The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1918-09-06
THREE SONS
AND THE WAR.

"a story by Harold Whitehead. 30
ton University, Serving with the Am,
lean Council of Education, Washins
ton, d. c.
War; like rushing, living tore
that word lighted divine fire in thes
glorious United States on that never
to-be-forgotten April 6, 1917.
From the busy rush of the big city
from the quiet peace of the villag
came a mighty force-volunteer I,
fight for the most glorious heritag,
man ever fought for-Freedom.
The demands were enormous. for tn,
task was gigantic, but the demand,
were met with promrtness and dead
ly earnestness that heartened oul
courageous allies.
This war was no impersonal affair
but something that touched every
home and every heart. An eager de-
sire to anticipate the call to duty
thrilled millions of men and women.
What that duty was many people
only vaguely understood. Our govern
ment promptly realized the need for
pointing out the duty to its citizens,
Tor It did not at once call everyone to
battle on the tortured fields Of France
with the greatest seourge that ever
cursed the world.
In the small, busy, manufacturing
town of Hammerville lived old man
Parsons with his wife and their three
sons. John, the eldest, was "a wears
old Robert, who would soon graduate
from high school, was going on IS:
while Dick, dear, mischievous Dick
was l6-three boys whose manliness
would cause a glow of pride to any
parents.
On that very memorable April 6
the orderly routine Of the Parsons
household was rudely shaken when
Robert rushed excitedly into the house
and yelled:
IT'S war, dadl It's war, motherl
Gee,now We'll give the Hun something
to remember. I've just seen John: he's
gong to enlist. = II saws wo
are going to send millions of men 70
France. homo III hawa
60"
The father looked with pride on his
son, but the mother only smiled faint
y and turned away so that the others
should not see the anguish in her ewes
VI course, if the boys had to 90, she i
would be proud to have them 90
but her boys-John was a man. bn+
ne was her boy. ="
And so John marched awav with
the loyal sons of Hammerville 70 do
ms duty. But Robert and Dick felt
that they ought to do something: thew
wanted to do their duty, but what
was it? ""'
Robert graduated from high school
and then informed his mother that he
must enlist. -
1t isn't as if was kid. mother
am bigger and stronger than manv
men just can't be Stacker yon
see my point, don't YOU. motber?n
But mother didn't see his "noir+ y
ehe saH her som fun a aageress toI
90 his duty as he conceived It. hut
was i ms duty to go? Did he hest
way? = 'ia' ,
she decided to find out what he
ought to do. If it was his dutv ~ {
1ght at once-well, she would do her f
duty and send him away with t
smile on her lips even if t
The Students Army Training t
corps" The words stood out as # t
written in letters of gold. Mrs. Par t
sons folded the newspaper with trem-
olng fingers and moved to the win. d
low and read the item. This is what
she read: " "''"' Z
The experience of France al
ma England has shown US the urgon- cl
y OF training our young men. of on
ouraglng all who possibly can. even W
! a sacrifice, to attend college or uni. is
lrslty so as to provide a body If tn
rained leaders and specialists who
oth duringa nd after the war NAV We
lncciently meet the nations needs be
II we send all our young men 10
rance we cripple our future. for the &c
Dung men and women of TODAY have on
guide the destinies of our country +,
! the strenuous fight for commercial
9Veiopment that will follow the war
Moreover, the administration real.
es the value of college trained men %
I o1hcers-more than 80 per cent of jsc
lcers today are college men and W.
e colleges cannot graduate men
Iickly enough to meet the govern v,e
ents demands for officers. We
10 make clear to the high-school as,
aduates and those equally prenared Fa
lat is their duty, the war depart- aft
mt mas created the Students Army
aiming Corps. In few words This w
what it means: WINS v,
a student enlists in the Students, an