The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-03-05
A NEW SCHOOL
HOUSE AS FITTING
SOLDIER MEMORIAL
NEED FOR NEW SCHOOLHoUSE
WOULD BE FILLED AND LAST
ING MEMORIAL HAD.

Soldiers memorials in the form of
community buildings, dedicated to
civic and social uses, and wherever
possible, built with bonds of the
Fifth Liberty Loan, are urged by the
Bureau of Education in circular
sent to every school community in
the United States.
A number cf communities have al
ready concluded that building, In
constant use as a reminder OF the
sacrifice made by the soldiers and
sailors of the great war, is more ap-
propriate and enduring than the con-
ventional graveyard monument.
"There is a growing conviction" says
DIR. Henry +. Jackson, author OF the
circular, "that the conventional stone
shaft placed in a graveyard among
the dead, is not fitting memorial to
those who died for freedom. The sug-
gestion, made both in France anu
America, that these memorials take
the form of community buildings,
dedicated to civic and social uses, is
obviously wise and ought to meet UNI
versal approval. On the walls Of
such a building should hang a bronze
community's martyrs to liberty.
"This type of memorial will guar
antee that no boy who gave his life
for justice and freedom will be for
gotten. The number of American
lives lost in this war is small in COM
parison with those lost in the Civil
war. If community lest only three
or four, it might not think it worth
A. - Dxxf n.
community building is needed entirely
apart from its memorial purpose. The
chief advantage of this type of me-
mortal however, is not that it is eco
nomical but that it keeps green an
inspiring memory and it seeks to put
into operation through its civic and
social activities the ideals for which
our boys fought France.
Funds for this purpose could be
raised more easily, if they were raised
in the form of Liberty bonds during
the fifth loan which is to come in the
spring. The bonds can be used as
money when the time comes to build
Thus a community can serve itself,
while, at the same time it is rendering
more money for the government could
would many individuals gladly con-
tribute an extra bond or two for the
benefit of their local community, but
many who are unable to do this could
pool their small gifts and contribute
to bond. Likewise, entertainments
and social activities can 1e utilized
to raise money for the same purpose
Opportunity should be given for as
many as possible to have a part IN
the enterprise. For men to con.
tribute outright few Liberty bonds
to local community cause, will helr
to dispel the delusion that a man is
doing anything especially generous
when he puts his money into an in.
vestment which offers the best Sc
curity in the world and fair rate OF
interest. To couple the fifth loar
with free gifts and soldiers memor
1als will make it in a real sense 3
Victory loan. 1t will be much NOR,
than this. It will be a reconstruc.
tion loan.
Wherever possible this community
memorial building out to be the pub
lie schoolhouse in order to prevent
needless waste through duplication
1t is the logical community center
1t is non-partisan, non-sectarian anC
non-exclusive. 1t is owned and op
Grated by all the people and, there
fore, furnishes a platform on which
all can meet on terms of self respect
The schoolhouse could be remodeleC
or enlarged or replaced by new one
1t is the natural capitol and clubhous,
of every community In rural dis
tricts small schools should, of course
be consolidated in order to eliminat,
waste and secure a community larg,
enough to- support the kind Of build
ing here proposed.
"The schoolhouse ought to be useC
for this purpose wherever possible
If in any place the school officials
are unprogressive and unawake Il
their opportunity, then an independ
ent building ought to be erected. In
stitutions are made for the people
not the people for institutions
In his foreword to the Bureau
circular, Commissioner Claxton states
that the Bureau of Education will
gladly join with other agencies il
stimulating the erection of memorial
of this kind to American soldiers an,