The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1923-06-01
CITIZENSHIP TRAINING"
Essay Awarded First Prize In Contest
for Knights Of Pythias Medals.

For the past several years the local
lodge, Knights of Pythias, has offered
three medals for the scholars of the
public school making the highest
grades in American history and civil
government. These medals are of gold,
silver and bronze, and of handsome
design and workmanship. The object
of offering medals for these subjects
was to encourage pupils in familiar
izing themselves with the history OF
their country and it's government, and
thus instilling deeper seated loyalty
TO that country and making for better
Americans. This year the subject for
which medals were to be awarded was
changed to essays on Citizenship
Training. There were quite num-
Der of competitors in the contest and
the committee that passed upon the
several papers made the following
award: First prize, Miss Mable Nor
ris; second Miss Margaret Brechlin;
third, Miss Amelia Clark, the first two
contestants are members of the high
school graduating class. These medals
are being awarded wherever lodges of
Knights of Pythias are established in
the state, and after all the awards
have been made it is proposed to have
those taking the first prize sent to
Seattle where committee will pass
upon their merits and decide which,
in their estimation, is the best essay
offered in the state.
Through the kindness of Miss Ma
BILE Morris, the author, We are per-
mitted to publish her production, win
ner of the first prize, which reads as
follows:
"Citizenship Training"
What our young people need today
is training IN citizenship as well as
training for citizenship. They should
be taught to think straight, to under
stand current topics to work out po-
litical problems in common every day
occurrences.
"To a limited extent they should
have opportunity to put into practice
in their school and community those
| fundamental ideas and principles of
government on which this nation is
built. The conditions left by the ebb
| tide of war must be faced squarely
and promptly. The new problems must
| be solved in new way.
THE times demand more than
mere book knowledge of our govern
mental institutions. They call for tle
pupils active participation in work or
| a civic character. In no other way can
he acquire real citizenship training.
| 1T should be impressed upon stu
dents that citizenship is something to
be lived rather than to be talked about;
that a good citizen must be inteli-
gent. well Informed, active, ever on
the alert for opportunities to render
service; that he must be always Will
| ing to do his part whether 1t be in
backing some needed reform or in
serving his fellow-citizens in some Of
flee of public trust
1T should also be impressed upon
their minds that the government Is
something that grows and develops as
the people grow and develop, and that
it is the duty of each citizen to help
make the government what it ought to
be.
"In America there are no classes,
las ours is a government of all the peo-
|ple and not of any particular class,
land as all share in the benefits, each
must accept his individual share OF
responsibility
The constitution is a great docu-
lment because our forefathers put real
meaning into it, and it will remain a
great document only so long as Amer
ican citizens continue to back it Ut
with worthy ideals. Every good Amer
lean, whether young or old, wants tC
do his part whenever and wherever he
has an opportunity to do it.
"A true American citizen is proud
of mis- membership in the community
he enjoys the rights and privileges tina
it affords; and he meets his obliga
lions and performs his duties in 10y
al manner.
THE state seeks to aid and protec
its citizens, making no distinction O
DeTSOHS VI CldSoCo' " e'S Oiio 'Ai"' 60
may gain the largest measure of hap
piness and give the greatest possible
service.
Watcher we live in Boston or Sal
Francisco, in Detroit or New Orleans
in a farming community or minin'
town, wherever our homes are in thi
broad land, we all have a common
interest in the United States Of Amer
lica. one nation, indivisible' with lib
erty and justice to all. Laws are mad
for the good of the people, and tn
lpeople must understand our govern
ment and how it is carried on if the
are to follow their representatives in
teiligently.
Let us as Americans never forge
that we possess noble inheritanc
., which has been secured by our an
:, cesters through toll, suffering an
: bloodshed-an Inheritance which W
II must wisely improve and faithful
guard so that we may transmit
coming generations all the priceless
, blessings of life, of liberty, of prof.
: ierty of religion and of the ipdepent
!, ence hat we have enjoyed.
+ 1.-The World War brought home tt
- fact that all members of communal
4 should do something for its welfar
> The only true American is the Anne