
Sons Of Veterans, or to any other single society,
is to circumscrbe the work.
There must be aroused National sense Of
possession in the minds Of all our people. in
Memorial Day and all it implies and this the
veterans must themselves do before IL is over
lastingly too late. What Is intrusted to the
American people they will sacredly guard. Let
them feel that the soldiers graves are theirs to
keep green. Let them understand that the
soldiers fought their battles. and that IL Is for
them to remember their sacrifices and their
memory will not perish from tho earth.
BRAVE DoRoTHEA DIX.
Amemorial service under the auspices Of tho
Army Nurses Association was held in the Soc.
ona Church, Copley Square. Boston. in COM
memoration OF the 95til birthday OF Dorothea
L. Dix. The Grand Army, Relief Corps, and
Sons and Daughters Of Veterans were well rep
resented. Tho Sons from Cambridge acted as
ushers. President AnnieS. Hazen. Of the Army
Nurses Association, and Department President
Emile L. w. Waterman were among the speak
ers.
Dorothea Lynde Dix. who was given charge
of the Army Nurse service, was the most IA
nous American woman in reform work when
the war broke out. She had achieved inter.
national reputation AS n leader in humanitarian
treat ment of the insanr. Born IN 1902 in tho
heart OF the great struggle for the permanent
establishment of American Independence. she
grew up with an earnest desire To contribute
her share IN tho lettering of humanity, and
became the founder of vast and enduring in
situations Of mercy in America and Europe.
Like so many Of New England's great wo.
men, Miss Dix began life as u school teacher
but at 33 was Obliged to give it mp. owing to
failing health But she was destined To spend
her life in serving nobler cause. She took Is
months rest. Her grandmother had left her
q com petency, and il was her intention, on re-
turning from abroad, to spend her life in quiet
and reposc; but her attention having boen
drawn 10 The treatment of prisoners aud luna
ties in the East Cambridge Jail Massach usetts,
she vsi ted the Jail. ana that visit WAS the turn
ing point in her life. She went immod lately
before the court and asked for y change Of man
agement, and her request was granted.
i,~,.l thno I'm mfr ho httv i
tartan. Dr. Samuel g. Howe. who gave her great
moral support. She visited every jail and aims
house in Massachusetts. and upon the result of
her visits based her first memorial o the State
Legislature.
Massachusetts through legislation set herself
to the task of righting the exposed wrongs, aud
Miss Dix turned her attention to other States.
In nine years she secured like Legislative &C.
ton in II States; also established asylums at
Halifax, Nova Scotia. and st. Johns, New
Brunswick Miss Dix again went abroad. She
visited the hospitals on the Continent, aud in
Rome was given an audience by the venerable
Pope Plus TX. who, upon her report, remedied
tho existing evils in that city.
On the break ing out OF tho war Miss Dix ten
dered her services to the Government and was
appointed by Secretary Stanton Superintend-
ent of Nurses, having entire control Of their
assignment to duty, and this position she hold
during the war.
TRUE PATRIOTIC TEACHING.
Flo Jamson Miller, Chairman OF the Ma
tional Comm ittee on Patriotic Teaching, in an
| article In which she considers the difficulties
in the way in some schools of inangurating
pat riotic teaching, gives the following practi-
cal ad vice concerning the use OF the ballot in
States like Illinois, where women vote nj school
elections, also upon the duty Of Relicf Corps
mem bers in instituting practical lessons of pat.
riotism IN their own homes:
"Some of orr correspondents write: Our
teachers are willing to teach what we want,
but the Board of Education Objects In Hi
nois and many other States this can easily be
rcniedied as the women are allowed the priv-
lege OF voting. See to it that not n single
member is allowed to be elected who objects to
teaching patriotism. Any man or woman who
refuses this is not fit for the position.
MANY families, many homes can and do
only hear of loyalty to Government from the
children who attend the schools Of tho land,
and while questions of creeds and religions are
barred, and rightly, tho question of loyalty to
our Government is ono that is of the utmost
importance to all alike aud should be taught to
all.
"Then there is another duty devolving upon
the W.R.C. members. Every home should
have hung on its walls the flag of the Union"
One of the most patriotic kindergartens is
that under the charge of Mrs Lou Semens
Hadley, of which mention has heretofore been
made. The children are we'll mp in tho Patri-
otto Primer songs, aud Rotations. They keep
all the National holidays, and act out to per-
lection the Star Spangled Banner" Pictures
Z. Il 4. =