Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-06-29
THE = A
Education Is Necessary to instil! "Love
of Country."

1C0SdItOu 10 necessary 10 unS.I!t eOVO
of Country"
1t has been said with much appar-
ent t~ruthfulness that love of country
beyond that commonly entertained
for local h~abitations and their imme-
diate environments is an artificial
emotion created by educational pro-
cesses.
This proposition seems to find con-
frmation in the history OF all COM
munities removed from the active
influences of the governments unde,
which they live. The sentiments OF
patriotism exhibited by the inhabitants
of the isolated mountain regions OF
West Virginia at the beginning OF the
wal of the rebellion afford a striking
Illustration of the truth of these OBJ
servations. AS Il class. these people
displayed small concern, apparently
in the affairs of the nation when the
Wal began, n CAV Scant welcome to-
both the federal and confederate forces
that anne among them. Their love OF
country appeared to be limited to the
immediate region in which they found
their homes, due doubtless to the meal
ger information they possessed at the
time of the great world about them.
When the federal troops first reached
Sutton. q picturesque little village on
the Elk river, q few prOfessed union
So "'H Wv" w I'm tO"h IOII
their little "clearings' in the moun-
tains. accessible only by unfrequented
bride paths, to see the union troops
and the great four wheeled wagons
that carried their supplies. The wagons
and the tents. the cooking utensils. the
~entrenching tools. n the arms of the
soldiers, all in their turn attracted the
attention of the visitors.
The visitors came at last to the tent
of the commanding officer. where the
n%ational flag fioated lazily from it's
staff In the breeze, and stopping there
for awhile. watched it curiously.
She's purity" said a gray-haired
member of the group. Say, Bill" he
continued. addressing a young man at
his side, ASK EN- What she's for
The soldiers who heard the earnest
inquiry of the old m%ountaineer smiled
at his question and wondered at the
ignorance 1t displayed. But. after all.
how many among the illiterate Of our
people In our northern cities and towns
could intelligently answer the ques-
ton?
This education. fortunately. may be
Impaired by common methods or OBJ
tanned as the result of personal expert
ences. Many soldiers OF the union
who entered the federal service had
at the time but little thought of duty
n low of country as they subse-
quently learned to comprehend this
emotion.
Probably no better illustration of
this fact can be found in the annals of
the war than is afforded by an incl
dent that occurred at Vicksburg not
long after the fall Of tina confederate
stronghold. Several hundred paroled
prisoners of war who had been con-
fined in the confederate stockades at
Meridian and elsewhere in the Interior
reached federal lines one day soon
after their liberation and marched in
to the city through one of the eastern
sally ports Of the practically impreg-
nable works which the union forces
had erected on the land side of the
place after it's surrender. A turn in
the highway followed by the ragged,
emaciated soldiers returning from their
captivity. suddenly brought them into
view of a large national flag flying
from the top of a staff not far away.
At the first view Of the flag every
head in the column was uncovered.
and then. as II with one impulse, ev-
cry hand that held a hat or cap was
stretched u towards the flag in mute
expression of fealty and devotion. A
moment later the poor, paroled cap
tives gave vent to their feelings in o
longed cheers for the flag, and incries
of t~hankfulness for their liberation,
This incident was pathetic in the ex-
treme. and impressed those who wit
messed 1t as n worthy Of ommemo-
ration. II. r.. Brinkerhoff,
Lieut.. Col. U. s. A., Retired.
-
Old Abe, Famous War Eaule.