Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-04-29
Challenge to Americans

\HdiiSHSS 10 t \HtSfiSdtiS
THE annual Il Am an American observance which
has come to have great patriotic significance in the
United States will be held this year on Sunday May l6
This is in accordance with act of Congress which
desgnaes the third Sunday May of each year as Il Am
an American Day
The purpose of the observance is to carry pari-
otto enterprise originated Wisconsin years ago,
honoring Young citizens who have recently Of age
and others who have attained American citizenship
through naturalization
THE Hearst newspapers have special interest in this
l observance
When the Wisconsin enterprise first came to their
attention they impressed by 1t and suggested nation
wide emulation.
NIan,. cities organized similar programs in that
year. And IN the following years other cities formed
permanent organizations for the observance and
there few communities in the land unprepared for it.
The original purpose OF Il Am an American Day is
still its major purpose. And everywhere, the day is
observed this year large groups of new citizens will be
honored and instructed their duties Americans and
inspired to full performance of those duties.
However there is growing emphasis IL the observ-
ance on the Importance of being GOOD American, in
addition to the privilege of merely BEING an American
THERE has been a serious challenge to all Americans
l on that score in the past year
SURVEYS conducted on national scale have disclosed
that the teaching Of American history is not required IN
many schools and that in consequence an alarming num-
Der of American young people attaining the age of
active citizenship without adequate knowledge of the his
tory of their country.
II is of course entirely impossible for any person to
be competent American citizen without thorough
knowledge and high appreciation of the history of the
United States.
And it is trarosty and severe Indictment of
educational system for such person to assert his Ameri
eansm occasion laudatory Of those who have not
simply attained citizenship but have made themselves
competent for 1t.
WHY should pay special honors to citizens
w know nothing about the events which brought their
country into existence and who know nothing about the
inspired VINO created It. and who know nothing
about the principles it was designed to support or the
institutions which have enabled it to survive and thrive
How can new citizens, whether they are native born
or naturaized be depended upon to sustain American
principles and institutions If they are ignorant about
them?
How can they have personal pride in the citizenship
they attain feel any obligation devotion to it, be
willing to perform essential services for it make
extreme sacrifices for it?
What it mean to any of them to say:
II Am an American"
THE underlying tragedy in all this of course is the
i grave danger that incompetent citizenship will attain
such proportions that American principles will fall into
contempt and American institutions will fall into decay
But parallel tragedy is in the fact that American
youth is being denied its most thrilling experencethat
which of first acquaintance and increasing fami
ary and final understanding and appreciation of the rich
and inspiring story of this wonderful nation.
American schools at grave fault for their delin-
quency in this vital matter.
The American people are at equal fault for their
Indifference to and tolerance of situation which raises
the spectre of national disintegratien.
WYE HAVE an effective instrument for the correction
wv of these faults in annual II Am American
Day observance
Let make the fullest and best use of that instr-
ment this year and every year. Let pay deserved
honor to our citizens who worthy Of it,
Let US assure ourselves that American schools
will produce new citizens uniformly worthy of that honor
and worthy of the tasks that much part of their
American heritage the rights and benefits of the
citizenship they attain.