The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-11-20

|
evening, November IA, 1919, by B
l.. Eiker.
| No one who observes the present
day worlds unrest can help but fee
the responsibility resting upon the
shoulders of those who are parents
In fact, this responsibility is shared
by all decent respectable citizens
who make an honest effort to be
loyal to their country and its tradl
lions.
Civilization may be compared tc
an endless chain; a chain in which
each generation constitutes one link
This chain Is as old as history. II
may be said to be in round numbers
six thousand years in length. 1t eX.
tends to the dawn Of mans attempt
succeeding generation the problems
of civilization become more intricate
and more complex 1t follows, there
fore, that each link in this endless
chain must of necessity be stronger
than the link that preceded it. The
link which is formed by our present
generation must be more complex,
and it's fibers more adherent, one to
the ether, than any one link that
has ever been made before. Upon
the last link in this endless chain
comes the strain of all the good, and
all the evil, which has blessed and
cursed mankind for six thousand
years.
We have little or nothing to do
with making the link which we our
selves comprise. Our parents and
predecessors did that. Likewise, we
will make the next link in the end
less chain, but our boys and girls will
be the material out Of which we make
that link, just as we were the ma
terial out Of which our parents made
This is nothing new; it is an old,
old story, the story of civilization,
the story of achievement, the story
Of progress. The perplexing and
burning question for us to answer
Is, What kind of material are we
putting into the next link of civill-
zation?" The answer is, what kind
of boys and girls are we furnishing
today for the citizenship of tomor-
row. Are we doing all In our power
to make our boys and girls fit ma
terial for the next and strongest link
in this great chain? II we are SO
doing, we'll and good. If we are not
doing it; why not?
One of the first and most funda-
mental principles involved, is, that
this material must DO strong, vigor-
Gus and enduring. This means that
the body must have proper food and
nourishment. One Of the principle
foods for children is milk. Are our
wholesome milk? Does the milk
that we use come from dairy herds
which are known to be free from
tuberculosis? Are the people who
do the milking free from communi-
cable and transmissible diseases? DO
you know? Has anyone investigat-
ed? If it is known that the milk
is wholesome, and the source from
which it is received is all that mo,
dern science can provide, then all
we'll and good: If it is not known;
that do know about their milk sup.
ply, and our children are entitled TO
just as good food as their children
are entitled to. Do we know that
our children have good, pure, clean
water to drink? Has anyone taken
The pains to have it analysed? Dee
nyone know that it is free from
animal matter that is detrimenta
20 the health OF a growing boz. or
girl? If this has been looked after
BY the authorities of our municipali-
not been looked after; why not? Is
it because we do not consider our
children worth while?
Inside the school room we have an
instructor to develop the mind. DO
we have anyone outside on the play
ground to teach the children how
to play, and not injure themselves or
each other? Look at the playground
during some intermission and you
will see it filled with helpless, will
ing, hopeful, little creatures, stand
;no %horo n nffor houyi16ormant. no
swings, no teeter boards, no slides,
no sand, no stills, no skates, no GRO
Duet, no seats, no flowers. Nothing
but ground and sky, and illshaped,
ugly trees. Could these conditions
be remedied?. II they could be rene
died, why has it not been done?
Do our school rooms have proper
ventilation and heat? Is the janitor
competent? Has anyone, that knows
about proper ventilation and how to
obtain it been consulted or advised
with? Have we any fans in our
school rooms which rapidly change
the air on hot, muggy days of the
spring and autumn months? Have
we any places of decent, respectable
amusement, where boys and girls
may safely 60 when not in school?
We have the boys and girls: We
have the money. We have the OPP
pOrtunlty. his INK IN the great
chain Of civilization must be made.
II all this vast amount OF material is
not being properly used to the best
advantage, then we are neglecting
our duty. If it is not being used
to the best advantage; why not? Who
is responsible for the neglect?
A community and it's various and
intricate business and social rela-
lions may be compared to large
commodious house. 1t might pro-
perly be called a community house,
TO build house requires at least
three things. First, material; Sec
ond, workmen, which we call car
penters; third, tools with which to
work. Some houses are good. Some
are bad. Some are constructed out
of good material, and built by good
Norkmen. Some have poor material
used in their construction, and are