The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1917-04-20

and make HIM sisissn-ehants his ns-
snrs By law--buf practically ~ know
thas thss u nos even . half truth, because
The peat two yssrs have proven - - that
in our procss Of nssurslizasion 10 have
ubvisfinely overlooked . very large and
unknown number OF "hyphsns" and
have taken into oar bosoms . hoss Of
people---one thing in theory. another
thing in reality.
/ believe that little can b done in the
teaching Of cisizsnship in our schoois be-
tore the sdolsscens period-ths period
when the child has JUS emsrtsd from the
sayaes ags Of his racs. a6A = enssrins
upon The axs Of barbarim-th6 period
when the rsce inssinc6 bsGin - asssrt
themssivss most ssrongiy---vhsa the
oreanizing inssincs = - il heish1 when
giris form themselves into kroups or sets,
and boys drift into bands Of Rsng, and
in thsu small lives bsgin - live over the
tribal life of their rscs and % issl the 10
spopsibility Of the chisftain .a,d The duty
of the follower. This period, then, in
my Judgment, - shs one place 70 begin
70 lay the foundation for Ill future teach
ing of citizenship.
In order 70 properly teach the subject,
would irst ssek To- srquains the child
with the idss, 70 tsach the child what .
citizen and . citizep's surroandinss are
This can be dons only through . short,
simple, practical courss in government
The child can. slways be interested in
thinks that are concrete, tangible and ap-
pealing. Some poet has said:
1.-THE hills are dearest which our childish
feet
Have climbed the earliest, and the
streams most swsst
Are over those which our youns lips
drank
Stopped 10 their wassrs over the sras-
sy bank"
Carving out this idea. the home ought
70 be the dearest spot on earth 70 the
child, and ! would select the bone - .
typical governments. From the home 70
the school. 70 the Municipality (if in an
Incorporated town.. 70 ths township or
district, IN the county, 70 the stats. 70 the
nation, 1 would lead him In . simple.
practical way, showing HIM the relation
ship existing amoAA I'll these. md the
relationship and dasy oi the Citizen 20
each and al. in this way would pre-
pare his mind 70 receive and sppiy all
the things 70 follo~. . prepaE6eion he
could res In 10 oeh>r- -. - ~isteos
which much Of our teaching would mean
little or nothing 70 him.
Edward Bates, Abraham Lincoln's
Attorney General. defined citizen - fol-
lows: "A;citisen 10 menbsr of the
body polite, bound 10 allegiance on the
one hand and entitled 70 prosscsion on
the other" know OF no. .bstter defini-
ton than this, ] like it because it sup
ports my idea Of solving this problem.
The course in government which have
mentioned viii explain 20 the pupil what
is meant by being . member OF the body
polite The question of allegiance 10 the
one great question bef,se ~. Loyalty is
the essence Of citizenship. believe that
about ninety y-nine percent Of good cinsen-
ship 10 pesriotism. or love Of country and
it, Institutions You show me . man
Who dos not love his country
and l Will show you . hoA ciEzen and o
mean man. Then ise pssriosism Be the
begin ell and snd-slI" Of our tsachine
Fvery virtue of citizenship gashsrs around
the word. The question Of allegiance 70
Organized authority, of obedieqee 70 lsws
and rules Of conduct, OF respect for pub
lie property and public insrtssions. Of
the appreciation OF our own rights and
protection, of the recognieion ofthe rights
and privileges of others. Of community
interssts. OF neighbor ties, Of the COM
mon veal or wos Of the whole people
all these viii readily solve themselves
when the spiris of ps<riosism has been
effectively implanted in the bears Of the
young people Of this county,
The youaDser who hss that swelling
emotion Within HIM that pskes him fe !
that bio home "be it ever % humbls'' 10
the bsss bone in the community; chat
MS community or town - the bsss in the
whole county; that bic county 10 the best
In The Stss'; that his
state = the besf IN the nstion. and that
his nasson y the greatest on the face Of
the sarsh, vi1 never be ioond heading
riots or iesding mobs. dyosmitsng state
houses, or ~-ss~insans presidents or
governors. Love of country 10 the sal
vstioa q he government; patriotism
is is vstchvord 90
I wssld tech by means of Song and
ssory - Biography end LSs~rssure and
History ana 0ivics, and through each or
ell Of thsss would appeal 10 The in
ssincss Of oresnizssion. Of obedisDce, OF
allegiance and love Il pseve. land.
"Amsrics". The star spsnetra Ban
ner'', Columbia, The ked Whit
and Blue" "OId Glcry" and many
Others kssp slive sbe music a pstnossn.
IN The heart when sung, and roo~ On