The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-07-18
By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey

Every story, worth while or 9th
erwise, that the little child hear:
becomes a part of his life. Its char
acters are alive for him, he puts it:
incidents into action in his dali,
work and play and he remember:
the story's teachings long after the
story teller has forgotten 1t. There
is a new hunger that We ought &c
satisfy in childhood, this story hun
ger. Especially do we need now
as a means of developing those civic
virtues and the love of country
that will make the children of to-
day good American citizens of to-
morrow.
Child patriotism is begun in serv-
ice and especially n home service,
for the home is the republic OF
childhood If the mother and kin
dergartner connect home service
and simple community service with
love for and reverence for the
flag, the first impressions Of pa
triotism will be inculcated in chill
dren.
The story OF "The Flag bearer"
has this starting point in patriotic
teaching for its lesson.
The Flag Bearer.
The primary class had very
beautiful American flag and some
child was going to carry it from the
schooroom across the park and
into the town hall on the holiday.
All the primary children would
maHh afteS.tAs flag and they were
going to sing "America' and The
Star Spangled Banner" 1t would
be a wonderful day and each child
wanted to carry the flag.
No one was sure who would be
chosen as flag-bearer, but their
teacher had said the week before,
1T will be the child who loves his
country the most who will carry the
Stars and Stripes. Try and do
something for your country dur
ing the week"
SO the children had been very
busy ever since doing all sorts of
things that would show how they
loved their country.
Marjory had been knitting for
the soldiers. Her grandmother had
given her pair OF pretty yellow
needles and a ball of soft gray yarn
and had started scarf But the
stitches would drop and there was
still enough snow for sliding on
the hill back OF Marjory's house.
Her knitting was not much farther
along on Saturday than on Mon
day.
Il will show how much | love
my country" Hubert said, and he
asked his mother to sew the gilt
buttons from his great grandfath-
er's soldier coat that hung in the
attic on his REFER. Then he show
ed the bright buttons to all the
other children and they thought
hat Hubert looked very fine indeed.
Il shall wear them when | carry
the flag next week" Hubert told
them.
But the children thought thai,
perhaps, Roger would be chosen as
llagbearer because he bought such
A large flag with the money in his
bank and put it up on the flagpole
in his front yard. Rogers father
helped him raise the flag on rope
50 that he could pull it down at
night, but once the Stars and
Stripes were flying Roger forgot ,
all about them. His flag stayed
out in the wind and sleet and its
bright colors faded and the stripes ,,
we're torn.
After all. the children decided, ii
would be Edward who would carry
he flag. Edward had dog named = =
lruSty and he decided TO train him
o be Red Cross dog. He put I
White band with red cross on it :
round Trusty and harnessed him 10
. little express wagon to carry :
'undles. Trusty had never worn 4 J
in his life. or been fastened :
0 anything. He tried to get away
rom the wagon, but Edward strap
ed the harness more tightly The
traps hurt Trusty and ii hurt his A
ceilings to be made TO drag the cart. il
ut Edward drove him TO and from J
he drug store and the grocery is
nd the butchers, carrying the II
arcels that Edward had always c,
rought alone before. Ii
The other children, too, all tried II
D do unusual things 10 win them
elves the place OF flagbearer. They "
iayed their drums in the street nj
nd made soldier caps and wooden -
words and drilled. The little girls
ressed up and played army nurse
18th their dolls. The boys bough,
~ soldiers and horns at the 10Y
iop. There was a great deal OF
Disc everywhere.
Then it was the holiday and
'eryone was greatly excited over
hat was going to happen. Who
'er had a red ribbon, or blue
.ck;ie, or a red, white and blue
,dge felt very proud indeed to
ear it. Every child sat as still As
mouse as the teacher spoke 10
EN-.
"Marjory showed me five rows
l. l.-....I