The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1916-07-06
Woa First Prize

Sometime ago Capt T. L. Marston
offered prizes amounting to S2l and
divided into gifis of SO. 81 and 81
respeetivelv. Ia The High School stu
dents writing the best articles on
Preparedness the topic assigned be
| ing The Duties which Preparedness
| VIII Impose upon the Young Men and
Women of America" Of the several
contestants Miss Florence Y. Burrill
was awarded FIRST prize. Miss Mar
garct VI MeGregor, second and Miss
Margaret II. Churchill, third The
excellent article prepared by Miss
mrrlll is rs follows:
Preparedness what a familiar word
to MS nov. when America stands 50
near The brink that single false
srep and she too may be struggling
i'm mai red chaos of murder and hor-
ror. There is a part for everyone
in This great plan of armine our coun-
try for peace. and each must do his
| Bit. as the English say yes. ana
her bit too. for the woman's share
is no small one.
For the young men, preparedness
means that they must spend Al least
some months out of each year III
a training camp; that they must be
ready to answer a call 10 arms al
short notice. chat every able-bodied
youth must learn 10 be a good soldier
i a.
controlled, instantly obedient TO the
word of superior officer. and that
fhcv must keep clean morally. physi=
cally, and mentally. for America
wants no physical weaklings or NOR
al lepers to protect her honor. There
must also be deft. skilltul surgeons.
And the young men who are barred
from both army and navy by physl-
cal debility can give time, money
and labor to aid the cause.
For the young women, prepared
ness means that they must have sui
6cient knowledge of government TO
enable them to carry on munlclpaI
affairs in the absence of the soldiers
enough knowledge of agriculture 10
nroduce food for the armies, as the
women of Europe are doing today
enough training and courage TO De
Red Cross nurses. enough herolsm
To send husbands and sons, brothers
and sWeethearts. Willingly 10 the
front: and, hardest of all enough
moral bravery to bear the agony OF
waiting and still remain patriots, To
live through endless days of uneer-
taintv and not grow to hate the nag
| .I1,,apJG tho c1pTifipp
For the youth of both sexes, II
means a devotion of the very best to
the country. The inventor must give
his genius, the statesman ms power
tho millionaire his wealth, the poet
his songs the business man his IN
sight the invalid his prayers. There
can be no shirkers in this new, pre-
pared America.
Supreme patriotism must be deVeI-
onod "My country first of all must
he the motto of every American, as
il is the motto of every Englishman
every German. every Frenchman, ana
evcrv Italian today We cannot eacl
go our separate. selfish ways W.
cannot say. ooh, of course | love my
country. but first | must consider my
business, my family, or the fame
want TO win" The pure white flame
of patriotism must burn 50 high III
every American heart that II purgeS
of selfish desires, petty factioha,
alarrels. and brings a clear vision OF
n noble country and an unStalhed
aap-such a vision as the heroes Oh
rs and 1861 had,-and effects a
united. efficient working toward the
realization of that vision. Ships
arms, consciousness, better training
are very necessary in the great plan
but when every child is taught to say
God Bless America in his bed
time prayers, when every school poS
and girl resents slur on our conn-
try as the worst of personal insults
when every heart thrills and every EVER,
head is uncovered at the sight oil Ola
Glory or the first chords of the ma
tional anthem, then, and then only
will we have complete preparedness