Teaching the Child Patriotism.
by Kate Upson Clarke.
CHAPTER I
THE APPEAL TO HISTORY
Let us suppose for a moment that any set of men could succeed in sweeping away from them all the influences of past ages. Suppose a race of men whose minds had been suddenly deadened to every recollection--can we imagine a condition of such utter confusion and misery?--FREDERIC HARRISON.
WE have been lately told by one of our foremost educators that "the best schools are expressly renouncing the questionable duty of teaching patriotism by means of history."
To some of us who have brought up children, this startling statement came like a bomb. If history is to be used, as it certainly is used, in many of our "best schools," in the teaching of political economy, sociology, philosophy, psychology, biology, religion and nearly everything else, why should we not use it also in teaching a child the value of his own country, how dearly it has been bought, and his duty to serve it?
When anybody undertakes to prove that a child who hears, for instance the story of the six "leading citizens" of Calais offering their lives for the redemption of their city, does not feel a deeper sense of patriotism after it, he must prove that the children whom most of us know are exceptional.
See the widening eyes and working features of children listening to a spirited reading of "Horatius at the Bridge," or "Herve Riel," or the story of Nathan Hale.
Your "educator" may say that all this means merely an "emotional spasm."
What is that but interest or enthusiasm? And what is more potent in moving the will?
Most of our intelligent mothers can testify that there seems to be nothing which more rouses a child"s loving consciousness of his own land, and more enkindles a desire to do something for it,--even to die for it--than listening to these fiery old tales of exalted patriotism.
In an eloquent panegyric upon the influence of a knowledge of history, President Woolley of Mt. Holyoke College says: "It is a circ.u.mscribed life which has no vision into the past, which is familiar only with present conditions and forms of government, manners, customs and beliefs. Such a life has no background, no material for comparisons, no opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others, nor from their achievements."
And, in re-inforcement of the contention that much besides general culture and useful information is gained from the study of the past, and especially from the study of the cla.s.sics, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge during a recent session of the New York Latin Club uttered a strong plea for the study of Latin and Greek, as an incentive to patriotism.
"It is impossible," he said, in effect, "to read of "the brave days of old," of Marathon and Salamis, of Martius Curtius, Lycurgus and a hundred others of the heroes of Greece and Rome, without a sense of the glory of living and dying for one"s country. All children should be made familiar with them, and especially with the ringing lines and sound patriotism of the Iliad. They not only teach patriotism, but many of the other higher virtues, and in such an interesting way that children want to hear the stories over and over. Thus their lessons become indelibly impressed upon young minds."
But one of the hard truths which should be taught in connection with these tales of heroism, is the fact that by far the greater number of splendid sacrifices for one"s country are never heard of. Cincinnatus, Hector, Ajax, Pheidippides, have come to fame, which is generally considered reward enough for any hardship; but most of the world"s heroes are unknown or forgotten. Every soldier can relate courageous deeds which he has witnessed but which live only in his memory or in those of his comrades. In fact, we are told that heroism is so common in the present war that almost every soldier deserves a medal.
An interesting instance of obscure heroism is quoted by Miss Repplier from Sir Francis Doyle:
"Dr. Keate, the terrible head-master of Eton, encountered one morning a small boy crying miserably, and asked him what was the matter. The child replied that he was cold. "Cold!" roared Keate. "You must put up with cold, sir! You are not at a girls" school."
"The boy remembered the sharp appeal to manhood; for fifteen years later, with the Third Dragoons, he charged at the strongly intrenched Sikhs (thirty thousand of the best fighting men of the Khalsa) on the curving banks of the Sutlej. And, as the word was given, he turned to his superior officer, a fellow-Etonian, and chuckled, "As old Keate would say, "This is no girls" school,"" and rode to his death on the battlefield of Sobraon, which gave Lah.o.r.e to England."
Thus does the true hero lay down his life, cheerfully and unrewarded, for his country.
The anonymous hero, so numerous and so grand, is well typified also by Browning"s "Echetlos," "The Holder of the Ploughshare." This can be so read that even children of eight or ten can take it in.
One wishes that a real historical event were commemorated in Browning"s "How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix"; but it has the heroic ring, and fires the young imagination as well, perhaps, as "An Incident of the French Camp," which is said to be true,--another story of an unnamed hero.
It will interest those same children to hear Browning"s ballad of "Pheidippides," who did
"--his part, a man"s, with might And main, and not a faintest touch of fear."
The story should be told before the poem is read.
It is a pity that Napoleon III proved to be such a small man; for Mrs.
Browning made some wonderful lines about him, which might well be read to children for the promotion of patriotism. In "Casa Guidi Windows"
occur some of the finest lines for the awakening of true patriotism, that can be found in our language, yet they are seldom mentioned by writers on this subject. The best should be read, a few at a time, often in the family circle.
From the history of the Crimean War many striking tales of patriotism can be culled, such as incidents in the life of Lord Raglan and the careers of the wonderful Napiers, who were connected even more closely with the Peninsular War. Girls will especially find joy and inspiration in the story of Florence Nightingale. Boys and girls alike will revel in Mrs. Laura E. Richards" charmingly written "Life" of that heroine.
It is the fashion to speak rather slightingly of the patriotic poems which were thundered from the old lyceum-platforms by our forefathers, but many of them naturally possess the spirit of the first patriots, and thus are of especial value to our children. It goes without saying that every child should early become familiar with the lives of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Show them that such men "set the pace"
for America, and taught us what true patriotism really is.
Washington"s Farewell Address should be read often in every American Family, and portions of it should be known by heart to every American child. So should Lincoln"s Gettysburg Address, as well as portions of his other great speeches. The stories should be often rehea.r.s.ed to them of Joseph Warren, Israel Putnam, John Paul Jones, Decatur, Marcus Whitman, Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Lee, Jackson and our other heroes of war and peace. Many of their achievements have been celebrated in worthy verse. The great orations of Daniel Webster, Edward Everett, Wendell Phillips, William Lloyd Garrison and others, and the magnificent state papers of Woodrow Wilson, are well calculated to stir the spirit of true patriotism in the hearts of n.o.ble children, and they should not be ignorant of those splendid compositions.
A year or more before the great war, a young man was speaking lightly one evening of "all this sentimental rot about "love of country""; how it showed "that a man hadn"t traveled," and is "provincial." He spoke in the tone affected by a certain cla.s.s of blase, hypersophisticated youths, who might well be punished by the same means that were used for Edward Everett Hale"s "Man Without a Country,"--another book which all older children should know.
The boy had recently returned from a long sojourn abroad. His mother was horrified to hear his words, though she had detected an unsoundness in his views ever since he had come back. Still, she said nothing at the moment. She wanted to think it over.
One evening shortly afterward the family were a.s.sembled on the broad porch. Several guests were present. It was warm, but a soft breeze blew in from the moonlighted Hudson just below them. Some one suggested that it was just the time for poetry. Why should not every one recite his favorite poem?
They began. One gave Rudyard Kipling"s stirring "Song of the English."
Another followed with a portion of Tennyson"s "Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington," beginning with the familiar words,
"Not once nor twice in our rough island story, The path of duty was the way to glory,"
and ending with the fine repet.i.tion,
"And keep the soldier firm, the statesman pure; Till in all lands and through all human story, The path of duty be the way to glory."
By this time, the party of eight or ten cultivated people were all plainly affected. The one who sat next said, "I was going to recite "The Antiseptic Baby,"--and, of course, that is always good, but it doesn"t seem to chime in with our mood to-night. I used to know Daniel Webster"s great speech on the Const.i.tution. Maybe I can recall it," and slowly he rolled forth the stately words.
When the mother"s turn came, she begged them not to groan if she should give them a very well-worn selection, and started out upon Walter Scott"s, "Lives There a Man with Soul so Dead."
There was some derision in the laugh which greeted her first words, but all were soon caught in the swirl of the great sentiment, and when she came to the line "Unwept, unhonored and unsung," there was long applause, the blase youth joining in most heartily of all.
"That"s an old corker, isn"t it, mother!" he cried. "I"d forgotten that it was so lively. There"s a lot in it."
She knew that his ideas were being cleared.
All of this heroism and love of country is represented by our flag. Its meaning should be explained to our children. Teaching them to salute it, and to repeat the words which go with the salute, becomes a mere form unless they understand its deeper significance. Henry Ward Beecher once gave a n.o.ble interpretation of it, which has been amplified by Secretary Franklin K. Lane in an address to the employees of the Department of the Interior. Only a few words of it can be given here, but your children should hear or read them all.
The Flag seemed to say to him: "The work that we do is the making of the Flag. I am not the Flag at all. I am but its shadow. I am all that you hope to be and have the courage to try for.
"I am the day"s work of the weakest man and the largest dream of the most daring. I am the Const.i.tution and the courts, statutes and statute-makers, soldier and dreadnaught, drayman and street-sweep, cook, counselor and clerk. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, the pictured suggestion of that big thing which makes this nation. My stars and stripes are your dream and your labors. They are bright with cheer, brilliant with courage, firm with faith, because you have made them so,--for you are the makers of the Flag."
This is no mere sentimental fancy.
The thrill of the flag is best understood by those who have seen it on a foreign sh.o.r.e; but the deepest thrill of all comes on beholding the flag which bears the marks of shot and sh.e.l.l.
A little boy of six, who had been considered in his family as unemotional, was one day riding with his mother past a public building, gaily decorated with bunting. Among the unstained banners above the entrance hung a cl.u.s.ter of old battle-flags. The child gazed at them with the greatest interest. Then he turned suddenly to his mother.