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Show February: Historical Month The Daughters of the American Amer-ican Revolution have designated desig-nated February as American History Month. Since IKW they have called attention to events of historical and patriotic patrio-tic significance and February is a month of great significance. signifi-cance. AMERICAN school children, chil-dren, both past and present, have learned thai February is the month in which the birthdays birth-days of U.S. Presidents Abraham Abra-ham Lincoln and George Washington fall. Lincoln was born Feb. 12, 1809 and Washington was horn on Feb. 22, 1732. However, the legal observance observ-ance of the hitter's birthday is Feb. 21 this year. Another great figure in history, inventor inven-tor and pioneer industralisl Thomas Alva Fdison, was born Feb. II, 1847. AS PAR T of the observance of American History Month, the DAR has selected an Outstanding Out-standing History Teacher of the Year. Gail Bock, teacher at Knowlton Flementary School in Fnrniington, is the local winner win-ner and will now compete with other chapter winners for state honors. As another phase of this observance, the DAR sponsors spon-sors an essay contest for elementary school children each year. This year the essay theme is "Fveryday Life in Farly America, 1750-1830." Two winners have now been chosen from the numerous Davis County entrees. They are Rachael Stewart, fifth grader at Columbia School in Kaysville and Jenifer Gill, sixth grader at Jennie P. Stewart Ste-wart School in Cenlervillc. Their winning essays will be read at the February 21st Sego Lily Chapter meeting and will be sent to compete on the state level. THE DAUGHTERS of the American Revolution point out that this year marks the 200th anniversary of the signing sign-ing of the Treaty of Paris on Sept. 3, I7H3. This treaty contained con-tained the agreement terms drawn up following the end of the Revolutionary War. These terms of the treaty, involving Great Britain, the United States, France, Spain, and Holland, allowed Britain to keep Gibralter, which she had defended, and restored Minorca and Florida to Spain. France got Tobago in the West Indies and Senagal in Africa. The United States was granted her independence and won lands in America west to the Mississippi River, north to Canada, and south to Florida. Navigation of the Mississippi River was to be free to all parties par-ties to the agreement. BENJAMIN Franklin, John Jay and John Adams were the Americans who took part in negotiating the treaty. The Treaty of Paris was a great di-plomatic di-plomatic success in the achievement of peace, adding to the victory of the American troops in 1781 when the British General Cornwallis surrendered. surren-dered. Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and a great friend and admirer of George Washington, once said, "The last hope of human liberty rests on us." As the President General of the DAR, Patricia Shelby, slated in a message in the Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, "Let us, the people of America, be not the last hope, but the best hope of human hu-man liberty." AMERICA has been called "the melting pot of the world" with many races and creeds contributing to America's heritage. Each generation succeeding suc-ceeding the founding of this nation na-tion as made its contribution to America's history. The DAK asks all Americans to rediscover re-discover their past and to take time to learn more about our brave citizens of all these races and creeds. The organization urges the people of our great : land to celebrate and guard our : priceless freedom of worship, freedom of education, and freedom of speech and press. Won't you join with the Daughters of the American Revolution Re-volution in observing February Febru-ary as American History Month? Fly the American flag and read about our nation's exciting ex-citing history for yourself. |