The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-21

ers of American families More than pass
| ing interest Is aroused, therefore, when sht
| denounces the teaching Of patriotism and
Americauisrn. reverence for the constitution
and love for the nag. The fact that Miss
| Thomas spent four years Of her younger life
| at the University of Leipsig may account some
what for her state of mind today. but it does
| not lessen her responsibility as a teacher OF
| future citizens Of the United States.
After advocating that all text books should
be rewritten to meet the present-day intel
lectual advance OF student bodies Miss Thomas
is reported to have said: But this new and
almost universal appreciation Of the power of
education has brought upon what regard
as the most terrible menace to American
schools and colleges and to free and liberal
thought that has come in my lifetime. The
federal and state governments, board OF edu-
cation, Americanization societies, American
legions and organizations of every kind are
demanding that children and college students
should be taught patriotism. concrete citizen
ship and 100 per cent Amer1canism. This
means that school teachers and college pro-
tessors, as vet only in public schools and state
universities, but unless the move is deter
minedly opposed sooner or later everywhere,
are being required to teach not how to make
things as they should be, but that things as
they are are right; that the United States con-
stitution, written 1874 years ago, is perfect;
that our highly unsatisfactory government
must not be criticised: that the United States
Dag. which. as we all know, flies over many
cruel unjustices which we hope to set right
must be reverenced as a sacred symbol of un-
changing social order, of political death in
life
1t will come Somewhat as a shock TO learn
that the teaching of patriotism, citizenship
and Americanism is a most terrible menace
to American schools. Heretofore it has been
the conviction Of bur leaders OF thought that
the teaching OF such subjects had a directly
opposite tendency to that stated by Miss
Thomas. Perfect American patriotism among
all classes OF our citizens is ideal TO be
sought but probably never achieved. To teach
it is distinctly an effort "to make things as
they should be-. No American patriot will
contend that Things as they are are right"
The very existence of congress engaged in
legislation to meet recognized evils is sufficient
evidence OF that fact We're our laws COM
pletely sufficient there would be no necessity
for change.
Let Miss Thomas question the fathers of
some Of her students. She will find that while
they patriots themselves. and want their
daughters taught Americanism. they are far
from believing that federal tax laws as they
are right. The constitution, according TO
this new-thought educator. is 1874 years old
and, therefore, not perfect Perhaps not, but it
is as nearly perfect as human genius and the
necessity of compromising the wishes of 100
100000 people can make it, Viscount Bryce.
who can scarcely be charged with a biased
Americanism- says the American constitution
is the greatest document ever turned out by
the hand of man.