Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-08-17
THREE sONS-AND THE WAR
"a story by Harold Whitehead, bos-
ton University, Serving with the
American Council Of Education,
Washington, D. o.

that word lighted divine fire IN theSi
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-volunteers t
fight for the most glorious heritage
man ever fought for-Freedom.
The demands were enormous, 1ol
the task was gigantie, but the demands
were met With pronptness and deed
" earnestness that heartened c"s
courageous allies.
This war was no impersonal afrai.
b1t 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 actually was, many
people only vaguely understood. Our
government promptly realized the
need for pointing out the duty to ITS
citizens, for. it did not at once call
every one to battle on the tortured
fields Of France with the greatest
Iscourge 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 years
old: Robert, who would soon graduate
from high school, was going on 10
while Dick-dear, mischievous Dick
was Is, three boys whose manllness
would cause a glow of pride TO any
: parents.
On that memorable April 6, the
orderly routine of fac Parsons house
holds was rudely shaken when Robert
rushed excitedly into the house ana
yelled:
ats war, Dad! It's war, Mother
Gee. now we'll give the Hun something
70 remember. Tvc just seen John;
he's going to enlist. 1t says were
Going to send millions Of men 10
France. hope I'll have to 60"
The father looked with pride on ms
son, but the mother merely smiled
family and turned away so that the
others should rot see the anguish III
nor ewes. "Of course, if the boys had
&C. 90. she would be proud to have
them go-but her hoys-John was
nan, but he ,Eas her boy. :.
And so John marched away with the
loval sons of Hammerville to do ms
dutv. But Robert and Dick felt tnat
thew ought to do something; the'
wanted TO do their duty, but what was
it? :,
Robert graduated from high school
and then Informed his mother that ne
must enlist.
at isn't as if I was kid, mother
I'm bigger and stronger than many
men. l just can't be Stacker You
see nv point, don't you, MOTHER"
But mother didn't see his point
She saw her son full of eagerness 10
do his duty as he conceived It, ouI
WAS it his duty to go? Did he best
serve his country ara his flag in that
way? !.
She decided to find out what ne
o,rbt 70 do. If it was his duty to
1rht at once-well, she would do her
duty. and send him away with a smile
TN her lips, even if ,
The Students Army Training Corps
Tho words stood out as if written IT
litter of gold. Mrs. Parsons folded
NO norspaper with trembling fingers
,,nd moved to the window and read
tho ;tcm This is what she read:
The experience of France
nd ENGLAND has shown US the urS-
,,cv of training our young men, OF
encouraging all who possibly can even
at sacrifice. to attend college OF
university so as to provide d oooF VI
.rained leaders and specialists Who
both during and after the war may
efficiently meet the nations needs
If We send all our young men 10
iFrancc, we cripple oar future Tor INC
ivoung men and wonncn OF to-day nave
i; ruidc the dcstincs of our country IN
the strenuous fight for commercial de-
vclonncnt that will follow the war.
Moreover, the administration rca-
Iizcs the value of college trained men
for oliccrs--morc thar 80 per cent Of
officers today arc college men and tbs
colleges cannot graduate men quickl!
orouph to meet the governments dc,
brands for officers.
To make clear t. tic high schoo
graduates and those equally prepared