Sturgis High School - Sturgensian Yearbook (Sturgis, MI)

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STURGENSIAN PATRIOTISM Patriotism—love of country—devotion to our native land—is tlie spirit of loyalty and self-sacrifice which inspires men and women to he good citizens. Love of country is not, and never has been, confined to one people or even one era. It is a universal feeling of the human heart. Three thousand years ago a band of noble Spartans held the pass at Thermopylae and died to a man to save Greece and a new civilization from Persian despotism. Again during the great World War millions of men of nearly every nation fought and died bravely to save the world from the dominating power of Germany. But to give their lives for their country is the least part of what men. have been willing to do for her. It has been the cheerful sacrifice of the things that make life worth living, the eager endurance of things far worse than death, which shows the mighty power love of country holds over men. Wealth has been given up, sacrifices have been made, the sympathy and love of home abandoned. Patriotism is a character¬ istic of every good citizen, one who serves his country either in defend¬ ing it from invasion, or protecting its rights and maintaining its in¬ stitutions. The American people have many problems to solve, many threat¬ ening evils to fight, and many deeds to do, if. as we hope and believe, we have the courage and virtue to do them. We must neither surrender ourselves to foolish optimism, nor become the subjects of ignoble pes¬ simism. We shall never achieve true greatness nor reach the lofty ideal which the founders and preservers of our republic have set be¬ fore us unless we are Americans in heart and soul, spirit and purpose, keenlv alive to the responsiblitv implied in the very name American, mid proud beyond measure of the glorious privilege of bearing it. We Americans can onlv do our alloted dutv well if we face it steadily, see¬ ing but not fearing dangers. Above all, we must co-operate, working together all in all for the honor and greatness of our beloved country. The hardest thing in the world to do is to love America. “Why.” you will say, “that is the easiest thing to do.” Well, it all depends upon the meaning vou applv to the word love. If you mean a warm sort of glow and pride, delight, in the fact that vou are an American, an exciting lift to vour heart-strings when the band plavs “The Star Spangled Banner,” and a general conviction that vou would rather be an American than of any other nationality. I agree with vou that it is easv. But that is not all; soon, in a few vears. the vounger generation of todav is going to have America in its keeping. The boys and girls of todav will be the governors, congressmen. Presidents, and voters of tomorrow. According to what they are and what they do, America will be. Tf w n really love her. we will give her the best we have. The bov or g-irl who grows up thinking onlv of what America is going to give to him or her, does not love America. We can not all be leaders, but from among us must be chosen the leaders and guides. It will be we, the boys and girls of todav. who shall decide whether or not America will be true to the ideals, which have led her in the past. Our ancestors have done their dutv faithfully and well in the past. The question now is before us: Shall we do as well in the future? Ldyttt Sttf rf r. Eight

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