Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume], April 17, 1941, SECTION A, Page 10, Image 10

About Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1931-1948

Image provided by: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC

                
THE ROANOKE RAPIDS
-[ ^e^JCd
^TAB/o/f/^y NEWS/xyr
By Mail — $2. Yearly — In Advance
ROANOKE RAPIDS, NORTH CAROLINA
THE LARGEST NEWSPAPER IN HALIFAX COUNTY
CARROLL WILSON, Owner and Editor
Entered as Second Class matter April 3rd, 1914, at the post office
at Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, under Act of March 3rd, 1879.
OFFICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES
ADVERTISING - PRINTING - EMBOSSING
»
‘I AM AN AMERICAN’
• • President Roosevelt has asked the American
people to observe Sunday, May 18, as “I Am An
American” Day for the following purpose;
“To impress upon all our citizens, those native
born and naturalized, the special significance of
citizenship in this nation.”
The President may be sure his urging will not
be in vain.
His suggestion fits squarely with the new
national practice of designating a special day, and
in many cases an entire week, for emphasizing the
duties and privileges of American citizenship—
and, of course, it was meant to do so.
American Citizenship Week, in fact, will be
so widely observed throughout the United States
this year, during the week of May 12 to 18, that it
hardly seems possible the movement could have at
tained its present importance and scope in just
two vears.
But that is exactly what has happened.
Two years ago the observance of Citizenship
Day was a purely local event in the city of Mani
towoc and the county of Manitowoc in the State of
Wisconsin. The object of the observance was to
assemble all of the young people of the community
who had attained the age of twenty-one during the
year at a public ceremony, welcoming them to the
status of American citizenship.
On that particular occasion two years ago, the
Hearst newspapers noted that 350 young men and
women of the Wisconsin community had been so
hrtnftml TV»p sppnp was so insnirinp1 and thp iHpn
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so meritorious, that these newspapers were
prompted to suggest nation-wide emulation.
The response was amazing. In a matter of
weeks, cities as far away from Wisconsin as San
Francisco and Los Angeles had likewise honored
their newest citizens.
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American Legion and the National Education As
sociation, there were Citizenship Day observances
in a majority of the States.
While the original purpose of honoring new
citizens is more than ever characteristic of the
special day or week devoted to emphasis on
American citizenship, it was inevitable that in
finitely broader purposes would be served.
The special significance of citizenship is, of
course, not a matter that relates to special groups.
As the President says, it is a matter of sig
nificance to “all our citizens, both native born and
naturalized.”
Thus, the privilege of saying, “I Am An
... 11 " . ' ' " I
American,” extends to all who are worthy of it, and
accept its obligations, and conduct themselves in
accordance with the fundamental principles of this
nation.
The manner of observance of “I Am An
American” Day and of American Citizenship Week
will vary in the several States.
In many communities, such as in San Francis
co, where Mayor Angelo Rossi has appointed a spe
cial committee of citizens for the purpose, separate
days of the entire week will be designed for spe
The functioning and duties of Government will
be discussed for the information and enlighten
ment of the people on one day.
Other days will be devoted to greater appre
ciation of our basic American liberties, the freedom
of speech and assembly, the freedom of the press
and of religion.
Still other days will stress the historic back
ground and tremendous merit of free education.
And, of course, those who attained citizenship
during the past year, either by naturalization or
attainment of maturity, will be recognized and
honored on their special day.
This is one of the most constructive and in
vigorating of all our public enterprises.
It attests the alert and earnest Americanism
of the President that he lends the weight of his
high office and the inspiration of his exceptional
personality and popularity to such an enterprise.
Never at any time in our natural history has
there been greater need for appreciation of the sig
nificance of American citizenship.
It is the target of alien, radical and skeptical
and disloyal attack. But it is also tjhe HOPE of
the civilized world, and the richest possession of
every man and woman who can say in all pride and
humbleness, in all gratitude and appreciation:
“I AM AN AMERICAN.”
—Baltimore News-Post.
I SFIJKIX Ur L1JNCOLN SPEAKS TODAY . . .
• • Eight score and five years ago the Fathers
of you Americans who are today in the realm of
the living brought forth upon your continent a
new nation, conceived in freedom and dedicated to
the proposition that all men are created equal; that
they are endowed by their Creator with certain in
alienable rights; that among these are Life, Liber
ty and the pursuit of Happiness, which a people
can best realize through a democratic form of gov
ernment. Now you are engaged in a great battle
with foreign totalitarianisms, testing whether that
nation, or any other, so
conceived and so dedi
cated, can endure. Let
you, the Americans of
today, highly resolve
that your Founding Fa
thers and the others be
fore you, who, through
their struggles and sac
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American Democracy—
that priceless heritage
which now is yours—
shall not have struggled
and sacrificed in vain;
that this Democracy, un
der God, shall have a
new birth of freedom—
freedom from foreign
isms—and that the Re
public of the United
States of America—a
government of the peo
ple, by the people and
for the people—shall not
perish from the earth.
TOWN
TALK
Rupert Hardy of Fort Jackson
spent the week-end here.
Mr. and Mrs. J. R, Statler left
Tuesday for Martinsville, Va., ac
companied by Mrs. George Fisher
and Jack and Benny Statler who
will spent a month.
Willis Hux was a visitor in
Richmond Monday.
Mrs. Bill Duke of Farmville
visited Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Smith
Sunday.
«
Miss Elizabeth Faison of Ports
mouth spent the week-end with
her sister, Mrs. W. G. Bunch.
Rev. and Mrs. Gordon Price
were visitors in Faison Tuesday.
Mesdames Lawrence Stell and
Upshur Higginbotham were visi
tors in Goldsboro Monday.
Mr; and Mrs. R. L. Cashwell
and children, Dorothy, Wilbur, and
Margaret of Durham, Mr. and
Mrs. E. H. Cashwell and daughter,
Sylvia of Suffolk were week-end
guests of Mrs. M. Gulbranson.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bowers of
Littleton were guests of Mrs. D.
P Allen
Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Staller of
Martinsville, Va., were week-end
guests of Mr. and Mrs. George
Fisher.
Mr. and Mrs. Orbie Kee of
Norfolk visited relatives here Sun
day.
N. E. Cox spent Easter in Golds
boro.
Buck Bennett has accepted em
ployment in Sanford.
Misses Helen Robinson, Louise
Hudson, R. G. Floyd, and Quentin
Mitchell spent Sunday in Wash
ington, D. C.
Misses Elsie Hudson, Ann Shaw,
Mrs. Mary Lou Cummings accom
panied Mrs. Minnie Pruden to
Duke Hospital Wednesday where
she will remain as a patient.
Miss Katherine Traynham re
turned to Salem College Wednes
rin.v.
W. M. Farber spent the week
end in Baltimore.
Miss Mary Lillian Meade and
Howard Hawkins spent Sunday
in Richmond.
Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Hasty and
children visited friends at Pleasant
Hill Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Lynch and
children and Mrs. P. Y. Lynch
visited friends and relatives at
Brunsbick and Ebony, Va., Sun
day.
T. J. Lynch and daughter,
Shirley, A. J. Lynch and daughter,
Sylvia Jeane, were visitors at
La Cross Saturday.
Air. and Airs. Lonnie Martin
and Airs. Lacks spent the Easter
holidays with relatives at Rox
boro.