The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-07-20
PATRIOTIC TEST
FOR THE teachers
MOONLIGHT SCHOOLS FOR KEN
rUckY SOLDIER BOYS START
a. JULY TwENTY-THlRo.

An unusual situation confronts thost
engaged In teaching In this State. II
IL one which win put to the test youi
patriotism and your devotion TO educa'
tion. as well
Some $4,000 young men In kentueky
signed their registration cards on June
5th by mark. being unable TO sign Their
names. These are not confined 10 any
locality but are scattered throughout
severy county In the State They are
not colored. but mainly white
1heso figures must Singer every
thoughtful Keniuclian, They would
shame US 20 the point OF concealment
but fer the need OF these young men
for Immediate relief Concealment
works no cure Only prompt and de-
cifiye action can do that.
These young men are not 10 blame
for their misfortune. The enlightened
citizens OF kentucky. who have tolerat-
ed lax compulsory attendance laws anG
have submitted to the non enforcement
OF such school attendance laws az ar.
on our statutes books are mostly 70
blame. But this IL nc time 10 waste In
crying shame or In fixing blame. This
IL a time 10 atone in such measure ~
wo mny.
II IA unfair that these young men
should be torn fram their homes and
dear ones and sent across tho water to
fiHht vour natties ana mine without be .
inE able 10 read letter or 10 write &.
line back home. Next To actual engage
ment In battle. III" most momentous
event In the life of soldier Is the ar
rival OF n letter from home To his
arxioIs mother letter from her sol
dier boy Is a comfort above price. No
third person. however willing, can con-
vey the sentiment and secrets OF these
two 10 each other.
The Y NJ c. A. provides an nbund-
affce OF reading and writing material.
but these boys can only gaze upon Il
hungriiy as thing they crave TO use
but cannot Such printed reminders,
posted about In tho Y. NJ c. A. camp
as Rite Home" Have You Written
To Mother To-Dayi" are uninteliigiblc
70 them.
A Committee hants 20 cach boy u
pocket testament as he passes through
the port OF New York To embark foe
the war zone. $4,000 Kentucky boys
es1n get no comfort or counsel from the
Bible even when Il IL given to them
These yovng men may bo called into
camp September l. Beginning july -
10 can give them six weeks clcmen-
tary course In the moonlight schools,
such as will enable them TO read and
vritc their own letters and TO peruse
elementDry books and TO read most
items In the newspapers. Such as can
not attend the moonltght schools can
be taught individually at home Public
school teachers. who are already in
their schools have the best opportunity
Every one OF theae am sure will glad
ly serve. but In counties where the
schools are not In session and where
the teacher In not on the ground. for
mer teachers and educated citizens can
start night classes in tho public schooi'
houses,
There may have been a tlme when
these Young men were sensitive about
this afiliction. or when they were in
different but that time is past. II Ia
an houi OF crisis with them, and they
will 10 seeking teachers. as earnestly
as tea cheers could, possibly, seek them.
II II the duty Of every public school
teacher IN Kentucky TO volunteer Some
have already done 81 on the mere sug.
gcstion Of such call. Some even who
are not teachers have volunteered. II
Is a hieh privilege TO render to these
unfortunate ones and 10 our State and
Nation this service. We may have been
unable TO invest In Liberty Loan Bonds
II may not be ours to follow the boys
TO France TO minister 20 them under
the Red Cross but we can add to their
comfort, their self-respect and their ef-
ficiency by giving them this traininL
before they go.
shall Kentucky send thity thousand
illitcrates TO France God Forbid why
should she send any? Hasn't she an
Iliiteracy Commission. 1900 public
sckool teachers and as patriotic people
as ever tho sun sfionc on? To the
guns, yes, every man OF them-even
though with their affliction they might
well be exempt from military duty, |
believe-but 60 the books first, and
then they'll go TO the guns more con-
tent and with less embarrassment and
handicap.
Let the lights burn for the soldier
boys on the evening of July % in ev.
cry rLrtl village and city school house
In the state, Write or wire that you
will volunteer and let us provide you
with books and plans.
Yours sincerely,
CORA WILSON STEW ART
President Kentucky Illiteracy Com
mission, Frankfort Ky.