Show careful study ot of the nations history Is patriotic duty of every american by DIL P P CLAXTON ol of education ol of united states all american citizens cit isona should know more ol of tho ilia history of their country than can lie ho learned from the meager outlines of the textbooks used in hiir our elementary I 1 A and high schools that a largo large number of people Fili should have such general and comprehensive knowledge of tile country its life and growth and the ilia form and spirit of its institutions its as can bo be gained only from reading at least several of the standard histories is i s essential to ilia welfare of tho the republic at every national election and at many state stata and municipal elections the people are arc called upon to vote on policies which cannot be intelligently determined without such knowledge legislators and other representatives of the people aro are constantly in need of it only out of the history of tho file past can come tin an understanding ing of tho principles by which they must bo be guided if they are to work wisely for the future to read extensively and deeply in the ilia history of the alie countr country y becomes therefore a n patriotic duty only thus can one lovo love his land with lovo love far brought from out alo storied past used within ilia alie present and transferred through future time by power of thought those who have learned to read history mid find it tho ilia most interesting form forin of literature the story of any country or of any great movement of any people fitly told is ia interesting especially when the reader lias has learned to understand ilio ilia relation to each other of tho the ill thought ought and feeling and purpose and action of the people no country has bas a mora moro interesting history than the ilia united states which from its beginnings in the scattered settlements of immigrants from european shores three hundred years ago and less has grown through colonial and national life till it has become tho ilia greatest wealthiest and most powerful and most prosperous ilia freest tho ilia most self controlled and self re strained restrained the most cosmopolitan and tho the most annly united nation tho ilia world has bits ever known the story of the ilia united states is ilia story not of dynasties and courts but of ilia people their life their industries their aspirations and the democratic institutions through which they havo have sought to attain these aspirations an devery lino line of tile tho story throbs with present iri interest teres t and future meaning |