The Penn's Grove record., 1923-09-07
NO APOLOGY FOR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS

Inc 1uDllC OClOOl II d. liulg No
tional as our flag, "OLD GLORY
1t is the one democratic institution
open to all children in our country
irrespective of their parantage, color
or religious beliefs. It's purpose is to
educate Americans; founded, support
ed and manned by Americans. teach
ing A~mericanism, it produces Amer1-
cans.
The Declaration Of independence,
Constitution of the United States and
our liberties provided and guaran-
teed thereby can only be a reality so
long as there are Americans to up
hold. defend and enjoy the same.
therefore the American public school
is the essential fundamental instltu-
ton in preserving and perpetuatlng
our National life and liberty. To
plead the cause or seek to justify the
American public schools is equal to
pleading the cause or justifying u
United States of which our school is
a vital part, or trying to prove to an
American people we W u allegl-
ance to one flag. 1t is not our bust
ness to explain the why or wherefore
of u public school, CAN explanation
is half an apology") real Americans
are Justly proud of this institution.
We offer no apology for standing BY
our flag and what it represents. We
resent any and every attack made
upon this institution and dedicate
ourselves unreservedly to the elimina-
ton of conditions which would serve
to weaken or diminish the work and
results Of this democratizing agency.
If every man and woman in the
United States were destroyed the Ma
ton would be preserved in our boys
and girls; the destruction Of u chill
dren would mean the end of u Ma
tional life and liberty; lust as long as
there are American boys and girls our
freedom is safe and certain. The
American public school is essential to
the United States, the attendance OF
children in the school is essential to
its preservation. If the attendance
of children is necessary to the school
and the United States as well as be-
ing good for the children, why not
every American boy boy and girl in
our American Public School?
The citizenship of u country IS
composed of foreign born many born
in this country through hereditary in
fuence and environment are asSlml-
lating other than American thoughts
and ideals.
In California japanese teachers IN
Japanese schools are teaching Jap
anese children in their own language
and ideals and customs Of their coun-
trv: the Germans are doing likewise
in Texas and other States in the
Union; French, Italian, Spanish, as
well as other nationalities are pre-
serving their particular customs,
habits. and old world prejudices and
a~nimosities, at the expense of our
United States by withholding their
children from an American education
in our public schools.
Different sects, jealous for their
particular creeds oppose compulsory
public attendance law, ~contending for
private schools in order to preserve
their strength and doctrine.
The question resolves itself into an
issue as follows: VIII we encourage
private schools to the interest Of GER
tain creeds and endeavor to raise a
Nation of sectarians at the expense
of our Public School and a united
people? OF will We by law
Compel every American boy and
girl to attend an American School, TO
receive an American education in the
American language, eliminating fof-
eign agencies, leaving s%ectarian edit
cation to parents and Churches sup
ported by individuals, thereby
strengthening Civil and Religious
liberty, preserving Il Constitution
and our American Institutions?
Different faiths are preserved by
and women who graduated from
our public school because they are
Americans? viii we trust our rel
gious liberty to Americans? or IN the
perpetuation and support of private
agencies of education, will we trust
American liberty to foreigners
and sectarians?
A bow born of English parents was
attending public school, he asked ms
father. Daddy, where ale we gong
on the Fourth of July? (The father,
testing the knowledge of the boy
why. what happened on the Fourth
Of JULY"
Daddy, don't you know? That Is
the day we whipped you.
viii we, through the children IN
our public school, American the Tor
eign born parents and the homeS or
the education of the chlldfel
ro priyate agencies, preserve the Tor
aign element thereby dividing u Ma
u1-n nr,rDED
WE FALL"