Fowler High School - Prairie Gold Yearbook (Fowler, IN)

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I D PRAIRIE GOLD derstanding and knowledge of our government, churches, economic condi- tions, and other problems of the world. lle realizes the great cost at which Christianity has been taught, and appreciating the value of it, is not willing to let the church deteriorate. A good citizen is in sympathy with the work of the church. He tnies to help restore humanity to the plane of human brotherhood. He upholds the church regardless of denomination or creed. I-leunderstands that every person has a right to think as he pleases along these lines. 'l'he home is the basis of the state as well as of the church. .X good citizen should work to help the coming generations to acquire a sense of obligation to observe the rights and the comforts of others. Such a sense of obligation and willingness to help the coming generations should be de- veloped in the home. A good citizen tries to co-operate and make home life attractiveg he does his best to help finance the home: and lastly, he fosters the idea of the sacredness of the home. A good citizen is an economic citizen. llc-should understand modern economic conditions involving division of labor, evolution of industry, social problems and wealth and poverty. ltle is a self-supporting economic unit and a contributor, not a debtor, to social welfare. Ile always strives to make the world more beautiful andlhappy by help- ing the growth and progress of all Natura-'s beauties, such as trees, birds, and flowers. Furthermore. a good citizen mossesses a rational. altruistic smirit, and . 1 . . h I I . - I o I willing to give, in accordance with his ability, to organized charity. A good citizen has many admirable traits. 'He has substantial qualites of character and soul. No one qualty is enough. First of all is honesty-- nsing the word in its broadest significance. Next are decency, clean living abroad and at home. and fair dealing. He refrains from gossip and has an optimistic spirit. Ile must have patriotism and courageg courage to with- stand the wrong and to fight aggressively and vigorously for the right. XYith honesty and courage must go common sense, ability to co-operate. and willingness to work and serve his country. In fact, a good citizen is a social citizen, a fair-minded citizen, Z1 religious citizen, a family citi- zen, a cultured citizen, and a thinking citizen. .X person who lives in accordance with the foregoing principles and truths, and who inspires his fellow countrymen to do so, is making life better not only for himself, but for the whole world, and. unquestionably is a good citizen. -Sara Pfleeger. I 9 2 8 Page thirty-two

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PRAIRIE GOLD -WI-IAT IS A GGGD CITIZEN? T, .-X citizen legally, is a person who owes allegiance to the government and who is entitled to protection from it. A good citizen is one who does his best at all times to make his community, state, and nation a better place in which to live, not only for the present generation but for future genera- tions. ln order to do this, man has established certain fundamental insti- tutions and has accepted certain modes of activity. Among these institu- tions are government, school, church, and the homef Civilization dawned when men learned to live together peaceably and orderly under the jurisdiction of government and law. lt is the duty of every citizen to uphold and promote the principles set forth in government and law. That democracy represents the highest form of political organiza- tion which maintains a rule of law. promoting the life, liberty, and pill'- suit of happiness for men, is believed by every good citizen. People either profit or suffer from government, it depends upon the individual's atti- tude. The responsibility imposed in a self-governing community stimulates intiativc and ambition. A good citizen accepts his responsibilties loyally and in return receives all the joys. protections, and rights that a good government offers by guaranteeing to him liberty to worship as he pleases. the privilege to speak his thoughts freely. and to live his life without arbi- trary restrictions. ' 4 .X good citizen not only obeys law and authority but also respects them. No government can endure without obedience to law and this obedi- ence must be secured at any cost. But a citizen's respect for law is deeper than obedience to law. It implies his attitude of mind which comprehends the full significance of law and the relation of himself and other individuals to law. IX good citizen acknowledges also ar responsibility to observe a law in good faith whether he approves or not. Respect for law must be taught to the .-'Xmerican people until it becomes a national virtue. This should be an aim of every good citizen. lf this can be accomplished, the success of the experiment which the founders of our nation, began and which the builders have thus far so nobly advanced will be assured. XYith the realization that the measure of success of the popular sov- ereignty was dependent upon popular intelligence, our forefathers estab- lished the great .Xmerican system of public education. They held that op- portunity was thc birthright of every xkmerican citizen. This belief is held to be true not only by the leaders of America but by the promoters of all the civilized. learned countries of the world today. Various nations through public schools are trying hard to make good citizens. They have found this task a very difficult one and have come to realize that it cannot be accomplished by brilliancy and genius alone, for modern citizenship has gone far beyond the Constitution and the dictionary. 'l'herefore, the educa- tion of a good citizen should be broad, and far-reaching into a general un- l 9 2 8 Page thirty-one

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PRAIRIE GOLD 1928 Page th iffy-th