Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-05-15
Patriotic instruction.

campment at Denver in 1905 prOVi-
sion was made for an additional de-
partment staff officer, to be known as
patriotic instructor. 1t was the in
tention that this officer should inquire
| into the extent and method of teach
/ ing children in our schools to be pa
triotic and grow UP into good citizen
ship; to encourage such instruction
and make such suggestions concern
ing the matter as should seem to him
to be useful and practical This in
structor is supposed to have an assist
ant in every G. A. R. post in the de-
partment, or state, who will render
such help as he can in this line of
work.
No patriotic instructor can expect
to go out through the state and come
The most he can do is to reach some
of them through communication by
mail. But he may in this way lead
many teachers to think a little more
of the value of such training as will
lead to country love, and it is a great
I tullS W SCI PCOPAC W IAiAhAh3s 90
pecially those really interested in
properly training the young.
| In order to come somewhat into
touch with the schools of the state
and hear from them what is being
done in stimulating the sentiment of
dren, the patriotic instructor of this
department has had printed and dis
| tributed among the schools of the
state 500 copies of the following cir
cular letter and accompanying ques-
tions:
sin,
Grand Army of the Republic
Madison, April 10, 1907.
To school superintendent, princi-
pals and teachers-It is natural that
we the remnant of that great army of
young men and boys who marched
and fought in the early SOS for the
maintenance of our union and the
principles that have made our present
prosperous nation possible should be
deeply interested in the education of
our boys and girls into good citizen
the country we helped to save may be
| blessed with men and women of high
ideals of government.
Though every home should be a
nursery for young patriots. not every
home is what it should b., and we
/ 4t1of zahnale 10
of the training for good citizenship.
While there are no doubt some teach
ers who are Indifferent concerning the
/ sentiment of patriotism, or know lit
tie how to stimulate its growth, we
are glad to believe that there are
Wisconsin who are conscientiously
doing their best to stir up in the
hearts of their boys and girls a love
+ for Old Glory and the principles for
which it floats above us.
We Grand Army men are intensely
interested in this matter We have
an officer in every state known as pa
| triotic instructor, with assistants in
every G. A. r. post. But we cannot
do much directly in the way of patri-
otto instruction we cannot go into
the schools and teach,-yet we can
manifest a lively interest in what our
schools are doing in the interests of
good citizenship; and We are glad of
all you are willing to undertake in
this direction. We wish our
Dung people everywhere might
become so imbued with the
spirit of loyalty to home and country
and good government as to make an
, other civil war impossible, and for
eign war something into which no
other nation will dare draw us.
1t is the desire of the Grand Army
patriotic instructors to secure as
much information as practicable con-
corning what is being done in our
schools in the way of teaching patri-
otism and the inspiration of high
ideals of citizenship. We shall be
glad to get all such information as
superintendent principals and teach
ers are willing to give US.
For the sake of definiteness l am
sending you a list of questions. VIII
you please answer them for me, and
then add something further in the
way of SUGGESTIONS? l shall be glad to
/ get your answers as soon as May 10
so that l may make up from them a
report to the Grand Army encamp-
me Mt in Oshkosh June SO.
Questions
What proportion of your schools
have flags?
What use is made of these flags?
Are they kept flying during school
hours. displayed on the walls of the
room or tucked away out of sight
and kept there?
Do the pupils know the flag salute?
Are they trained to give it? Every
day or on special occasions?
Do the teachers have flag drills for
the pupils?
Have the flags in the schools been
I furnished by the districts, secured
through efforts of the pupils and teach
1 ers, or donated?
In connection with what national
holidays are appropriate exercises
/ held in your schools? Do the pupils
like such exercises?
Do the children ike patriotic songs2