Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-02-24
COMMUNITY BUILDINGS AS SOLDIER MEMORIALS.


Soldiers memorial in the form of community build
ings dedicated to civic and social uses wherever
possible built with bonds of the Fifth Liberty loan, are
urged by Bureau Education, Department of the
Interior
A number of communities have already concluded
building, in reminder of the sac
rce by the soldiers sailors of the Great War
appropriate and enduring than the conventional
graveyard monument There is growing conviction :
Dr. Henry E. Jackson, author of the bureaus cir
cuar, that the conventional stone shaft placed in a
graveyard among the dead is fitting memorial to
those who died for freedom The suggestion made both
in France and America that these memorials take the
of community buildings dedicated to civic and
cial is obviously wise and ought to universal
approval On the walls of such building should hang
bronze tablet containing of each Community
martyrs to liberty
This type of memorial will guarantee that no boy
who his life for justice and freedom will be for
gotten The number of American lives lost in this
is very small in comparison those lost in the Civir
War. If a community lost only three or four it might
not think it worth while to build a monument But a
community building is needed entirely apart from it's
memorial purpose The chief advantage of this type of
memorial however is that it is economical but that
it keeps inspiring memory, seeks to put
into operation through its civic and social activities the
ideals for which our boys fought in France.
Funds for this purpose could be raised more easily
if they were raised in the form of Liberty during
the fifth loan, which to come in the spring The bonds
can be used money when the time comes to build
Thus
time, it is rendering national service By this method
money for the government could be raised than by
other Not only would many individuals gladly CON
tribute extra bond or two for the benefit of their To-
cal community but many who are unable to do this
gould pool their small fifts and contribute to bond
Likewise, entertainments and activities can be
utilized to raise money for the purpose Oppor
tuny should be given for many possible to have
part in the enterprise. For to contribute outright
few Liberty Bonds to local community cause will
help to dspel the delusion that man is doing ANYTHING
especially when he puts his money into an in
vestment which offers the best security the world and
fair rate of interest couple the Fifth loan with
free gifts and soldiers memorials will make it in real
sense Victory Loan, 1t will be much more than this 1t
will be Reconstruction Loan
Wherever possible this community memorial build
ing ought to be the public school house in order to
vent needless waste through duplication 1t is non-par
tisan non-secarian and non-excusve 1t is owned and
operated by all the people, and therefore furnishes plat
form on which all terms of sef-respect The
schoohouse could be remodeed enlarged or replaced
by new one 1t is the capitol and clubhouse of
every community In rural districts small schools
should of course be consolidated in order to eliminate a
waste ana secure community large enough to support
me KIND OF building here proposed
The school house ought to be used for this pur-
pose wherever possible. If in any place the school Off
Gals are unprogressive unawake to their oppor-
tuny then an independent building ought to be erected
institutions are made for the people, not the people for
institutions Let us whatever means are available
Tor our purpose But there is need for any commun-
1y to submit to backward looking board of school di
recors The schools belong to the people and it is their
privilege to compel officials to be their public
wants and execute their will"
In his foreword to the Bureaus circular Commits
soner Claxton states that the Bureau of Education will
gladly join with other agencies in stimulating the cree
ton of memorials of this to American soldiers and
sailors.