CLOSE UP THE RANKS!

EDWARD SIMS VAN ZILE

Gently Death came and bent to him asleep;
His spirit passed, and, lo, his lovers weep,
But not for him, for him the unafraid-
In tears, we ask, "Who'll lead the great crusade?

"Who'll hearten us to carry on the war For those ideals our fathers battled for; To give our hearts to one dear flag alone

The flag he loved whose splendid soul has flown?"

With his last breath he gave a clarion cry: 10 "They only serve who do not fear to die; He only lives who's worthy of our dead! Beware the peril of the seed that's spread

"By them who'll reap a harvest of despair, By them whose dreams unstable are as air; 18 By them who see the rainbow in the sky, But not the storm that threatens by and by."

Our leader rests, his voice forever still;

But let us vow to do our leader's will!

Close up the ranks! Our Captain is not dead! 20 His soul shall live, and by his soul we're led;

Led forward fighting for the real, the true
Not turned aside by what the dreamers do.
If he could speak he would not have us weep;
But souls awake whose Captain lies asleep.

NOTES AND QUESTIONS

Biography. Edward Sims Van Zile (1863-), a native of Troy, New York, is an editorial writer and author. He is editor of Current Literature. Discussion. 1. What thought in "Close Up the Ranks" is similar to that expressed in “Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight" and in “He Leads Us Still"? 2. What ideals that Roosevelt stood for are expressed in this poem? 3. What is the significance of the title? 4. Library reading: In the Review of Reviews for July, 1919, there is a collection of poems written on the death of Theodore Roosevelt, among them "Great-Heart," by Kipling, who is an admirer of Roosevelt. Be prepared to read to the class the poem in this collection that appeals most strongly to you.

In your study of history you have learned something of the growth of the spirit of freedom throughout the world. You have traced its development with particular interest in the history of our own country from the time the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth to our participation in the World War. You have discovered, perhaps, that history, dealing with a record of facts, appeals to your understanding, while literature, taking the facts of history as a basis and treating them with imagination, appeals particularly to your feelings. What are the different historic facts that form the basis of the various poems found in the group called "The Spirit of Freedom"? Compare the poet's treatment of Paul Revere's ride with the historian's treatment, as found in your history textbooks. Discuss in class which method of treatment, the literary or the historic, is the more likely to inspire noble conduct. The love of freedom was a strong conviction, not an idle sentiment, to the poets represented in this group; which of them sacrificed their lives to maintain this principle? Give the circumstances in each case. Read again pages 335, 336, and tell how the thoughts apply to the poems in this group. What have you learned about contemporary poetry from studying the poems in Part III? What patriotic lyric is quoted in The Man Without a Country? What lyrics inspired by the World War do you find in Part III?

Every nation has its heroes who have worked and striven that the common people might have greater opportunities for development and happiness. If we could read the languages of other nations, we should doubtless be thrilled by what their writers tell of their freedom-loving heroes. However, to the Englishspeaking peoples the credit must be given for developing a system of government that reflects the common will of all the people. While other nations have made progress in self-government,

America is looked upon as the great experiment in free government; this implies not absolute liberty of each one to do as he likes, but submission to rules and restrictions that men place on themselves for the good of all. In the group of selections called “England and America" you learned of the relationship between these two nations, and of America's place in the world. How did Burke and Pitt regard the American colonists? What did you learn from Washington of America's place in the world? From Webster? In what were the ideas of the British poet Burns and the American poet Whittier alike? What famous definition of our government did Abraham Lincoln make? America is called the land of opportunity; how does Woodrow Wilson show that Abraham Lincoln's life demonstrates the truth of this?

But even the best system of government cannot succeed unless men everywhere feel the bond of human brotherhood and are willing to work for the common welfare. Hermann Hagedorn calls the boys and girls of America "the hope of the world"; do you think he expects too much from them or do you think they are ready to take up responsibility? What can you do in your home and school and neighborhood to help put into practice the "glorious experiment of democracy"? Dr. Holmes speaks of "one-story intellects, two-story intellects, three-story intellects with skylights." "All fact-collectors," he says, "who have no aim beyond their facts, are one-story men. Two-story men compare, reason, generalize, using the labors of the fact-collectors as well as their own. Three-story men idealize, imagine, predict; their best illumination comes from above, through the skylight." Where in this classification do those persons belong who have the ability, as Mr. Hagedorn says, "greatly to dream, to build, to battle, to kindle, to serve"? How do you think "A Code of Morals," Hutchins (in American Magazine, April, 1918), may be used to help American boys and girls realize the ideals of good citizenship? How was Yussouf's feeling for the brotherhood of man tested? What short story in Part III was written to arouse the spirit of patriotism? Under what circumstances was it written? How did your speed in reading this story silently compare with that of your classmates? With the eighth grade standard?

What fine expression of his feeling for a great service did Lincoln make? Which oral discussion suggested by "theme topics" in Part III was so stimulating that it resulted in a class activity? Plan a Service or Good Citizenship program from material found in this book, with the help of the library and the music department. American boys and girls have daily opportunities to render individual service; what opportunities for organized service does The Junior Red Cross offer? The Camp Fire Girls? The Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts? What part does your school take in these national organizations? Discuss in class (two-minute talks) the purposes of each of these organizations as expressed in their laws, pledges, mottoes, and emblems. Read again the last paragraph of the Introduction, page 338, and think how you, as an individual and as a member of one or more of these national organizations, may help to carry on the great tradition of liberty and service.