Mendota High School - Atodnem Yearbook (Mendota, IL)

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rj W R. E. BEEBE. PRINCIPAL 5 M

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1 1 1 WM

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.-5.1.-.QE a 3-4 ' f ' 'W 'Q ' W hal are We Going to Do About It? Ever since the Declaration of Independence was written our nation has had documentary evidence of the Rights of Citizens. It is certainly opL portune and expedient that the Duties of Citizens be placed prominently before the eyes and earnestly in the hearts of us citizens. We have lived too long with the idea that everybody's law is nobody's law. Ignorance of the law has become a hackneyed expression. It always has been an unpardonable excuse. While an officer of the people is a servant of the people, he cannot carry the whole load alone. He is the servant in the sense of a leader, not a slave. He may be the point of the wedge or the keystone of the arch, but the sides of the wedge and the arch play a very important and indispensable part. Too many of our officials are really powerless and inactive simply because they receive no support from the community. If as citizens we have censured our leaders for neglect of duty and have refused or neglected to share the burden with them, we have been negligent in turn, and what is more, have been unfair and unjust. Officials will do ex- actly what is expected of them. What is expected of them is governed en- tirely by the citizens themselves. If we should apply our attitude in times of of peace to times of war, we should, if we are consistent, expect the officers of our army and navy to assume the entire work of the campaign even to trench digging and stoking. lVe all recognize the futility of such a condi- tion. The fact remains, whether we like it or not, that that is exactly what we are doing in times of peace. It is true not only of our government, na- tional, state and local, but too often in our churches, schools and homes. Every time any law or ordinance is violated, every citizen cognizant of the violation is as negligent of duty as is the officer. Every citizen must feel and carry his share willingly and worthily. When this is done, we shall never have to condemn any official. Because of strong public sentiment and pop- ular support, he will perform all the duties of his office as efficiently and hon- orably as did Samuel of old. If as a people we were as ready to assist those in authority as we are to tell them how things should be done, we would be advanced in true democ- racy at least a hundred per cent. Just as long as citizens of a community wink at lawbreaking, just so long will officers,remain inactive. The minute a community rises to its civic obligations, its officers will do their duty in every respect. The keynote to the whole situation lies in the work and attitude oil what we do each day in times of peace. The tone of this civic activity will per- meate and shape the progress of our nation and of the world. The amount of responsibility to the people that our executives and legislators feel will depend entirely upon. the support we give them each day Men in public office cannot possibly follow or adopt all the various plans offered them by their constituents All such leaders can do 1S to use the best means at hand to perform the will of the magority of the people There prob ably has never been a law ordinance or regulation that has not worked a hard SEVEN . . . . . . . . . I I I I I . . . . . . , . . . , . PQ-sfow-shawn. .Avq3.'a+s'.'4-Qg,b-ur-sum.. ef-v-HQFQQ' V Q 'X ....,tg.,,r,',':.:,'vE'-1.f.:,,.:.:fxc..,.-f:.:.u - -'E'-fc.-.vffcafsti , U , , , ICN' A il fit'