THE PEOPLE
1
Think of the many buildings which you see as you look over the
landscape. There are people living in nearly all of those houses. Just
think of the many, many people who live here. How many are there? How
many schools have we in the town? How many people go to your school?
Most of these people look much alike, but some are very different in
appearance. Name some of the different kinds of people whom you have
seen. How do you distinguish a negro and Chinaman or Mongolian from a
white person or Caucasian? Tell about their hair, skin or any other
peculiar features.
Each kind of people is called a race. The pictures show some of the
races we often see--Caucasian, Mongolian and negro. The Chinese and
Japanese are called Mongolians.
2
THE INDIANS
The Indians lived at this place which is now our home long before there
were any white people here or any towns at all. Where these many
buildings now stand there was wild country, fields and woods. Under the
trees stood the Indian wigwams made of skins and branches. The early
settlers came to this country from far across the ocean. After William
Penn landed with his companions he began at once to make friends with
the Indians. As the red men were living upon the land, Penn thought that
it was only fair and honest to buy from them the land that the English
people wanted for their homes. The Indians could not use money, so he
gave them blankets and other presents which pleased them very much. The
Indians promised William Penn to live in peace with the white men and
they kept their promise for many years.
[Illustration: AN INDIAN FAMILY.]
Most of the white people who came in those early days to other parts of
our land did not act in this noble way. When they wanted land on which
to build their homes they drove the Indians away, killing many of them.
Thus these unjustly treated Indians became the enemies of the white men,
and often treated them very cruelly in return. Let us remember that the
Indians were the first owners of this land of ours and that they should
be treated as William Penn showed us, with kindness and justice.
[Illustration: INDIAN CHIEF.]
Those wild Indians of long ago had many noble traits. They were strong
and brave and fearless.
Read in some of your school books about Indians and their homes.
3
THE NEGROES
There were no negroes in this country till many years after Columbus and
the other white men began to settle here. Some white men went far across
the sea to Africa. They stole the negroes away from their homes, carried
them to their ships and sailed back to this country. Then these white
men sold the negroes to other men for money. The poor colored men had to
work terribly hard as slaves and received no pay for their work. At last
they were freed by Abraham Lincoln and others who helped him.
[Illustration: NEGRO.]
The negroes have much that is fine in their character. Even when they
were slaves they often grew to love their masters so dearly that they
would do anything in the world, even give up their lives, for their
masters. We should always remember that God made the negro as well as
the white man. Fair-minded people will try to be honest, kind and just
to everyone.
4
THE CHINESE
[Illustration: CHINESE MANDARIN AND SERVANT.]
Many Chinamen have come to our country from their distant homes in
China. Their country is so crowded, and it is so hard to earn a living
there, that most of the people are very poor.
The Chinese living in our country are peaceful and quiet. They work very
hard in their laundries and other places of business; yet there are many
white people so cruel and thoughtless as to ridicule a Chinaman whenever
they see one. These white people should remember that God made the
Chinaman and that he is a stranger here in our country. Is it not even
worse to ill-treat a stranger than one who is at home? The color of our
skin and hair is not very important. It matters far more whether we are
honest, loving, industrious and fair-minded.
Not all of the white people living around us were born in this country.
Where did your parents and grandparents live when they were children?
Do you know any people who came from distant lands? Where were their
first homes? Find out how many of the parents of your schoolmates came a
long journey over the water to reach our land.
Yes, we have people from many foreign countries. Some are English,
Irish, Scotch or French. Then there are the Germans, Italians, Russians
and others. From what country did each of these people come?
Here they are all living together, people from all over the great wide
world. Our homes stand side by side. We work and play together. Truly we
are brothers and sisters, for we are all children in the great human
family. It matters not from what distant land our people may have come,
we should all be bound together like one family by human love and
kindness.