The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-10-11

what has become of the Fourth of July celebration that was so important a part of the yester- days of New England? As holi- days have multiplied, observance has decreased. Games, sports, automobiles and movies are good in their places, but they do not represent a definite and reveren- tial attitude toward the heroes and the heroisrn of America.
 
 It seems that days of special observance tend always to become days of recreation. That after a time the real purpose of the day is forgotten. This is not alto gether bad The day then be- comes a source of human happi- ness, contentment and rest, al- though the founder is forgotten. It Is So in many things.
 
 Barnum and Beardsley and Noble and the others give their parks. which will convey joy to life as long as the people ibathe in the sunshine, and delight in the fresh air and in the green of the grass. Scarcely are they thought of. yet their mission persists. They are benefactors. Their benefacuons continue though they are gone.
 
 The matter comes up in a timely way on the observance of Columbus Day. Of Columbus one of the early New Engalnd orators always said: Columbus laid the foundation of our coun- try" to which he added. land Washington pinned the rafters on.'' Washington's birthday comes into the same category, and so does Iinco1n's.
 
 Board of Education has decid- ed to hold school on these days, and there will be special studies, observances, celebrations and ex- ercises in which all the children and all the teachers will parti- cipate, and such of the parents and others, as desire to come in upon occasions.
 The adult will go his way. His habits are fixed. Such precepts as are necessary must be inn pressed upon the plastic minds of youth. If the children are not taught to observe the days Lincoln, their elders will soon for get, and those days will become holidays almost pagan. in that theyi II be completely given over to drinking in the bounties of nature, whose gifts are generous and many.
 
 Something of this pagan reve1 in nature herself there should be, because the free outdoor life, is necessary and hea1thful and has an upltft of its own. But somewhere the traditions should be preserved. For this the school house serves the purpose For this the education fathers have decided to keep school in honor of Columbus, Washington and Lincoln, naming them in the order in which their service was rendered
 
 Some Americans assembled in meeting have suggested by re- solution that the youth of Bridge port should always have impress ed upon them the debt our coun- try owes to Columbus, Washington and Lincoln, and they are very right But the impression will be faint unless it is deeply en- graven while the minds are young. It will not be so written into minds unless the school house performs its task. For the per formance of such a task. the days of observance are the most fitting and the best
 It may be that the purpose of the planet, the world spirit, Is that the memory of the past shall not be too staunch1y retained. Recollection of heroes is like their lives. It endures but for a time. life is slate upon which Times writes, rubs out and writes again
 If must not be all play. There must be some work and some study. It Is indeed a curious circumstance that so little irni- tation of the lives of heroes en- ters into the festivals which are created in their honor. From ir1nemoria1 the peoples have