Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-04-22
THE GERMAN THEN AND NOW

THE GERMAN THEN AND NOW
a dozen. or more years gentleman
hroupht TO The Gazette Office a curl
ositv in the shape of a German primer,
used in the Shenandoah Valley of Vir-
oinia, a century or moro ago. This
antique text book was given to one.
Of the editors of The. Gazette, and the
latter bequeathcd it to the writer. Inc
hook contains thirty-siX pages, and IS
but slight improvement upon the
"horn book" used by German children
several centuries ago. Many OF the
readers of The Gazette probably never
saw a horn book. They were OF two
PATTERNS. Those used by children OF
narents in good circumstances used
yenuine horn book, which was IAN
SHAPED and made of horn On one side
appesrcd the numerals, alphabet.
short svllables, etc, and upon the re-
verse side the Ten Commandments and
the. Lords Prayer. The cheaper edl-
lien of such books were made of wood,
and resembled in shape fly swatlers
OF today.
/. The publication to which we refer
NOW lies before us. 1t was printed
under a copyright in 1919, ninety
nine wears ago. Previous to that time,
whea Germany was Germany, and not
part of the tail of the teuton KITE
many from the old country had set
tied in the Shenandoah Valley. They
} were honest souls who had como to
America to earnftheir living in agrl-
, cultural pursuits. They invested their
earnings in land and lived and died
in the new world respected by all who
srrw them. Their children used the
nrimer TO which we refer, the last
mage of which carried the Lords
PRAYER. The pictures arc crude, ana
suggestive of those which appeared in
III. Ben Franklin Almanac of colonial
days. +"
The little ones with their parents
nraved 'rrhy Kingdom Come" The
knew nothing about military pursuits,
nor did they desire to know. They
lived and died under peaceful sur
rcundings. Many of their dcscen-
dants are with us today, and compose
some of our most patriotic citizens.
The contrast between the little Ger
nan boys of today and those OF. long
AGO is sharp. In old Germany they
wendell their way to school at first
with their horn or wooden books. The
teachers impaired lessons of peace 10
their pupils. Today the Germany boy
carries his books in a knapsack upon
his back. He must, when walking with
companion, keep step. In short,
every act of the boy must be suggcs-
tive of something military.
While glancing over this German
primer and realizing its simplicity, our
mind went back 10 ante and post bel
lum days in Alexandria. We had a
number of Germans among us, all OF
whom were wholc-hearted and we'll
disposed people. The bulk have long
since paid the debt of nature, but
their descendants form one of our
most patriotic citizens today.
The great German nation of the
twentieth century has chronic dis
temper. 1t is war-mad. This NAL
aGy. unfortunately, has caused spo-
radio cases in America among natives
Of the fatherland and their offspring.
Such arc not of the spirit of the carly
settlers in the Shenandoah Valley. nor
Of those Alcxandrians honored and re-
spected in bygone years. u
The German emperor looks upon
himself as ruling by divine right, and
in his proclamation in 1914 to his
army in the cast, he uttered these
words: a am the instrument of the
Almighty | am His sword, His agent
Woe and death TO all who oppose my
will
The German-American citizen in the
early days Of the United States would
have read such uttcranccs with the
contempt manifested by Americans
native and to the manner born.
CANNOT RELAX VIGILANCE.