Evening star., 1952-09-18
Citizenship Banquet
To Hear Pennsylvania
Supreme Court Judge

Judge John c. Bell, jr., OF the
Pennsylvania Supreme Court will
be the principal speaker tonight
at the banquet of the seventh Ma
tional Conference on Citizenship.
It will be held at Z o'clock in the
Hotel Statler. where the confer=
ence will continue through to-
morrow night.
Miss Mae Brotze, principal of
the Marshall (TexD Junior High
School, will preside. The invoca-
ton will be given by the Rev.
Frederick Brown Harris, chaplain
of the Senate. Another speaker
will be Charles Kuralt of Char
lotte. N. c.. winner of the 1948
contest, Il Speak for Democracy.
To Study Citizenship Duties.
Justin Miller. chairman of the
board and general counsel of the
National Association of Broad
casters. who spoke last night. out
lined the purpose of the confer
ence as follows:
It is pledged to re-examine the
functions and duties Of citizenship
in today'S world; to assist in de-
veloping more dynamic procedures
for making citizenship effective;
to indicate ways and means by
which organizations can contrib
ute to such development of citi-
ZenShip."
In speaking of the obligations of
the Constitution. Mr.. Miller re-
ferred to the current campaign
to get out the vote"
Many people in our country
have shown a shameful indiffer-
ence, even about the simple pro-
cess of casting ballots at the gen.
eral election every four years." he
declared. THE percentage of vot-
ers among those eligible to vote, is
much less than in several other
countries of the world. The Situa-
ton has beome so shameful that
such slogans are being used as, 1t
doesn't matter how you vote. but
VOTE"
Urges Early Instruction.
Mr.. Miller declared that, If "our
schools were properly equipped
and in my opinion they should be
there is no reason why instruc-
tion in the meaning Of the Consti-
tuition could not begin in the
grammar grades and proceed with
easing comprehensiveness
Though the secondary schools and
colleges ...
He added that, until such in
struction is instituted, I'VE will
not have the intelligent, under
standing citizenship participation
in government which we desire
and should have"
In panel discussion last night,
Leonard Gibbs. president of his
high school senior class in Mon
mouth, Ill, said youth prefers to
learn things by doing. He told of
how his fellow students helped to
get out the vote by posting plac-
ards. ringing door bells and so on.
Judge Edith Cockrill of Juve-
nile Court pointed out that any
service youth renders to a COM
munity is good training.
"If boys and girls are trained
in serving in school, they will give
service to their community in
later years and will become better
citizens" she declared.
McGranery Speaks.
The afternoon session of the
conference was held at the Sylvan
Theater on the Washington Mon
ument Grounds, with Commits
sioner F. Joseph Donohue as mas
ter of ceremonies. This particu-
lar part of the program was the
Districts official celebration of
the first proclaimed Citizenship
Day. with the program arranged
by Waldron Leonard. Also at
tending were commissioners
Bernard L. Robinson and Renah
F. Camalier. The principal speak,
er was Attorney General Nc
Granery.
On the platform were repre-
sentatives of the Governors Of the
13 States that signed and ratified
the Constitution. In front of the
platform we're IA wreaths. AS the
States were called, each Gov
ernor's representative, accom-
panied by Fort Myer soldier,
representative of the Daughters of
the American Revolution and
girl carrying her respective State
flag, marched up the slope and
placed a wreath at the base of
the Washington Monument. The
14th wreath was carried by
M Sergt. w. C. Taylor of Fort
Myer, recently returned from
Korea. It represented the other