Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-11-12
TEACHING RESPECT FOR CIVIL
AUTHORITIES

g. Ottawa has, generally speaking,
most effective school board, one Whic'
is so efficient that ordinarily little al
tention is paid TO ii, and any Criti
oism is likely to be looked upon a.
lese majestic. The city is blessed witt
probably the best schools in this Vi
a.. entity, and the public are. content I
let ii go at that and pay the bills.
But nov and then they let one &C
by or put one over that causes con
siderable DECIDEDLY. unfayorable com
ment and makes one doubt it, the
three Rs is all that, pupil isSsup-
posed TO learn 10 Nhe public schools.
1t is quite as important to make good
American citizens and teach proper
respect for the civic authorities as
il Is to teach those same three Rs.
The proper recognition OF Armistice
day was considered of sufficient i'm.
portance TO the mayor of Ottawa (the
chief executive officer OF the cltyl that
he issued a proclamation recommend
ing. among other things, that public
business. including the schools of the
city, inSotara ass QIactical, close a
noon OF said day, in respect and
honor etc. Prof kingman thought
E it was "practicHr' to comply with the
u recommendation of the city's chief ex-
! ecntve officer. and closed the high
school al noon; but the time was OF
such great value and importance 10
= the pupils Of the grade schools that
!. half day for recognizing patriotic dc
votion TO country year old could not
be spared, and the Riddles passed
up Armistice day 1t was evidently
not practical to comply with the
mayors reqlfest--~
Leaving tho Z msiter of patriotism
out of the. Q1 4 ion the mayor is sup
posed TO represent the law and order
end OF the city. No matter if the
board agreed or not with the mayor
as to the desirability OF closing the
schools on an occasion of this kind
his recommendation should have been
followed The course pursued indi
Gated disrespect for the head of the
city government, and gave the kid
dies d corresponding tip that the rec
concentration OF a mayor don't amount
10 anything, anyway. They were
taught that it was JtF6Iar,te ignore a
proclamation not of George Y. b.
Weeks, but of the mayor of the CITY
Of Ottawa
~ Coz Knows IF there Ser was time
III the history Of the country when re.
spect for rhe repres entatives of thet
law was needed or when any excuse
Tor arouslng any feelings of patriot. |
ism should be taken advantage of now |
rs the time. The children who are
in the grade schools are not only at |
susceptible age, but they are receiy- |
ing impressions that will last through |
out their lives. II they are taught |
that mayors proclamation Is a thing
10 be ignored by even public institu.
tlohs, any great respect for the mayor
ana what he represents is not likely
TO follow And nothing will pound
'his into a kid much harder than to
De deprived Of a half holiday he had
looked upon as Il certainty because
the mayor said so"
And TO the growing child Armistice
DAY should mean something. This and
other recognition of their sacrifices
which the boys who made tho e sac,;.
) noes have tnot) received offer mighty
llttle inducement for the coming
American citizen to make the sacrifice
when the time comes, as II must.