INTRODUCTION. A sentiment in favor of the celebration of special days by programs designed expressly for such use, has grown with the years and is now a recognized feature of Iowa school work. These exercises supplement the teachings of home in their tendency to foster a love for the beautiful, and a tenderness toward those who need care and protection. They inculcate the spirit of Christianity in the outdoor study which leads "from nature up to nature's God." They harmonize the principles of loyalty and moral purpose the foundation of true patriotism— and in their every influence add to the groundwork of education that higher, holier impulse which results in the formation of well-rounded character, and gives to the state its most perfect citizenship. These pleasurable occasions vary the monotony of school-room work. They also afford opportunity for parents and friends of education to visit schools and to stimulate, by words of approval, the endeavor of teachers and pupils. The birthday anniversaries of Washington and Lincoln present fitting dates for the grouping of important events in the history of the republic. The life-story of each, great in office, genuine in manliness, woven into a chain of recitation and song with an accompaniment of flag decorations, makes an attractive holiday performance. The blending of these lessons with educational processes insures a culture that will enrich the heart as well as inform the mind. In 1902 there was issued from the Department of Public Instruction a book of 100 pages, with the following introduction by Hon. Leslie M. Shaw, former Governor of Iowa: "It is comparatively easy for the old to define the duties of the young, and youth has no difficulty in distinguishing exemplary old age. It is more difficult, however, for the present day man and woman to know and do the present day duty, and he the ideal citizen of the hour. The faults and weaknesses in our lives need never be from want of knowledge, for the state gives each boy and girl ample opportunity for development. Failure is usually for want of application rather than from want of opportunity. . He who does his best today will be more likely to do well tomorrow than the one who illy performs the duties of the present. Now is the time to prepare for that useful citizenship that is due our country. To do the duties of today well, results not only in gratifying consciousness of meritorious conduct, but develops strength for the better performance of the duties of tomorrow, and the ever enlarging and more burdensome duties of future years; and it is on strength thus acquired that the state must depend. No section of our country possesses a more ideal body of young people than ours, and upon them will very soon rest the burdens of business life, politcal life, home life and church life. But those who wait until the greater responsibilities arise before making a supreme effort will surely fall short of their present hopes of usefulness." In his greeting the Superintendent of Public Instruction said: "Special Day Exercises, rightly conducted, may be the means of intellectual and ethical growth. Only the time-server permits these occasions to become artificial and thus encourage boldness, self-consciousness and vanity instead of loyalty, patriotism, charity and love; the true teacher uses these opportunities to impress lessons which will remain with his pupils long after their school days are over. "Things taught incidentally often mean much more than those upon which emphasis is placed. That of which the child speaks out of school is more likely to be remembered than the routine of school work. "The learning of memory gems is becoming a recognized part of legiti mate school work. No mere doggerel, but only those poems which develop a love for poetry and stimulate the impulse toward beautiful thought and unselfish action should be stored in the mind of the child. "The child learns the best selections of our best poets and orators. repeats them, dwells upon them, acts under their inspiration, and eventually they become embodied and exemplified in his life, in his thoughts, in his aspirations.' One object of the booklet was to secure uniformity, another to aid through suggestive selections. General directions were given in an address TO THE TEACHER. All proper lessons in patriotism should first create respect and love for father and mother, brothers and sisters. When this is done, we have a foundation on which to base a proper love of country. There is more of real value to the boys of the country in dwelling with emphasis upon Washington's devotion to his mother than there is in the whole war history of the nation. Let us pledge the children first to love and obedience at home, then to obedience at school. Respect and reverence for the laws of their community, their state and their country will naturally follow. In the making of a good citizen, knowledge is as essential as right feeling. When the teachers fully realize that a knowledge of political, social and economic science is the only foundation of that intelligence, which is essential to true patriotism, then will they give their studies their earnest attention and their enthusiasm will inspire the children to thus early form habits of impartial investigation and true citizenship. Let the pupils of the school be urged to read some good periodical of current events and discuss such events as suggest the application of the principles taught in their books. Let history and geography be alive with suggestions of what has contributed to the prosperity of the nation, and what has detracted from its welfare. There is something wrong in thinking that patriots must be soldiers or sailors. To be a patriot is to love one's country, to serve it faithfully, to support its government intelligently, to obey its laws, to pay fair taxes into the treasury, and to treat his fellow citizens as he himself would like to be treated. Let the National Flag float over every schoolhouse in the country, and the exercises be such as shall impress upon our youth the patriotic duties of American citizens.-Benjamin Harrison. OUR HERITAGE FROM WASHINGTON AND LINCOLN. Without Washington we should probably never have won our independence of the British Crown, and we should almost certainly have failed to become a great nation, remaining instead, a cluster of jangling little communities. Without Lincoln, we might perhaps have failed to keep the political unity we had won. Yet the nation's debt to these men is not confined to what it owes them for its material well being, incalculable though this debt is. Beyond the fact that we are an independent and united people, with half a continent as our heritage, lies the fact that every American is richer by the heritage of the noble deeds and noble words of Washington and Lincoln. It is not only the country which these men helped to make and helped to save that is ours by inheritance; we inherit also all that is best and highest in their character and in their lives. We inherit from Lincoln and from the might of Lincoln's generation, not merely the freedom of those who once were slaves; for we inherit also the fact of the freeing them, we inherit the glory and the honor and the wonder of the deed that was done, no less than the actual results of the deed when done. As men think over the real nature of the triumph then scored for human-kind, their hearts shall ever throb as they cannot over any victory won at less cost than ours. We are richer for each grim campaign, for each hard-fought battle. We are richer for valor displayed alike by those who fought so valiantly for the right and by those who, no less valiantly fought for what they deemed the right. We have in us nobler capacities for what is great and good, because of the infinite woe and suffering, and because of the splendid ultimate triumph.-7heodore Roosevelt in American Ideals. GOD GIVE US MEN. God give us men, a time like this demands Great hearts, strong minds, true faith and ready hands; Men whom the lust of office cannot kill, And brave his treacherous flatteries without winking; In public duty, and in private thinking. -J. G. Holland. THE YOUNG AMERICAN. Let thy noble motto be, God-the country-liberty! Planted on religion's rock, Thou shalt stand in every shock. |