In one town in Denmark, some girls and boys are as eager for the Fourth
of July as American girls and boys are. For, like many American girls
and boys, on that day they are going to a picnic in a park. Yes, they
are going to a Fourth-of-July picnic and a picnic as much like an
American picnic as they can have. About the only things missing from
their picnic are firecrackers. The law of Denmark will not permit
firecrackers.
The park is called The American National Park. The bands play patriotic
American music. The people sing American patriotic songs, “The
Star-Spangled Banner” and “America.” Speakers tell about America and how
our country won independence. The Stars and Stripes float in the breeze
with the Danish flag of red and white. People play ball and run races.
They eat lunches from big lunch baskets.
One American visitor asked, “Who are the people celebrating our
Independence Day?” If you asked that question at the park, and a Danish
boy answered, the answer would be, “This is the Danish-American Club.”
Have you ever heard of Danish-American clubs in America? The members of
Danish-American clubs in America are people who have come from Denmark
to live in America. The Danish-American Club in Denmark is made up of
Danish people who have lived in America at some time and Danish people
who have relatives living in America.
Svend is one boy you might meet at a Fourth of July picnic in Denmark.
Svend was born in the city of Chicago in the United States. His father
and mother were both born in Denmark, but they lived in America about
ten years. Svend’s father studied in the United States and learned to be
a librarian.
Svend was only four years old when he went to Denmark to live. Of course
Svend could speak English then. But when he was old enough to go to
school, he began speaking Danish all the time. His father wanted him to
speak English at home so that he would not forget the English words.
Svend said, “Oh, if I speak English, the boys call me a _foreigner_.”
Svend was only seven years old when he said that. When he is older he
will study English in the schools of Denmark. Then perhaps he will be
proud that he can speak English easily.
Svend’s father takes care of a library for the Danish-American Club. In
his library are many, many books telling about how Denmark and America
work together. Some of the books are written in Danish and some are
written in English. Both Danish-American clubs in Denmark and
Danish-American clubs in America give money to support the park and the
library.
Svend’s father is glad to take Svend to the Danish-American picnic on
the Fourth of July each year, for he wants Svend to love America, the
land where he was born.
Karl is another boy at the picnic. He is fifteen years old. He speaks
English very well from his study in school. Karl’s family go to the
Fourth of July picnic because Karl’s uncle lives in America. Karl writes
to his cousins in the United States. From them he has learned many
things about our country.
Travelers in Denmark sometimes go to the Fourth of July picnic. They
cannot feel strange on that picnic ground with the many American flags
and the American songs.