The young American citizen; civics for grammar grades

Preface

The principle of self-development through self-activity is now well established in education. Modern schools have made remark¬ able advances in its application. The child is no longer regarded as a mere receptacle. Both the courses of study and the programs of schools attempt to make provision for the training of children by allowing them to carry on such activities as are needed to develop in them certain desirable qualities. This principle is well understood by most educators, but not so well by the general public. Many activities criticized by school patrons as fads or entertainment are in fact the very activities provided for learning by doing.

The value of the principle of self-development is so obvious that subjects which lend themselves to this form of treatment are assuming greater importance in the curriculum than ever before. Among these subjects is*civics. Because it is a social study, it is well adapted for direct application in the school and in the community.

The ultimate purpose of the teaching of civics *is to train for citizenship. Necessarily, facts about government are a part of this training, but the work should by no means end with a mere knowledge of facts. There are so many ways in which to apply social and political principles that it would be a pity to limit the teaching of civics to the purely academic side of the subject. The training that the pupil receives in home and in school in making him a helpful, law-abiding member of his group is indeed the most effective training for future citizenship possible. In the home he learns the lessons of community of interest, division of labor, self-denial, and obedience to constituted authority. In the school he learns the same lessons in contact and association with a some¬ what larger group, and thus develops the attitude and the habits which fit him for community life. It should, however, be the peculiar province of civics to bring the pupil into touch with the great community problems, and thus definitely to enlarge his horizon and prepare him for the duties of citizenship.

In The Young American Citizen the subjects of city, county, state, and national government are treated in each of the three parts of the book. This progressive treatment is necessary since the pupil is unable on first presentation to grasp such subjects in their entirety. The topics most easily understood come first, more detailed study later, when the pupil is better prepared for it. Such large and important subjects as health and thrift, which because of their essential natui'e must be repeated at reasonable intervals, are given the same spiral development.

This text has made provision for group activities by the organization of a class club. The class club will find many oppor¬ tunities for work in the school through various committees. For example, one class club in a certain school had a “noon committee,” the function of which was to assist in taking care of the building and grounds during the noon hour. It had a “room committee” by whose efforts the schoolroom was made attractive. There were boys’ and girls’ “basement committees,” and a “lunch committee” to supervise the lunch hour. There were also a “yard committee” and a “hedge committee,” the duties of which were to beautify the grounds and building and to improve the appearance of the school. Other occupations for the school club will suggest themselves to every teacher. Such an organization can be made of real assistance in obtaining the cooperation and the enthusiastic interest of the pupils.

In addition to the class club, there are four principal ways in which pupils may be stimulated to undertake applied work in civics: (1) Dramatization and pageantry; (2) Student organi¬ zations which exemplify the working of civic bodies; (3) Actual participation by children in adult community activities; (4) Visits to and study of community utilities. (See page 310.)

The authors earnestly believe that this text, whiqh presents high civic ideals and practical plans for putting these ideals into effect, will be welcomed by teachers who aim to secure maximum results from an elementary course in civics.

Part I CHAPTER PAGE

I. The Junior Citizens Club Organized .11

II. What a Community Is.18

III. Different Kinds of Communities.23

IV. The Playground.29

V. Courage and Fair Play.35

VI. Work and Cooperation.40

VII. A Health Lesson.46

VIII. Thrift. 52

IX. The Good Citizen.56

X. Our City.60

XI. Our County.68

XII. Our State.73

XIII. Our Nation .70

Part II

XIV. The Junior Citizens Club Reorganized.85

XV. Occupations.91

XVI. Keeping Things Clean.98

XVII. Savers and Wasters .104

XVIII. Beauty . Ill

XIX. Safety.116

XX. Fire Prevention.124

XXI. Education.129

XXII. Laws.136

XXIII, Trials.141

CHAPTER

XXIV. City Government. 148

XXV. County Government. 157

XXVI. State Government. 163

XXVII Some Things the Nation Does for Us. 175

Part III

XXVIII. The Junior Citizens Club Reorganized .. 184

XXIX. Choosing a Vocation. 187

XXX. Outdoor Life. 194

XXXI. Agriculture and Manufacturing. 202

XXXII. Transportation and Communication. 213

XXXIII. Where Our Liberty Came From. 228

XXXIV. The Constitution of the United States. 235

XXXV. The President and the Executive Departments- 241

XXXVI. Congress and Its Work. 249

XXXVII. The Federal Courts. 255

XXXVIII. Money and Credit. 260

XXXIX. How the National Government Raises Revenue. .. . 268

XL. Political Parties. 271

XLI. Naturalization. 277

XLII. Expansion of the United States. 283

XLIII. America and the World. 292

XLIV-LI. Government of Kentucky. 299

Appendix

SECTION

I. Suggestions to Teachers. 329

II. Meeting of a Junior Citizens Club. 335

III. Problems and Projects. 340

IV. The Text of the Constitution. 344

The American’s Creed

I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people, whose just powers are derived from the con¬ sent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it; to .support its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.

— William Tyler Page

Houdon’s Statue of Washington, Capitol, Richmond, Va.

The Young American Citizen

Part One Chapter I The Junior Citizens Club Organized

Problems: (1) To learn the value of organization; and (2) to effect an organization.

A Great Fire.—A fire broke out some years ago in the city of Manila, in the Philippine Islands. The lightly built wooden houses blazed like tinder, and in a short time the flames spread until a large part of the city was on fire, and its entire destruction seemed at hand. The natives, unused to thinking quickly, were in a state of panic. They could neither stop the fire nor save their household belongings. Terrified, they looked on helplessly at the leaping flames.

Help Appears.—Two groups of helpers appeared on the scene of the fire at the same time. One was the fire company, which promptly set to work throwing streams of water on the burning buildings. The other was a patrol of Boy Scouts, who hurried to the fire at the first alarm. They helped to carry furniture to a place of safety; they gave help to the fire companies; they bore messages. Acting in obedience to their Scout Master and the chief of the firemen, who gave orders, they did wonders. Their work that day greatly lessened the horrors of the fire, which burned a 11 great part of Manila and left three thousand people homeless.

Power of Organization.—How was it that two bands of workers could do so much while the natives stood around helpless from fright? It was through the power of organization. The firemen had practiced their calling for years. The boys were organized and trained to be of use at just such times—therefore they knew what to do. They knew how to cooperate —that is, how to act together. They knew how to take orders and carry them out. A small number of Boy Scouts, organized and trained, were of more use than hundreds of grown men who had had no experience in teamwork.

Girl Scouts.—What is done for the world of boy¬ hood by the Boy Scouts is done for girls by the similar societies of Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Girls. These clubs have taught girls how to do many things about the house, given them a knowledge of outdoor life, and helped to make them strong and healthy. Like the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Girls learn the lessons of organization and the ideals of citizenship.

Organizing a Club.—How would you like to organ¬ ize your class into a club similar in many respects to the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Camp Fire Girls? This society will add to the pleasures of your school life because its meetings will be different from your regular classroom exercises, and it may lead you to undertake a number of projects that you will enjoy. Through this club you will take up a new study, civics , in which you should learn many things about the history and government of your country, facts that will help you to vote rightly, when the time comes, and to be a good

n citizen in all ways. Just as the Boy Scouts organization teaches boys to be strong, kind, courageous, and honorable, so your Junior Citizens Club will train you in the public duties of men and women in a free country.

Way to Organize a Club.—“How shall we organize a Junior Citizens Club and what work shall we do after we have organized?” you ask. This book has been written to guide and help you. In each chapter you will find a study of facts about your government or a discussion of the duties of citizens. At the end of each chapter you will find certain things outlined for your club to do, questions to be discussed, and suggestions for other work.

But we must first organize our Junior Citizens Club. The following is an account taken down in shorthand of the organization of a club in the 5-A grade of a large city school. Read it carefully and then organize your own club.

Junior Citizens Club of Longfellow School

The class was called to order by the teacher, who acted as chairman until the organization of the club was completed. The teacher, after explaining the purpose of the Junior Citizens Club as the teaching of citizen¬ ship by practical lessons, appointed a committee to bring in reports on a constitution for the club and a pledge to be taken by the members.

On the following Friday the club met again. The teacher, as chairman, called for the report of the com¬ mittee on the constitution and pledge. The committee made the following report:

Constitution for Junior Citizens Club

Article 1. This organization shall be known as the Junior Citizens Club of the Fifth Grade of Longfellow School.

Article 2. The object of this association shall be to train members for real citizenship and, furthermore, to accomplish each year at least one thing of importance for the school or the community.

Article 3. The officers of the club shall be a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer. They shall be elected by ballot and shall hold office until the end of the school year.

Article 4. The meetings of the Junior Citizens Club shall be held on Friday afternoon of each week of the school term and shall begin at two o’clock.

Article 5. The following committees shall be appointed: Visiting, to visit sick members of the club; Improvement, to assist the teacher in bettering the appearance of the school¬ room; and Entertainment, to get up programs for Christmas and Easter, and other special days. Each committee shall consist of three members, and the committees shall be changed at the middle of the school year.

The Pledge

We will never bring disgrace to our school, city, or country.

We will obey our school, city, and country’s laws.

We will stand for the right, with others or alone.

We will aid the poor, the old, the young, and all who need help.

We pledge allegiance to the flag of our country and our most earnest efforts to keep ourselves worthy of that flag.

The teacher then said: “All who are in favor of adopting this constitution and this pledge as the law of the Junior Citizens Club will say ‘Aye.’”

A chorus of “Ayes” game from the class in reply.

The teacher went on: “All who are opposed to adopting the constitution and pledge will say ‘No.’”

Not. a single student said “No.”

“As the ‘Ayes’ have it unanimously,” said the teacher, “the constitution and pledge are adopted as the law of the Junior Citizens Club. The constitution calls for the election of a president by ballot. Nom¬ inations for president are now in order.”

“I nominate Sam Blackburn,” said Henry Brown, rising.

“Sam Blackburn is nominated,” went on the teacher. “Are there any other nominations?”

Willie Smith rose from his seat. “I nominate Mary O’Callaghan,” he said.

“Mary O’Callaghan is nominated,” said the teacher. “Are there any other nominations?”

No one spoke, and the nominations were declared closed.

“Sam Blackburn and Mary O’Callaghan are nominated for president, and we are ready to vote,” said the teacher.

She appointed two boys to act as tellers. The tellers tore up sheets of paper into small bits and gave one piece or ballot to each member of the class. Accord¬ ing to the teacher’s direction, each member of the class wrote on the piece of paper the name of the candidate for whom he or she voted. When all the ballots had been written, the tellers collected them and read them, one by one, aloud. As they did so, the count was kept on the blackboard by two students, a boy and a girl. It was found that the result was as follows:

Sam Blackburn. . 22

Mary O’Callaghan. 18

“Sam Blackburn, having received a majority of the 15 votes cast, is elected president of the Junior Citizens Club/’ said the teacher, “and he will now come for¬ ward and take the chair.”

Sam Blackburn came forward, and the teacher gave up her seat to him. Then the president called for the election of a vice president in the same manner in which he himself had been elected. The election of a secretary and treasurer followed in order.

Officers of a Civics Club

After the election of officers, the president ap¬ pointed the members of the Visiting Committee, Improvement Committee, and Entertainment Com¬ mittee, and asked them to report at the next meeting of the club.

A general talk then took place as to the way in which the club could best further the study of civics. The teacher gave her views, and several of the students spoke. It was decided that committees should report 16 daily on the special topics at the end of each lesson in the textbook. These committees were to be appointed by the president with the aid of the teacher. It was also agreed that committees should work out practical projects suggested in the book.

The president called for a motion to adjourn. The motion was made, seconded, and carried, and the president declared the Junior Citizens Club adjourned until the next meeting.

Organizing Your Club

I. Appoint committees to report on the following:

Name of the organization.

Object of the club.

Constitution and Pledge.

Slogans.

Time and place of meetings.

II. Report of the committees. (The teacher will hold the chair until the permanent organization is completed.)

III. Election of officers by ballot.

Chapter II What A Community Is

Problems: (1) To learn what a community is; and (2) to find out all you can about the early history of your com¬ munity.

Robinson Crusoe.—Suppose you were the only person on an island: would you be happy? You know you would not, for you would be lonely and in constant fear that some wild beast or savage man would kill you. You have read the story of Robinson Crusoe, who was shipwrecked on a lonely island in the Pacific Ocean. He had to do everything for himself, since there was no one to help him. He built a house; killed goats and dried their flesh; fashioned furniture; molded pots from clay; and made from goatskins a hat, a suit of clothes, leggings, and an umbrella.

His Own Master.—Robinson had all the necessaries of life and he was master of his island. He could do as he liked all the time. He rose in the morning when it pleased him and spent the day as he chose. He cut down as many trees as he wished and killed goats whenever he felt like going shooting. He had no taxes to pay, no rent, no grocery and clothing bills. Yet he was unhappy because he was alone. As the years passed, his desire for the sight of a human face and the sound of a human voice grew almost unbearable.

Footprints in the Sand.—One day while he was walking along the seashore, Robinson suddenly came 18 across the footprints of a man in the sand. He stopped, almost overcome by his feelings. There was another man—or men—on the island! He knew that they must be savages, and so enemies to himself, and yet the very presence of other people on his lonely isle filled his heart anew with the thirst for human companionship. Some time later he saw several canoes approaching the shore. A number of savages landed, carrying with them two prisoners. One of these was killed and cut up to eat. The other, before he could be put to death, made a dash for freedom. He ran toward the spot where Robinson lay hidden in the bushes, followed by two of his captors. Robinson made up his mind to help the fleeing savage. He knocked down one of the pursuers and killed the other with a shot from his gun.

Friday.—The captive fell on his knees on the sand to show his gratitude for his rescue. Then he spoke some words in a language that Robinson did not under¬ stand. Sweeter sounds never came to Robinson’s . ears. At last, after years of loneliness, he heard a human voice and felt the comfort of human compan¬ ionship. He took the man to live with him and named him Friday, because he had come on that day of the week.

A Community Formed.—The coming of Friday changed Robinson Crusoe’s life. \tyjiy was this? There was some one to be with, to talk to, and to work alongside. As the Bible says, man was not made to live alone: he was made to live with others. Some¬ thing else followed from Friday’s coming. Robinson Crusoe had to think of another besides himself. Before

Friday came he could do as he chose, but now he had to consider his companion’s rights and interests as well as his own—otherwise, he and Friday could not have lived together. What resulted from Friday’s coming was that a community was formed. True, it was the smallest possible community—only two men—but it was a community, because each had to help the other.

A Pioneer’s Home

Cooperation is the essential feature of any community: it is the cement that binds the parts together.

Jamestown and Plymouth.—The story of Robinson Crusoe is fiction, but the history of the early colonists who settled our country shows that men must live in communities—that this is the natural mode of living. Suppose the settlers who landed at Jamestown and Plymouth had at once gone out as separate families 20 into the forest. What would have become of them? They would have perished from hunger or from attacks of Indians. So at first they lived together in settle¬ ments, and in this way subdued the forest, conquered disease and famine, and kept the savages at bay. Even when they scattered, they had a community organi¬ zation binding together the settlers in a region. The colonists in Virginia called their communities “hun-

A Colonial Home

dreds,” and the New England settlers named theirs “towns.”

Community Life.—From the study of history we learn that it is natural and necessary for people to live in communities. It is because of this fact that they have risen from savagery to a state of civilization. There could be no farms, factories, railroads, stores, churches, and schools if men did not dwell and work 21 together. Because people live in communities, they have learned to observe certain agreements that are for the good of all. These we call laws , and the power that enforces laws we call government. The community you know is your neighborhood. Go to the top of a tall building or high hill, and your community spreads out before you with its homes, roads, streets, churches, stores, and schoolhouses. Farther than the eye can see lie larger communities of which you are also a citizen —your city, county, state, and nation.

1. Make a list of the things you would like to show a visitor to your community.

2 . Write the names of the men and women from your community who have played a prominent part in the building of our nation.

3. Find out from histories or from old people facts about the first settlement of your community: from what place (or places) the settlers came; why they moved; and how they made the journey.

4. Describe the difference between your community as it is now and as it was in the days of your grandfather.

5. Tell: (a) what a citizen receives from his community; (b) how he can help his community.

6. Let each club member bring in writing on a slip of paper one answer to the following question, “How Can We Help Our Community?” Write the five best answers on the blackboard.

Chapter III Different Kinds Of Communities

Problems: (1) To study the different kinds of communi¬ ties; and (2) to learn about the spirit that makes each community a success.

The First Community.—The community formed by Robinson Crusoe was accidental—that is, it was the result of the meeting of two lonely men on a desert isle. But the first community that all of us know is a natural one—the home. Wherever a father, mother, and child live together is a home.

Rights of Home.—Friday had certain rights that Robinson Crusoe was obliged to respect; and in the same way the child in the home has rights. You have the right to good food, good training, good surround¬ ings, and other advantages, which your parents gladly give you. However, what the home teaches primarily is that every member of the little community has rights which it is necessary to observe. You have the right to play in the fresh air as much as you wish. But if some one lies ill near your playground, you will go elsewhere to play or not play at all for the time: to make a noise near a sick person is to disregard the rights of others. In the home father, mother, and child have rights, and the proper observance of these rights is the first step to be learned in the larger cooperation of life.

Home Old as the Race.—The home is as old as the human race. Ages ago, before men were civilized and lived in houses or even tents, when their dwelling places were nothing but caves, they lived in families and had homes. The home has remained ever since, through the thousands of years of human progress, as the greatest institution of humanity, the base on which everything else rests.

What Has Grown Out of Homes. —In early times,

Copyright. Publishers Photo Service

A Comfortable Country Home

before the beginning of civilization, each home was a little community all to itself, ruled by the father. Then a number of families combined to form a tribe, which elected some one to be chief. Later, a number of tribes united to form a little city. This process of combining tribes and cities has gone on ever since, until there have come into being the great empires and republics of today.

Government Springs from the Home.—The first government was that of the home itself. But at a very early period men found that they could not live to themselves, with their families. They had to come together for mutual benefit. Before there were any laws and rulers, the men of a locality would meet and talk over matters of common concern. Perhaps dis¬ putes over land were to be settled. Perhaps the cattle of one man had been seized by another. Perhaps enemies were troubling the neighborhood and there was need of defense against them. For the protection of all, the families in a neighborhood—most of them relatives—would combine to form a larger community, putting some man or men at the head. They would agree to do or not to do certain things, and these agreements came in time to be called laws.

The Church. —Families united for other reasons besides mutual protection. Even in very early times the tribes came together for worship, and neighbor¬ hoods have gone on ever since meeting in churches. The church is an important community. It teaches the relation of God to man and right living, but in the past it did much more than this. A few genera¬ tions ago the majority of people could not read or write. They depended on preachers, who were educated men, to teach them by means of sermons. Many people obtained their whole knowledge of history, politics, geography, and other subjects by attending church. In public meetings the preacher played a leading part because he was well informed. No matter how poor and ignorant a neighborhood might be, there was almost always a Bible in it and some people able to 25 read the Bible. The laws and moral ideas of the Hebrews thus became the rule of conduct for Europe and America.

The School. —In still another way families meet to form a community—a community much newer than home and church. The school is a community formed by the union of families. Formerly, in the country,

A Country School the school was a small community because bad roads made it impossible for the children to come long distances to school. But with modern good roads, there have arisen consolidated schools, which have large buildings and a considerable number of students. Because of this consolidation, it is possible for country children to have wider opportunities in study and in play.

Teamwork in School. —The school itself includes smaller communities. Members of baseball and foot¬ ball and basket-ball teams are parts of little com¬ munities, for they are persons working, or rather playing, together for a common end. Teamwork, or cooperation, is the essence of success in athletics as in many other affairs of life. Students who learn teamwork not only play games better; they do better work in the schoolroom and they feel a common interest in the welfare of the school. They try to make the school, outside and inside, a more attractive place in which to live, and they sometimes have a newspaper in which to record the various activities of the school community.

County and Town. —These first communities—the home, the church, the school—serve to introduce us to the larger communities of which we are also mem¬ bers. The study of civics deals with these larger communities—political communities—of which every man and every woman are parts. The first of the political communities with which we come in contact is the county or the town. The county is a community made up of all the farms and villages and stores and churches—with the people—in a certain part of a state. The town or city is the community made up of all the people living within the limits of a group of houses large enough to form a town or city.

The State. —The next political community is the state. A number of counties, cities and towns form a state, which is a community of importance. The state makes most of the laws under which we live. Most courts which interpret the laws are state 27 courts. The state officers who enforce the laws come in contact with everybody in one way or another. In nearly all the relations of life we touch the state and its government.

The Nation.—The largest community of which we are members is the nation. The American nation is made up of forty-eight states and the District of Columbia. The nation makes certain laws under which we live and attends to our relations with foreign nations. The well-being of all the citizens of our country is dependent on the wisdom with which the national affairs are conducted. This is the reason that it is so important to have a good President and a competent Congress.

1. Give a brief account of the growth of the home and tell how govern¬ ment springs from it.

2. Discuss in class this question: Should children receive a weekly allowance for chores done at home? (See page 302.)

3. Organize your club into committees to do the following tasks:

Keep the floor clean and free of paper.

Beautify the walls.

Purchase pictures.

Beautify the school grounds by cleaning up and planting trees and flowers.

Make money to buy books for a library.

Make the school more healthful.

4. Make a list of all the communities of which you are a member. Ex¬ plain why the following are communities: a baseball team; a school; a home.

5. Show how your neighborhood community helps other communities.

6. Show how communities in other parts of the state and nation help your community.

Chapter IV The Playground

Problems: (1) To study organization as shown in the playground; and (2) to organize some kind of team.

Organization. —The best place in which to learn organization is in your play. You have found that when you play games you must have government, unless the play is to be mere romping. Without rules you cannot play any game, because you do not know what may and what may not be done in the course of the game. All cooperation depends on such rules.