Secure the Blessings (1951)

[Music] [Music] e [Music] the schoolhouse in America is a familiar site to many adults almost too familiar in sight but relatively out of mind when they do think of it some people know school as a place where children are taken care of conveniently for them five or six hours a day 9 or 10 months a year others think of it as a filling station for cramming youthful heads with facts and figures still others see school through the rosy glass of childhood memories then there are those who know know it as place where the why and how of democracy is learned [Music] but what is democracy can a course be written on it is it more than a salute more than a pledge greater than patriotism what is this thing we call democracy do the buildings of the national capital give the answer National structures exist in other nations but democracy is not architecture democracy lives in the lives of our people people like Senator Jeffrey Ames educated as a lawyer he is now both representative and leader of the people of his State on this particular Wednesday he studies weighs Compares matches pros and cons on a matter of increased Aid to a foreign country country there's a man in his outer office with his own views on that subject the Senators got to make up his own mind and risk his chance of reelection on his decision making decisions is a privilege of democracy but the same day at the same time house wife Katherine Colmar also has decisions to make in her living room in Port New Hampshire with her neighbors she uses the Democratic process a chain broke on a swing in a public playground relatively unimportant not like foreign aid but a child might have been hurt new equipment is needed money will have to be found for that Mrs Colmar finds money every day for home children husband's needs mother wife neighbor she'll face a bigger problem before this Wednesday is over and what of John lton California manufacturer 23 years ago he was a truck driver for this electrical coil plant today he's president and owner he has not forgotten his old friends in the plant he finds time to remember he worked hard for his success and got responsibility now his business is making decisions he leaves the truck driving and the coil making to others even so he's got his hands full he can say no to this salesman and stop an assembly line in Detroit he's going to face a bigger problem today have a more important decision to make but he doesn't know it yet Andrew mey works in lon's plant came here about 5 years ago from a small farm worked up to master machinist he and Lon aren't as well acquainted as some of the oldtimers but they're getting to know each other M's respected by his fellow workers he always gives a hand when the going gets rough the way they work the way they think produces the goods the nation needs the adjustment they make on a lathe the way they settle a grievance spells democracy and Andrew meley is also important to his family not just the paycheck he brings home or his love no his family affects the way he thinks the way he makes decisions and Fred Gorman the farmer of Pennsylvania are his decisions important they are if the nation wants to eat Mistakes by Fred Gorman and his fellow Farmers could undermine the strength of the country their productivity the rightness of their procedures feed and sustain a whole people what kind of training gave them the knowledge of the land the seed in the back of Fred Gorman's truck can be cheap or expensive good or poor the decision is his he can improve his herds for the future or make a quick profit now he was trained to make up his mind about such things he was trained to take his place as part of a living democracy and his wife was brought up under the same system she'll have a chance to apply her training before this day is over there's a problem waiting for Fred Gorman it came in the mail this morning Fred's neighbors plan to build a system of reinforced drainage ditches emptying into a pond that constitutes a problem for Fred and Mrs Gorman the best place for the pond is Fred's Orchard it's the lowest land in the area the neighbors are asking Fred to come in on the project he'll get better drainage too but it also means that he'll have to give up his trees I wonder how nor maricon would feel if there were his trees I bet he'd be glad to settle for the drain he's got no now Fred you know this whole area needs better drainage the ericon look at the trouble they've had the past several years and you remember Tom Bartlett Silo was almost washed away last spring we haven't had so much trouble that's no guarantee Fred if we don't do something to help our land is going to get like theirs and you know it I don't like the idea of losing those trees there's the problem in a nutshell a tough one to crack his land and his neighbors needs a dictator could solve it for Fred but he prefers to do his own [Music] thinking Andrew mey is tackling a hard problem this afternoon he's come to John lon's office to present his fellow workers views on a pension plan John Lon has his own opinions on that subject one thing they both know they live in one world and they were both taught to settle their problems in the world in which they find [Music] themselves hello uh Bailey uh sit down hi Mr lton what's this trouble you want to see me about I don't know as I'd call it trouble exactly Mr lton i' like to show you the new pension plan that we've I thought we had discussed the pension plan previously we've discussed it over and over again but now here is one item I'd like you to take a look at right here certainly lton fights back but he knows that there are two sides to an argument and meley argues to support the responsibility that the men have placed on him not yet friends they may never like each other but they'll sweat it out together the problem is mutual much is involved the Democratic way is involved and both men were taught to seek objectivity Katherine colar is trying to be objective as she examines a new home to buy or to continue to rent that is the question as she checks with the agent she gathers all the facts and figures for this evening's discussion with her husband if they do buy their present furniture will have to fit into the new space and do you know the dimensions of the living room this room is a 15 to 10 room well these figures sound pretty good my what lovely arey on the house next door who lives there I think you'll find those neighbors to be very congenial Mrs coire an awfully nice family as a matter of fact he's the assistant chief at the local County Court a very bright fellow and his wife is charming too they have a son I believe of the same age as your eldest well how nice what's their name as a matter of fact they have a daughter too oh what's their name Goldstein Martin Goldstein I wonder do you um mind if if I go out and look at the art again I'd like to check the space out there the agent certainly stalled on that question she knows religion isn't a question not in any decent Society how will her husband feel is this a pertinent fact to add to all the others in her notebook what does she herself really [Music] think is this an opportunity to find out facing Mrs Goldstein and her son across that narrow strip of lawn does she see before her a bridge or a gulf neighbors or strangers it may be that she sees no problem at all maybe she's only wondering where the agent went to school and Senator Ames what does the Democratic way mean to him there's that problem waiting for him in his outer office he has worked hard for understanding to serve the people of his he has become something of an expert in foreign economics forestry agriculture now he faces a constituent who has his own ideas on those subjects the senator must really hear him and understand him well I heard your speech from the floor of the Senate the other day Senator I just can't see it why should we American Tax payers have to pay for some broken down badly run economy halfway around the world just because its house isn't in order and ours is it's bad business and I can't see it and a lot of other voters at home can't see it either let's put it this way Mr Baker how would you feel if you had most of the money of our town if your neighbors were having a rough time of it with nothing to sell and no purchasing power now if you sat by and did nothing about them how would your business be affected well it'd be hard of course but that wouldn't be my it would be hard and it would be your business now the same thing applies if you put this country in place of yourself in the same situation it's not only his own opinion the senator advances there are many in his State who think as he does others who do not which opinion will prevail educated himself he must educate others he must assume the mantle of leadership yet know all the time that the opinion of the majority determines a democratic outcome he must help mold that opinion problems every day and the way they are solved determines the way the country [Music] functions dictate or discuss the answer is [Music] clear in this country it is still possible to speak frankly On Any Given subject a good Merchant knows how to evaluate such public comments he went to school it is still possible to have freedom of choice problems every day yet there is an instinct to be civil and considerate of [Music] others differences of opinion surely yet different goals can be reached without lies or bribery or [Music] violence developed within each citizen is the Democratic Spirit the Democratic method the tools with which answers may be found those tools are sharpened in the schools of America their proper uses are made [Music] clear learning to read is more than just that a man must learn to recognize lies know the danger of the [Music] half-truth a citizen must be able to speak in his own fashion Neo would you like to be now but Peter had a bright Lantern which showed him the way and soon and soon he had come all the way that was fine Karen would you like to read now the Statesman must know how to make others listen how to evaluate and transmit what he [Music] reads the foundation of national debate on great issues is built Stoned by Stone in the classroom history is Freedom's weapon fine Minds speaking simple truths through the centuries and sometimes even more important the lament of tens of thousands dying in a gas chamber the course of history and the way in which the course was changed there is a relation between then and now perhaps there's a connection between what the men of the Constitutional Convention achieved here and what all of you did last week when you elected George to repres present you on the school council how about it George did the class give you the power to be their boss or did they appoint you to speak for them George isn't our boss we tell him what to do we're still the boss all of us the housewife taught in this class will know that free citizens must be free from Fear the Injustice of the past can Kindle the indignation of today strange words sound strange until the language is learned and the ways of the people who speak it must be learn too understanding brings respect and liking a sense of sharing a team consists of 15 players whereas soccer requires but 11 now I imagine a lot of you are still thinking about the big game last weekend Henry let's hear you tell us about it in French well s we I mean new not I mean feetball football well how do you say football in French you're right Henry it's almost exactly the same in France as it is here although they play the game a bit differently some say it's a bit rougher well how did the game come out faith in the United Nations starts in school the tolerance of different ways within one world is taught one world within one Factory men may speak different languages or the same Words May mean various things to different men the finding of a common ground begins in school the tools for living are further tempered in chemistry lab of course learning how a basic oxide unites with an acid helps future chemists here too are future Homemakers and lawyers yes and farmers and Realtors industrialists and Craftsmen and Senators they are learning to check and approve to balance and evaluate none are born with those skills they all all have to be taught [Music] them here a boy May learn how to drain an orchard or put his arithmetic to work on a neighborhood problem Fred Gorman was taught the way to find the answer to his problem in school he will not forget [Music] today Mrs Colmar was once an American school girl she will weigh all the factors on the house John lton and Andrew meley may not come to a meeting of minds but they know how to affect a working compromise democratically the method is the important [Music] thing Senator Ames will do his level best to lead and his constituent still has an unmarked ballot in his pocket how will today's children function in a dangerous world what mean means will they use to carve the future will they be equipped to find the answers to tomorrow's problems will they be able to buy a house or run a farm are the people who tolerate such schools as these really concerned about democracy's future can schools like these be trusted to clarify the minds of democracy's [Music] children [Music] there's a reasonable doubt that youngsters can find Clarity in schools like this a teacher can't hammer out America's future with nothing but his bare hands [Music] [Music] [Music] an overworked teacher has too much work to do that's obvious and an underpaid teacher may eventually lose her eagerness her courage her self-esteem or is America too busy to care are the needs greater than the most resourceful nation in the world can [Music] meet this classroom is a challenge to democracy this teacher cannot be asked to meet that challenge [Music] alone a school like this holds more promise for America's future [Music] alert parents see to it that the school provides a chance for the youngsters to fulfill their [Music] potentialities regimentation is considered primitive in good American schools the children have an opportunity to stretch the muscles of their own initiative they can fly and fancy any place they please the air age acquires personal meaning it's not easy to learn the meaning of [Music] freedom the youngsters are learning responsibility gaining that all too necessary innate sense of right and wrong in this nation that's the right according to the law of every child that right must be extended to more and more children every day rights the right of access to [Music] information the right to think and to speak without [Music] fear the right to work toward chosen goals [Music] school children yes but in schools they learn the ways of Liberty which they must practice tomorrow to keep America free as congressmen businessmen Housewives Farmers labor leaders As Americans their decisions and the way they make them will determine the nature of our democracy today in our schools we can secure blessings of liberty to ourselves and our [Music] [Applause] [Music] posterity