2.-Reasons for Anniversary Days. The hope of the future lies in the boys and girls of today, who make up the great mass of public school-children, Before many years we will be the voters, the law-makers, the teachers. It becomes part of our education to pay allegiance to the flag and to study the character of our nation-makers that we may imitate their goodness and learn of their wisdom. We cannot fully understand the greatness of our strength as a nation, nor the character of our fore-fathers until we become familiar with some of the leading facts in the history of our country. When we come to understand those times we will know why America's Washington comes next after Columbus in the memory and honor of the people. 3. In our opening song we sang that our nation in its early days passed through trials that tried men's souls. Let us look at a pen picture of the beginning-It is four hundred years since Columbus first sailed in search of land. He lived his life, did his work, died in chains at the hand of jealous men, and his body has long lain in in the grave. America was still a great wilderness, the home of the red men and wild animals, excepting one little white settlement and that in the part of the country now known as Virginia. 4. Picture again a stormy sea in the cheerless month of December. A leaky vessel, the Mayflower, on its way from England, carrying a few brave men and women, who are determined to make the new world their home. Then Puritans, Pilgrim Fathers or Pilgrims landed not far from the city of Boston, and stepped upon the barren Plymouth Rock, December 22nd, 1620. THE TWENTY-SECOND OF DECEMBER. Wild was the day, the wintry sea Moaned sadly on New England's strand, Our Fathers, trod the desert land. 5. They little thought how pure a light, With years, should gather round that day; THE PILGRIMS. They came-a life devoting band- Tearless they left their father-land, And when they battled to be free, To the wild beach they trod upon. -Drake. 6. The years rolled by, one hundred and twelve of them, the two little settlements had grown and eleven others were planted. The Pilgrim Fathers slept in peace, but their heroic children were guiding the country's life. England, France and Spain looked with jealous eyes upon America. Each wanted to rule, and each laid claim to certain parts of the country, and all the time new claims were being made and new claims pressed. 7. In the Virginia Colony, a gentlemen of high birth from England had large possessions of land, and on this estate was born this gentleman's grandson, Augustus Washington, the father of our country's first leader and President. Here also was born George Washington, February 22nd, 1732. 8 WASHINGTON Only a baby, fair and small, Like many an other baby son, Whose smiles and tears come swift at call, Only a boy, like other boys, With tasks, and studies, sports and fun, Living his childish griefs and joys;- Only a lad, awkward and shy, Only a man of finest bent, Hero of battle fought and won. A people's pride, an honored son, America's most honored son, Why was he formed above other men? His name on every tongue and pen, A mighty brain, a will to endure, -Exchange. 9. The house where George Washington was born commanded a view for many miles of the Potomac River. "The roof was steep and sloped down into the low projecting eaves. It had four rooms on the ground floor and others in the attic, and an immense chimney at each end. Not a vestige of it remains." [Have the picture of this house on the board and also correct pictures of the White House and Mt. Vernon.] 10. Washington's boyhood was not different in many ways from that of many another rolicksome, healthy boy. He needed and was given the food, exercise, learning and discipline that were necessary to develop his strength, intellect and character. When one becomes famous for any good he has done we like to study that life, to see if we cannot make our lives more useful, and the world better for our having lived in it. 11. We find Washington going to school just as boys do now, only the instruction was very limited and the buildings very poor. But he liked to learn and made the most of what he had. His older brothers were mostly educated in England and were able to teach him much he could not get at school, Some of Washington's copy and exercise books have been preserved and it is easy to see from them that he studied. These books are models of neatness and accuracy, though they were probably written with a pen made from a goose quill. 12. His book-keeping and practice account books were carefully prepared as a means to help him manage the large estate that was to fall to him from his father. The habits he formed at this time were of great value to him when he grew to manhood and he was obliged to manage the affairs of a new-born nation. Boys do not always know what the discipline of their school-days is to fit them for. 13. In those days it was customary to have children learn rules and practice them. Washington has left us in his own neat handwriting some of the Rules of Conduct he had given him. We believe that he learned and practiced them, and they, no doubt, helped him secure a control of his body and temper. Here are some of them: (a) Every action in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those present. (b) Be not hasty to believe flying reports to the disparagement of any. (c) Think before you speak; pronounce not imperfectly, nor bring out your words too hastily, but orderly and distinctly. (d) Speak not evil of the absent for it is unjust. (e) Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation, for it is better to be alone than in bad company. 14. We turn with great respect to the mother of Washington. She is said to have been a lady of great good sense, and exacted from her children the most implicit obedience. She taught them many lessons of truthfulness and self-control. It was her custom to read to her children each day little lessons on character building. The little book from which she read these lessons was kept by her son as a treasured reminder of what his mother had done for him. 15. When quite a young boy our hero showed a taste for surveying and the new and thinly settled country in which he lived gave him good chance to enjoy and learn this art. As he had in all his school life striven to be methodical and accurate, he found these habits very necessary in his surveying. An English gentleman owned large tracts of land near Washington's home. He wished to have them surveyed and having noticed the carefulness and aptness of George's work engaged him to do it, though the young surveyor was then but sixteen years old. 16. At this time there was one topic of conversation that Washington very likely heard discussed wherever he happened to be and that was the possessions of the French and English. Each country laid claim to the land along in the Ohio River Valley. The French were making preparations to assert their ownership and the colonies foresaw they would likely have war with the French. The Indians were divided, some tribes going with the English. 17. In this state of the country it became necessary for the Governor of Virginia to send a message to Fort Duquesne to the French Commander. Whom should it be? It was no slight matter for any one to undertake such an errand with a journey of a thousand miles before |