Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-02-06
COMMUNITY BUILDINGS AS
sol BIER MEMORIALS.


ever possible, built with bonds of
the Fifth Liberty Loan are urged by
the Bureau Of Education in circu-
lar sent to every community in the !
United States
A number Of communities have
already concluded that a building, in
constant use as a reminder of the
sacrifice made by the soldiers and
sailors of the great war, is more APP
propriate and enduring than the con-
ventional graveyard monument.
There is growing conviction
says DIR. Henry E. Jackson, author
af the Bureaus circular, shat the
conventional stone shaft, placed in a
graveyard among the dead, is not
for freedom The suggestion, made
both in France and America, that
these memorials take the form of
community buildings, dedicated to
civic and social uses, is obviously
wise and ought to meet universal
approval On the walls of such
building should hang bronze tab
let containing the names of each
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 ii com
| parison4 to those lost in the Civil
War. If a community lost only three
or four, it might not think it worth
while to build monument. But
community building is needed en-
tireiy apart from its memorial pur-
pose. The chief advantage of this
type Of memorial, however, is not
that it is economical, 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
in France.
Funds for this purpose could be
raised more easily, if they were
raised in TIE form of Liberty Bonds
during the fifth loan, which is to
come ia the spring The bonds can
be used as money when the time
comes to build Tins community
lcauserve itself, while, at the same
time, il is rendering a national SER
ice. BY THIS method more money
l9r the Government could be raised
than by any other. Not only would
many individuals gladly contribute
an extra bond or two for the bene-
\ tit of their local community, but
many who are unable to do this
could pool their small gifts and CON
tribute to bond. Likewise, enter
/ t2iaments and social activities can
be utilized to raise money for the
same purpose. Opportunity should
be given for as many as possible to
have part in the enterprise. For
men to contribute outright few
Liberty bonds to local community
cause, will help to dispel the delu-
sion that man is doing anything
especially generous when he puts his
money into an investment which Of
fers the best security in the world
and a fair rate of interest. To couple
the fifth loan with fire gifts and SOL
diers' memorials will make it in
real sense Victory loan. 1t will be
much more than this. 1t will be
reconstruction loan.
In his foreword to the Bureaus
circular, Commission Claxton states
that the Bureau of Education will
gladly join with other agencies in
stimulating the erection of memoir
ials of this kind to American SOL
diers and sailors.
SUBMISSION, Feb. There is
move on here to have the city of
Shinaston buy lot somewhere near
the central part of the town and G.
rect city building that will serve as
Ia first class community center.
! v lie the proposition has been talk
ed only for few days past, it is re-
markable the number of leading cit
liens and heavy taxpayers that are
in facor of such a progressive and rad
iea departure from the ordinary
smal town affairs. The idea was
first taken up by the Citizens Co
operative League, recently organized
ad it is spreading and gaining new
support very rapidly. There are
more than one good sized lot that
can be purchased for this common
dable purpose and the writer believes
that such step will be taken in the
no distant future judging from the |
sentiment of those whom we have
heard express themselves.