THE
CHEM AW A
AM ERICAN
25
seemed barren, indeed. B ut these hum an flowers took root and blos
somed so profusely and splendidly th at th ere was no longer a barren
field. I h e world was better and b rig h ter th ro u g h th e flow ering of
these poor boys and girls.
W hat made them w hat th ey were? Did outside assistance d rag them
on and on to th e accom plishm ent of those th in g s w hich were u n d ream
ed of until they m ade them realities? No! By th eir own endeavor
they made accom plishm ent a common th in g in th eir lives. T hey waited
for no-one to lead, but started on th eir course guided by an inner vision
w hich was sustained by a moral sense th at it was rig h t— they made it
rig h t, so sure were they of the rig h t, so full of good purpose." If you
would reach h ig h er altitu d es than is gained by th e rank and file of your
fellows, help yourself—depend upon yourself.
By the foregoing we do not mean th a t one shall live aloof from his
kind— rath er nearer, if an y th in g , th a t he may help if possible instead o f
asking help. T h ere is no g reater or better life than one of usefulness;
usefulness in the broader and b etter sense; usefulness th a t may better
the whole world; usefulness th a t by exam ple will im press and uplift
m ankind and serve as a model for the few or the m any, according to
the circle of our influence. H elp others to accom plish this work by
help in g yourself to lead and blaze the way. More self-helping leaders
is w hat the world needs. T h ere are too m any in the ran k s and too few
leaders such as we picture in our m inds. H elp yourself first, and
th en by the lesson you have th u s learned you will be better fitted for the
work of helping others who may be w eaker th an yourself. Is this not
an idea w orthy some consideration?
K E E P IN F O R M E D
Good citizenship m akes m any dem ands upon those w ho com pose the
population of a co u n try . Good m orals, good in ten tio n , and a kind and
sym pathetic n atu re are all very well, but som ething more is required in
the m aking of an ideal citizen. L oyalty to co u n try is of the utm ost
im portance, b u t loyalty, fine and com m endable as it is, does not suffice
w holly.
T he best citizens will serve th e ir co u n try w hole-heartedly in a tim e
of need, but th ro u g h lack of im form ation reg ard in g the needs of the
country they may be ill-fitted to render efficient service, even tho u g h
th eir hearts are loyal and th eir courage undoubted. To be tru ly com
m endable in an efficient sense as a citizen it is necessary to be well-
inform ed regai d ing those m atters, dom estic and foreign, w hich m ay af
fect the w elfare of the co u n try . It is necessary to w atch cu rren t events