The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-05-26


are totally lacking in local patriotism.
IN recent years the American city has
forged ahead in political Importance
owing to the increasing drift of Ameri
can life into it, and when we stop to
consider the magnitude of interests
which hang upon it's proper develop
ment, we must be convinced that the
field for municipal patriotism is wider
and more important here in America
than In any other country in the
world. The government of a city will
De as pure and honest and as intelli.
gent as the mayor, aldermen and other
men who officer it's departments are
pure and honest and intelligent, and
no more so. Why should we not give
more attention to local matters of
government and not get so excited
about Canadian reciprocity, the Mexi-
can insurrection and other matters
far removed from our homes?
Dynamic Patriotism.
The foundation of the work in teach
ing patriotism must be based upon
the teaching of good morals, but
children's imaginations must be ap-
pealed to, and their enthusiasm must
be inspired, otherwise their patriot
ism will be of that weak, passive,
negative, constituencies kind which
allows so many otherwise good men
to be absolutely Indifferent to every
public duty. Patriotism, like religion,
is an appeal to the imagination. Do
you think there would be as many
stay-at-home voters among our better
citizetls, as many political scandals,
frRnnnnf no rte
would the leaders Of our great bust
ness houses, railroad and other cor
porations lay themselves open to &C.
cusations of criminal completely in
mad government so often, if mems
imaginations were quickened to show
the true relation of such evils to the
fair fame and fortune OF our republic?
| believe not. Most men who practice
these forms of civic treachery, would
give their lives to repel a foreign roe
and would regard as treason, treach.
cry to their country under stress of
war. Can they not be made to see
that treachery to the principles of the
| republic is as fatal in times of peace
as in war?
A Concrete Example.
For an object lesson in the teach
ing Of patriotism come with me in
your imagination to mining and lum-
bering town on the Mesaba iron range.
1t is Memorial Day, the one national
holiday left that is celebrated with
dignity and patriotic decOrum. The
sun shines bright and the earth is
carpeted with green and with flow
ers. We are standing on the public
school grounds. Assembled there, are
| citizens to the number of several
thousand, many among the assembled
throng are learning their first lesson
in American patriotism for they were
born under alien skies. They are
watching intently the main entrance
OF the large school building Soon
there is seen coming down the steps
young men and maidens, boys and
girls to the number of $500, all clad
in gala-day attire, with wreaths of
flowers and with banners and flags
thrown to the breeze, as their lines
| pass between the lines of the proud
fathers and mothers on either side.
They are the jewels of their parents
| and the hope of this land. A process
sion is formed headed by the band.
! Those boys in the band may not be
! the most accomplished musicians, but
when they blow their horns and beat
| their drums, and the familiar strains
OF The Star Spangled Banner" and
"Oh, Columbia. the Gem OF the
Ocean are waited back over the lines
they mean every note, and the hearts
OF all are with them. Through the
main street they march and back to
the spacious auditorium where in uni
son they give this salute to the best
flag that ever floated in the blue air
of heaven: Il pledge allegiance to
my flag, and to the republic for which
1t stands: one nation indivisible, with
liberty and justice for ALL" Then
three rousing cheers are given for the
red white and blue, and three more
for the brave men of two wars who
at different times in our history took
their lives in their hands and went
forth to do battle that the principles
OF the republic might endure and be
spread over the earth. Such a sight,
my fellow citizens, can be seen in
no other land but our own. Then the
pupils of the different rooms take
their respective positions in the hall
which has been tastefully decorated
in the national colors Then songs
are sung by the large school chorus,
and the boys glee club, breathing
forth sentiments of the most fervid
patriotism. A speaker, one of their
teachers, addresses them. The sub
stance of his remarks is as follows:
An Address to the Young.
My friends, this day and the
thoughts which it suggests are dedi-
Gated to that which is highest and
noblest in man. Our flag, which you
have been saluting on your line of
march and here in this hall, is the
symbol of our government, the freest,
the best and the most just govern
ment on the face of the earth This
government was founded in this new
land by our forefathers in faith and
prayer and patriotic zeal. They left
their own homes, homes that they
this new land that they might be free
1t was their desire, and it should al
ways continue to be the desire of their
descendants, that wherever the
streaming folds of this flag are seen,
no matter where carried upon the
earth, there should spring up hope and
inspiration in the hearts OF the op-
pressed and down-trodden. In our
country we have no monarch and no
hereditary lawmakers. Our citizens
are the most intelligent in the world
Here public schools make it possible
for every one to get an education and
good books and magazines are found
in every home. We should be proud
of our native land, and be ever watch
full to do those acts which will reflect