The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-01-17
Letters from the People
EVERY CHILD SHOULD
ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Editor Courier-Reporter:
These days we hear much from
many sources about making the world
safe for democracy. Before we can
do that we must make our own ma
ton safe. And the most effective way
to do this is to do as Solomon says:
commence at the beginning and train
the child in the right way. Every
child in the land is ward of Uncle
Sam and he must be held responsible
whether they grow up faithful fol-
lowers of his or adherents to some
foreign power.
Uncle Sam should be just as jeal-
Gus of his rights as the Lord God of
Hosts was when he laid down the first
commandment for the guidance of
man in those idolatrous times for
there is no room for but one kind of
government under the old flag and to
make hundred per cent pure Ameri-
cans of all our citizens. He should
abolish every private primary school
in the land and require every child
whose health will permit to attend
some public school until he passes the
eighth grade and to allow no tongue
to be taught in any of these schools
but good old U. S. A. After that give
every high school student every fac
ility to acquire one or more modern
languages for the good it will do the
student, and not to further the meth
DDS of some foreign power.
The men and women who fit them
selves to teach as life vocation are
surely public benefactors, but all over
the land there are many immature,
wishy-washy teachers who teach as a
stepping stone to something else be-
cause they can get more dollars for
fewer hours work than in any other
occupation. They have no personality
and are willing to teach that the
earth is either flat or round to suit the
sentiment of their patrons. Uncle
Sam should establish free training
schools for teachers in every state and
require every high school graduate to
attend these schools lat public ex-
pense) at least one year before grant
ing certificate to teach at all in any
part of the United States. Our form
of government should be drilled into
these would-be teachers until they are;
able to make one good Fourth of July
Grafton week to their pupils and if a
foreigner doesn't wish to put his kids
in schools of that kind, let them stay
on the other side Of the pond.
Samuel Hopkins Adams tells in the
January Evcrybody's that there are old
Settlements in Wisconsin that are just
as German as Germany itself. The
only American thing about it is that
they are using Uncle Sans hospital
ity, generosity and protection to grab
off great chunks of wealth and the
dominating power in the community
is a German preacher. will quote a
line or two from Mr.. Adams: ITO
make public think German it is nee
essary to make it speak German. Thes
whole community is German to the
core, reading nothing but German,
speaking nothing but German, think
ing nothing but German, having none
but German associates, singing in
German, praying in German"
Mind you, that is in the United
States where the public schools are
supposed to be the melting pot. Now,
do you get what am driving at? We
will either drive them out or they
will drive US out. There is not a more
dangerous propaganda in the United
States than an ultra German preacher
who combines the Office Of preaching
with that of teaching the lambs Of his
flock, for he is educated to believe that
the Germans are the salt of the earth,
that thru German influence the world
will live, move and have its being;
that the Kaiser is senior partner In
the firm of Kaiser, Colt & Co., that
to think evil of the Kaiser is BIAS
phemy punishable with death, that
war is enobling and elevating, that it
it is both duty and privilege of
Germany to chastise her enemies with
the sword, fire, pestilence and famine.
There is but one nation under the
sun where such doctrines can be
taught without protest and that is
Germany. To allow such a thing in
the United States is to help perpetuate
the power which has most foully,
treacherously and Intentionally in
suited the intelligence, friendship and
patience of Uncle Sam by using the
channels of the diplomatic and con-
sular service, not to promote peace