Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-13
RYAN PLEADS
FOR EDUCATION
IN PATRIOTISM
Legion Director Of American
ism Addresses ShOrtridge
Students.
IDEALS ARE ESSENTIAL

/ a plea Tor education, that the youth
of today make the most of their oppor-
tunities in order to better carry on to
completion the work of world readjust-
ment brought about by the great war,
was voiced by Henry J. Ryan of the
American Legion, in a talk to the stu
dents Of Shortridge High School to-
day. Mr.. Ryan Is national director OF
Americanism of the legion and is max
inc talks to high school pupils through
out that country
Mr.. Ryan said in part:
| There could be- no better time than
now, at the close OF a great war, to esti--
/ mate the relative values of all things that
men have desired and worked for The
I Ideals and attainments Of humanity have
| been tested in a furnace OF fire. The
! dross OF materialism has been thrown
| away forever and we see as never before
| the things that make for manhood for
| righteousness and for values that endure.
| We have seen, the world has seen, on
| the one hand, technical training, inten-
! stve, thorough and for selfish gain; on
| the other, education in ideals and for
| has made US conscious Of many things
We had forgotten, but in particular we
1 see the necessity for a sound education in
the Ideals that have made America the
: hope Of the world and the eternal de-
fender Of human liberty.
PLEADS AS AN
AMERICAN CITIZEN.
Not as an educator. but as an Amert-
can citizen and as one who has seen
| the youth Of the nation in military serv-
| ice, I plead for education in ideals, for
| patriotism, for service to humanity. I
would not decry training for efficiency,
neither would l condemn honest gain,
nor despise any man because OF his own
efforts he has become rich. but would
show the emptiness and disappointment
| OF mere gain. The big men Of the world
are not those who live alone for what
they can get and keep. No men realize
the vanity Of riches as do the men who
The day is past when we ask as the
measure of a mans life, How much did
he leaye?" Today we ask for one one rec
munity, for his country, for mankind =
| There is q tendency in American youth
to exalt the fronuersman and the pioneer
rather than the scholar. 1t is easy 10
value heroism in battle and as easy not
| to give full credit to the man who
studies that he may know and be leader
leaders of Colonial America. who stood
| forth at the time when our country had
need Of an the understanding, and all
| the loyalty at her command were young
men who had taken advantage of every
opportunity to acquire all the learning
1t is an Inspiration that the foremost
men OF Colonial America. upon whom
our country relied in the hour of her
! first great crisis, and to whose guild
ance and devotion America pays an eteT-
nal debt of gratitude, were educated men.
College men, if you are pleased to put
It that way, men Of trained minds. stu
dents of men who had been leaders OF
men in the worlds history. and trained
! themselves to lead. He would be blind
who did not learn this lesson, for 1t is
one America has never ceased to set be-
fore US.
Four years ago America entered the
! IL Ea VIII
countries, she has emerged Triumphant
/ An immense force was called to service
! on land and sea. The immediate need
/ was for thousands Of officers We know
I upon whom the country relied. 1t was
upon the young college men of America.
We saw them called to the naval OF
/ hccrs' school at Annapolis. at Cambridge,
! at Pelham Bay, and we saw them make
! good on battlesnips and in the North
Sea. We saw them by thousands at
Plattsburg and other training camps, all
/ educated men, and we saw them stand
| firm on the fields of France against the
| best military trained machine the world
I has ever seen
We heard the call to the colleges to
| fill the ranks Of the marine corps and
we know how high on the worlds roll
| Of honor they have written the name OF
! the American soldier.
WORLD
NOT SAFE.
When these soldiers sat at the feet of
/ their teachers, as you do today, little
| did they think they would ever be called
upon to defend their country with their
! bodleS. And far from your minds Is the
part you will play In your country's
| greatness. These men were brave sol
diers. They must have been good stu
dents. for a good student obeys his
teacher as the soldier obeys his com
manding officer. Your thoughts and your
actions here will stamp your character,
| which alone will bring you success TN
the great world beyond. When these
| soldiers were called they were fit. but.
what is more, they knew their countrys
cause was just, and this knowledge
| filed them with pride. Now they have
| come back to US with their battle
SCARED framesl They come back to
carry on. for the war is not yet done.
| The world is not safe, nor will it ever
| he, nor secure in manhood's rights until
| the forces of evil, manifold in form. but
one In malign purpose, are forever ban
| lshed from the realm Of ordered govern
ment.
Let every man, young and old, realize
the nobility of his heritage and respon-
sibilitS Of his citizenship. To us is given
to carry on to completion the noblest
work the world has ever seen, but as yet
far from completion.
May you never shrink from the call OF
duty. May you rise to the responsibility
of keeping unsullied the emblem of our
fathers. Be ever Yigllant and always
/ preparing so that when your country
calls you. you may be able to say with
a firm mind, a willing heart, and soul
elevated to the heights Of noble con
sciousness of responsibility:
America. My Country, I come at thy call,
1 plight thee my troth and give thee my
all,
In peace or in war I am wed to thy veal.
I'll carry thy flag through the fire and
steel,
Unsullied it floats DER a peace-loving
race,
grace,
In reverence I kneel at sweet Liberty's
shrine,