The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1945-01-11
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" GEORGE S. BENSON
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History

Most Of the things that really mat
ter in your life and mine are events
that took place before we we're
born. Whether we r rugged or
frail, rich or poor, happy or miser-
able result in large part from de-
cisions and struggles that somebody
made long ago. The old saying,
Life is what you make it," is only
partly true. Life is what you make
1t from what you had to begin with.
OF course men and women are
free moral agents and can do a
great deal with their own lives IL
they will, but departed years in
fluence every generation. They af-
feet everybody more or less and
have more to do with some peoples
lives than the people themselves.
In order to take from the past what
helps us and avoid what hinders,
men have to study history and learn
its good from it's bad.
A Patriotic Duty
American history, and I don't
mean a sketchy catalog Of wars and
elections, should be a r -uired study
In every American school. How can
the youth Of the United States be
proud Of this country's C and
prosperity without some knowledge
Of the background that made It sue
cessful and prosperous? Decisions
and struggles out Of which our in
situations have grown will tell the
important "why" Of Americas pow
er In the world.
Many encouraging stories have
come back from the European thea
tire Of war recently. Not one Of them
has shed more hopeful light on
Americas future, however, than a
feature article In the New York
Times relating that American SOL
diers In many foreign lands are call
Ing for books on American history.
They want to know what makes
them different from people they see
over there.
What Do We Have?
The article quoted a Pennsylvania
buck private as saying, Something
In our history makes US different.
Why aren't we taught about it at
school?" 1t is my sincere hope and
belief that this soldiers children will
be taught more about it at school.
At least / hope we don't have to
wage . foreign war every quarter
Of q century so our son can 60
see how bullied and comparatively
poor other people are.
Our fighters have begun to real
len that Anrnnthinn nnno M tr ArNnw
lea which encourages and promotes
better living than people In foreign
countries can enjoy. Farmers sons
In the invasion can't help but see
that France, for example, has fer
lie soil, favorable seasons, and
abundant crops but poverty stricken
people. There's a reason. It's q
long story but an interesting one.
An Educators Job
Undoubtedly Uncle Sam has some
tall, blonde fighting men who used
to say, proudly, my grandfather
came from Prussia" But when they
get back they will be ready to add,
"Leaving that -blighted coun-
try was the smartest thing the old
gentleman ever did. 1t gave him a
chance, and me too" History shows
how taxes and customs and castles
keep many a noble race of people
hungry most of their lives.
wish | might plead with every
honest teacher to help keep the
United States an oasis in tn dss-
ert of human oppression. IN I'M
personal. objective attitude is ad-
mirable until it points toward slav-
cry. Ii it forbids telling students
that representative, constitutional
government is better th2n dictator
ship, or that a successful economic
system like Privcte Enterprise i
better than communisYe, IS t I
tn. truth even If we have to - -
orthodox.