The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-12-28
CASH PRIZES FOR
SCHOOL PUPILS
OPEN TO LOCAL AND
RURAL SCHOOLS
The May Lumber Co. Offers Cash Prizes
For Letters on "Why Every Family
Should Own Its Home"

Through the liberality of the May
Lumber Company the pupils of schools
in Clio and vicinity are to engage in an
unique contest of a most interesting
character. The plan has the hearty en-
dorsement and support of superinten-
dent of schools w. d. White and of
the teachers. Cash prizes of $1,000,
first prize IS 90, second prize $500, and
third prize $500, are offered by the
May Lumber Co. for the best letters,
not less than 500 nor more than 750
words long, written by pupils of the
public schools under eighteen years of
age, upon the topic "Why Every Fam
ily Should Own Its Own Home" This
contest is part of a nationwide move
ment to show everyone living in rented
quarters how much better off, from
every point of view, he and his family
would be in home of their own. This
is surely a subject that our bright
young people in the public schools will
find it easy to write upon. For further
particulars regarding contest see the
May Lumber Company's adv. on page 4
of this issue.
The man who owns his own home is
pretty sure to be good citizen, there
fore II is a patriotic duty to encourage
the building of homes in every possible
way. Nothing would be more beneficial
to this community than to have a larger
proportion of our people housed in their
own homes The subject has a broader
"a pational-aspect; in fact, the very
cornerstone of our national structure is
the home. Patriotism, boiled down. is
simply love of home. Men will fight to
the last drop of blood for their homes.
The main reason why France has been
able to put up such marvellous defense
is that her soldiers are fighting for
their homes-not for rented quarters.
Official reports show that a larger per-
centage of the people of France own
homes than is true of any other coun-
try. This also explains their thrift, the
wonderful prosperity of the country
prior to the war, and the enormous vol
ume of savings which the French peo-
pie have been able to invest in the
bonds of their government.
The man who owns his own home is
almost sure to be a good and patriotic
citizen. Agitators, anarchists and /.
w. WIS do not come from the ranks of
the home owners. This paper feels that
in inaugurating this contest and thus
fostering discussion of the subject the
May Lumber Company is not only Of
fering an incentive to the pupils along
the line of their school work, but is
rendering patriotic service. especially
in these times of national stress when
so much depends upon the citizenship of
our country and how it will meet the
test, Teachers and parents will do well
to encourage as many of the pupils as
possible to engage in this interesting
and beneficial competition, which closes
January IL.
Added interest attaches to this con-
test from the fact that the pupil win
ming the first prize will have his essay
entered in similar but nation wide
contest being carried on by ''The Amer
lean Lumberman, of Chicago, the
prizes in which are $4,000. $4,000 and
500. 90 respectively for the three best
essays.
A contest precisely like that in
augurated in Clio and vicinity will be
carried out in Mt Morris and vici nity
The prizes in the latter place and the
Judges of the contest will be separate
and distinct from those of the Clio
contest.