Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-07-17
TO THE TEACHERS OF KE
TUCKY:

An unusual situation confronts thos
engaged in teaching in this State. |
is one which will put TO the Test you
patriotism and devotion to education
as well.
Some $4,000 young men in Ken
lucky signed their registration cards
on June 9th by mark, being unable t
sign their names. These are not con
fined to any locality, but are scattered
throughout every county in the State
They are not colored, but mainly
white.
These figures must stagger every
thoughtful Kentuckian. They woulc
shame us to the point of concealment
but for the need of'these young mer
for immediate relief. Concealmen
works no cure. Only prompt and
active decision can do that.
These young are not to blame for
their misfortune. The enlightened cit
liens of Kentucky, who have tolera'
ted lax compulsory attendance laws
and have submitted to non;enforce-
ment of such school attendance laws
as are on our statute books, are most
ly to blame. But this is no time to
waste in crying shame" or fixing
blame. This is time to atone in such
measure as we may.
1t is unfair that these young men
should be torn from their homes and
dear,ones and sent across the water
to your battles and mine without be-
ing able to read letter or to write a
line back home. Next to actual en-
gagement in battle, the most moment
Gus event in the life of soldier is the
arrival of letter from home. To his
anxious mother letter from her SOL
der boy is a comfort above price.
No third person, however willing,
can convey the sentiment and secrets
of these two to each other.
The Y. M. C. A. provides an abund-
ance of reading and writing material,
but these boys can only gaze upon il
hungrily as thing they crave to use,
but cannot. Such printed reminders,
posted about the Y. M. C. A. camp,
as "Write Home, "Have you writ.
ten to mother to-day?""c are antelligi-
BILE to them. c tr g
A committee hands to each boy a
pocket testament as he passes through
The port of New York to embark for
the war zone. $4,000 Kentucky boys
can get no comfOft or counsel from
the Bible even when it is given to
them.
These young men may be called
into camp September LIST. Beginning
July %, We can give them SIX
weeks elementary course in the
moonlight schools, such as will ena-
BILE them to read and write their own
letters and peruse the elementary
books and to read most items in the
newspapers. Such as cannot attend
the moonlight schools can be taught
individually at home. Public school
teachers who are already in their
schools have the best opportunity.
Every oDe of these | am sure will
gladly serve, but in counties where
the schools are not in session ana
where the teacher is not on the
ground, former teachers and educated
citizens can start night classes in the
public schoolhouses.
There may have been a time when
these young men weresensitive about
this affection, or when they were in
different, but that time is past. 1t is
an hour OF crisis with them, and they
will be seeking teachers, as earnestly
as teachers could, possibly seek
them.
II is the duty Of every public school
teacher in Kentucky to volunteer.
Some have already done so on the
mere suggestion of such a call. Some
even who are not teachers have vol
unteered. II is high privilege to
render these unfortunate ones and tC
our State and Nation this service. We
may have been -uaable to invest il
Liberty Loan Bonds. II may not b
ours 10 folloythc boys to- France 4
minister to them under the Re-
Cross, but we can add to their com