The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-11-19
ATHENAEUM
SEMI-CENTENNIAL
ON NOVEMBER rs
Address of the Occasion
By Judge Wendell P.
Stafford

The people of st. JohnsDury are
much interested in the coming
semi-centennial of the St. Johns
bury Athenaeum, which will be
fittingly observed on Saturday
Nov. 26, and those having the af-
fair in charge have prepared a
most interesting program. 1t is
expected that all the out of town
trustees of the institution will be
presen and one of them, Col. JOS
eph Fairbanks, of Washington and
St. Johnsbury, will speak Tor the
board on this occasion. The adj
dress will be given by Judge Wen
dell P. Stafford and it is needless
to say it will be notable and fit
ting presentation of his theme.
One of the newer methods of
usefulness that the American IL
braries have adopted is in the
AUGMENTATION movement. Con-
corning the cooperation with the
American Legion the Boston
Transcript recently had the follow
ing editorial:
In seeking the cooperation of
the public library in its American
ization campaign, the American
Legion is taking another step to-
ward giving the country better
citizens. The Legion is also once
again proving itself to be among
the most effective of the agencies
that are working for the enrich
ment of American life. In a bull
letin recently issued from its ma
tiOnal headquarters at Indiana
polls, the Ameiicanization Com
mission of the Legion has point-
ed out the way by which the IL
braries of the country may take
part in the campaign for better
citizenship. The Legion urges that
libraries make special efforts to
reach the ex-service men, as well
as the unnatrualized foreigner,
who wish to become acquainted
with the facts of American polti-
cal life, with the working of Amer
lean institutions, and with the
evolution of American democracy.
The 4, 100000 Americans who
went forth to service with the col
ors have returned with ouickened
sense of nationality with a new
pride in the American citizenship,
and with a desire to continue to
render an intelligent public SER
vice. Many have returned to civil
ial life with a keen desire to learn
more of the fundamentals of good
citizenship and the processes of
American government. To 5. sly
this need, the American Legion
suggests that every public library
be made an Americanization centre
and that it provide special facil-
tiles for all who wish to study how
they may more efficiently and in
diligently perform their duty as
American citizens.
The Public Library can in this
way help to combat the false polit-
ical doctrines and fallacious polit-
cal theories which are being taught
at every corner. 1t is an easy
enough matter TO read a radical
lecturer proclaiming the break
down of the sovereign state, and
the doctrine of divided allegiance
whose necessary corollary is the
doctrine that American citizens no
longer owe allegiance to the Con-
stitution. Doctrines such as these
are easily taught, and readily find
a host of followers. They can be
combated only by counter cam
paign, to teach the principles of
American Government. Under the
recommendations of the Legion
the Public Library will encour-
age in the community winch it
serves the study of the careers of
great Americans, the elements of
civics, and the evolution of repre-
sentative democracy in the United
States. A knowledge on the part
of its citizens of these facts, COM
bined with sense of the worth
and the moral grandeur of the
United States in the history of
mankind, will add enormously to
the national strength of the Uni
ted States.