Show RISTEN i 2 by dr george S benson ral NATIONAL EDLI EDUCATION CATION PROGRAM searcy arkansas for a gi gleat eat many years I 1 have been advocating the development ot of a cour course se in it american citizenship for every ev cry school in the nation this need it seems to me la Is a challenge to the parents and the school people in every district in the country here are some of the educational goals which alch hl ch should be sought in such inch a course 1 an ail understanding by every school child of the christian orgin and foundation of the american way of life gods laws were acknowledged as supreme and were nere made the foundation for our social economic and political order 2 an understanding of the j structure of the unique american system of government and its bone bene fits the declaration 0 of independence enc e was a peoples defiance of an autocratic antic government which denied individual freedom the united states constitution welded the freedom philosophy into an inspru ment of 0 government the first gennine republic and the only republic of 0 Us its kind on earth 3 an understanding of 0 the structure of the unique amet american ican acono 1 mic alc system our economic system is called catall sm it is found founded on the right of individual citizens to own property the ile basic need for private ownership the wholesome power of 0 the profit motive the spur of competition in a free market and the character building influence of self reliance these are the lessons available in the true history of america 4 an understanding of 0 the relative social ocial political and economic advantages of the american system over any other system known the basic advantages stated briefly are the greatest degree of 0 freedom given any people in the world the greatest for economic progress and spiritual happiness enjoyed by any people in the world these are not abstract generalities they are relative advantages that can be cited and prove d in specific detail and they make fascinating subject matter for classroom study and discussion let me urge parents who are leading this column to contact the school people jn in their unit Y NOW rand work with them the m this school year on the develop development me nt of such a course there Is 13 nothing aou ou could do of greater importance to the future of america |