Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-06-16
TEXT OF PRIZE ESSAY
BY HIGH SCHOOL BOY

The medal oUered Oy the society
of the Colonial Daughters for the best
patriotic essay written by member
OF the High School was won by young
Louis Snyder OF the Freshman class.
who wrote on The Pilgrim Fathers
and What we Owe Them
His essay Is herewith presented:
. Adventurous vessel
Frelghted with the prospect OF a
future state.
Ands bound across the unknown
sea.
EDWARD EVERETT.
Three hundred and one years ago.
The undaunted and fearless Pilgrims
sailed forth from Holland. intent upon
reaching a new and unfamiliar land.
Inhabited BY unknown savages Turk
ing in trackless forests. but land
Offering religious freedom to worship
the Almighty as they chose. They
accomplished this by a marvellous feat,
sailing in an overloaded vessel three
thousand miles over stormy. unrest
ing. and uncharied seas. never losing
faith IN Divine God. The persever-
ance and persistence OF these bold
men. women. and children. Drawing
raging weather and the horrors of
sea-sickness in the cause Of religion.
has left a great moral impression upon
the people OF America. cen though
three long centuries OF life in this
world have gone.
we cannot possibly write about the
Pilgrim Fathers without mentioning
the leaders of the religious undertake
ing They are three of the finest
characters in history, namely: Miles
Standish. the stalwart leader of the
small band of armed men; William
Bradford. the governor of the colony,
and William Brewster. the elder OF
the church. To the leadership of these
men. the patriotic Pilgrims owe their
success. a success which has been
highly beneficial to America.
"The saddest part of the history OF
he heroic Pilgrim settlement was that
first dreadful winter in which the
whole colony suffered unspeakable
)rdeals. Although the winter was not
severe. it was with difficulty that the
emigrants could obtain food and shell
Ter. Half of the hundred persons per-
shed, others were seriously sick. The
burials were extremely pitiful. In the
spring, corn had TO be planted over
The graves. so that the treacherous
indians could not discover how many
settlers had died. Although this great
calamity had befallen them, the Pill
grims did not leave the colony. No,
Their faith in God never wavered. and
the result was that their determine
ton 10 succeed did not fail New set
Tiers arrived log cabins were erected.
fishermen. farmers, and tradesmeE
prospered. and the colony that once
seemed to be a miserable failure. now
grew into a small. flourishing settle
ment The Pilgrims example of the
'do-or-die' spirit. has served as an
inspiration to the American people
Their patriotism throughout great
hardships is ever memorable
Dec duce' with God for leader.
the earnest Pilgrims created the foun-
dation of the government of the glor
ious United States of America. called
by Lincoln. the great Commoner, a
government of the people, by the peo-
nle. and for the people This govern
ment today owes its unequalled dem
ocracy to the modest Pilgrim Fathers. /,
who have given US priceless gift |
which we cannot fail to appreciate
They have proved that the strength |
of a government lies in the spirit OF |
its citizens. that spirit being -
PATRIOTISM.
~The honesty and justice of the Pill |
grim Fathers in business affairs is in |
herited by modern business today. The |
United States reputation in the bust
ness world is supreme. and that repu-
tation of honesty and justice given by |
them is another valuable gift for |
which the Union cannot repay.
The dictionary defines patriotism |
as the love of ones country Then |
what word could more suitably de- |
scribe the Pilgrim Fathers than
patriots? These modest folk did not |
dream that some day millions would !
admire their morals of character. |
spirit. and principles. They did no
dream that they had actually put on |
firm basis the government of the land |
of the free and the home of the braye,'
When one thinks of the people OF
he sees the same traits /
Of character of the Pilgrims inherited
by their immediate descendants. Can
not their splendid work in the French i
and Indian Wars. the Revolutionary
Civil. and World War prove this? Can
the Union ever repay for the gifts.
morals. and lessons in patriotism the
loyal Pilgrims have given us2-