The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-04-24
Supt. Lybarger Addresses
An Appeal To School
Children
"LOOK FOR THE LOT;
THEN PREPARE IT!"
Work AS Patriotic, He Says,
AS Actual Military
Service

An appeal to the patriotism of the
pupils of Delaware county schools
has been issued in letter written by
Supt. Paul M. .Lybarger, formerly of
Gambler, Knox county, and sent to
the schools of the county. The letter
is given below:
To Pupils OF Delaware County School
District:
Our country is now involved in
great war for international freedom,
and every citizen should produce sub
stantial evidence of his patriotism.
We shall always honor the memory of
our fathers who made possible Ameri-
can independence, and as we recog-
nize the justness of national liberty,
so must we also recognize the just
ness Of international liberty. This
means the right not only of American
citizens, but the rights of the citizens
of every nation, to go about the pur-
suits of lawful business in peace
The European war has become a
world war in which America must do
her part to show to the world that the
principle of government of the peo-
pie, by the people, and for the peo-
pie" is as vital and as sacred as in
any period of our national existence
Patriotic demonstrations are being
held the length and breadth of our
land to stir people to realization of
the great crisis with which we are
confronted, in order that all citizens
may be keenly conscious of their duty
to the government.
What Can We, AS Pupils of the
Schools, Do?
Some of the young men of our high
schools will enlist in military service;
some of our own young women will
offer themselves for service in Red
Cross work Battles must be fought;
the wounded must be cared for, and
all honor and glory to those who place
But there is a great patriotism in an
other way; the world is hungry now
as never before, and we are facing
the greatest shortage in food supply
the world has ever known. We can
all enlist in the army of food pro-
dvcers, not only by assisting with the
FOL hut
account. On every farm and premises
there is vacant lot or plot and
every necessary for it's preparation
and planting. 1t may be an acre, it
may be but few feet. If all is plant
ed and cultivated an enormous food
supply can be produced. Look for
the lot. Prepare it, plant it in po-
tatoes, corn, beans-cultivate it, and
you will be performing as truly a
patriotic duty as if you were enlisted
in military service, for by your ef-
fort the hungry will be fed and you
will be helping to avert the shortage
in food supply.
The following letter was addressed
at the same time by Supt. Lybarger
to the superintendents and teachers:
To Superintendents and Teachers:
Enclosed is letter for the pupils
of all grades above the first and sec
ond. Please read the letter to the
school and post it in the room. This
letter is intended to stimulate the
boys and girls to take an active part
IN food production; it will at least
furnish an opportunity for you to dis
cvss this important subject with the
p4psls
tSupt. Pearson in his letter says thal
AN boys ten years of age and ovel
should be enlisted in this work, FOL
'cultivating dozen hills of corn ol
potatoes. even in a fence corner
amounts to a patriotic duty" HI
suggests that pupils be excused from
school duties to assist in the planting
season, and given credit for farm ant
garden work.
In regard TO the duty or teachers
DR.. Pearson says that 1T will be well
also, for every man teacher to lea,
the way by cultivating a plot o
ground of his own, and by going int
: the fields to assist in the planting an
) the harvesting" Nothing is sal
about giving normal credit for farr
work, as it is not within the power G