Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-10-07

governmental 1nStlCuClOnS. BY means
of widely distributed disarmament"
pamphlets. posters. placards and
competitive prize essays. concerted
efforts are ingeniously being made
to disparage the traditional teaching
of patriotism in the schools of our
nation. The Board Of Education of
the National Capitals Public Schools
| took a tremendously to be commend
ed stand upon this very question, In
| denying the petition of the pacifist
| leader of such an organization to ad-
dress the children under its jurisdic-
ton. In making public its decision,
| the Board of Education wisely. cpl
tomized the whole situation in' this
terse sentence, 1.-The American peo-
pie as a nation expect that patriot
ism and love Of country shall be
| taught in the public schools of the
land, and that all extreme doctrines
of a far-reaching controversial polit-
| ical or semi political nature shall be
barred from the public schools.
"Such an example could well be
followed by every Board of Educa-
| ton in America in regard to the dis
semination at will of any sort Of
propaganda which has not been en-
| dorsed by the proper school author
| tiles.
Indeed. there should not be q
school throughout, the length and
| breadth of the United States whose
curriculum does not require a.
grounding in civics and American
history as a requisite for graduation.
Thus, would we insure that those
who are to be the citizens of to-
morrow would not only know the
laws governing the United States
and its peoples and why they should
be obeyed, but would also have q
realization Of the hardships. difficult
ties and sacrifices which the found
ing forefathers met and survived In
J making possible the democracy we
, enjoy today and the constitutional
form Of government under which it
| is administered.
1--WE Of America are justly proud
that we live under government
which gives US greater freedom then
that of any other nation in the world.
A government which is giving men
and women political equality and ad-
vantages such as can be obtained
| nowhere else in Christendom. A
government where the youth Of our
land are heirs to life. liberty and
happiness. A government whose en-
during pide it is that the children of
the most obscure parentage, through
their own merit and the medium OF
that great instrument of democracy,
the public school system Of America.
are enabled to rise to positions CT
power and trust, responsibility and
attainment.
There isn't a woman's organization
in the land that isn't endorsing too
many projects without properly in
vestigating them. Do not be afraid
to ask for time to think it over when
it comes to deciding question which
involves declaring your opinion on a
subject involving problems of far
reaching Importance. On the other
hand. never be afraid to let your pre-
conceived views and opinions be
changed by the broader viewpoints
and understandings that come as the
result of your attendance upon your
State Conferences and your Annual
Congresses. Remember it is said of
the men who attended the Constitu-
tional Convention and who by their
deliberations made possible the Con-
stitution of the United States, (the
first constitution in the world Of rep
resentative government with a sys-
tenn Of checks and balances), that
they achieved that great document,
because they were ad-guaged
enough to think one thing today and
to let the conference with its inter-
change Of opinions convince sthem Of
something better the next day.
II am not unmindful that you have
become accustomed to being told
that we women are tremendous in
f1uence for good. Why, then should
we waste our energy and our infiu-
ence upon movements that have no
definite constructive value? Why
become chronic signers of the little
useless petitions destined to find
their way into legislative waste
paper baskets? Why not rather be
a unit in those movements which are
vital? To do so will make us the
effective force for righteous citizen
ship and for the better citizenship
that we ought to uphold and that by
the grace of God we shall yet be en-
abled to bring about.
UNLESS we assume our full share
Of civic responsibility along with the
franchise, we shall not prove our
selves worthy of the political equal
ity which Is ours.
1T is rumored that the New York
State Legislature is about to pass a
law penalizing delinquent voters who
without good and sufficient reason
fail to avail themselves of their right
to vote. This proposed legislation
assuredly has it's merits and il some
such measure should ever be adopt
ed by New York and the other states
within the Union, / trust no Daugh-
ter of the American Revolution will
ever be listed as delinquent" cit
izen.
''As women too, we have no higher
duty than to see to it that our gen.
Grafton leaves to the next an appre-
citation of the finer things, a deep
instilled reverential love of the spot
called home and the lasting joy that
comes from preserving Its sanctity
SO that it may fulfill its divine pur-
pose. AS you already know, I have
tremendous confidence in what the
young people Of this day are to ac-
complish when they shall come to
their hour of civic destiny.
Neither on the other hand am I I'M
mindful of the fact that we must al
ways teach the oncoming generation
to guard the homely virtues and high
ideals which have made and kept our
nation true to its own best visioning.
We cannot and must not fear to be
true to our own better selves in our
respect for and proper observance Of
the laws of our land and the sacred
guarding of the Constitution Of the
United States against those who
would undermine its principles for
their own base uses.
when we behold the emblem Of
our country, the flag of the greatest
nation in the world today, let us re-
solve as did our Revolutionary fore
fathers, that it shall ever wave over
free and liberty-loving people;
that it shall ever represent the high
est ideals of manhood, the Hottest