and abroad; they will recognize that through the national and state constitutions the fundamental principles of liberty and representative government are secured to the people and through the opportunities for education and the provisions for safeguarding the health of her citizens, the facilities for comfortable travel, rapid transportation, speedy communication, and the development of our great industries— all made possible by the government, that America offers to her citizens conditions for a high standard of living found nowhere else in the world.
Brief historical accounts of the origin and growth of national institutions have been included-for only with such a background can there be an understanding of present community conditions and their accompanying problems. Only through a knowledge of the Magna Charta, the Petition of Rights, the Bill of Rights and our own Constitution of the United States can Representative Government in its fullest meaning be understood, and only with accurate information as a basis can the problems of modern government be satisfactorily met.
Through the Suggested Activities and Study Questions the pupil is made familiar with civic problems and the application of the principles of government to them. Applied civics is a matter of doing rather than learning, so an abundance of interesting problems that the pupil will delight in doing have been suggested. The suggestions for personal interviews with those in authority, the investigation of problems of local interest and the observation of civic conditions in the community offer to the pupils an opportunity for gaining much first-hand information. Aside from the information secured by each pupil through his own activity is the value he gains in sharing his information with the class. The pupil thus becomes a member of a co-operative body in which each has an opportunity to make his contribution. The ability to make a concise, accurate and interesting report on a current problem cannot be overestimated, nor can the importance of co-operation in government be better illustrated than through the co-operative efforts of the class in planning for the solution of some simple school or community problem.
With the hope that OUR GOVERNMENT appeals to the present active interests of the pupils and through its very activity will prepare them for intelligent citizenship, the authors present this book to the future citizens of America.
SHELDON E. DAVIS
CLARENCE H. McCLURE