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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
United States heritage program presented at study club
The Modern Study Club met recently for an Americanism Department
Program entitled, "Our United States Heritage: Remembering Our
Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and the Magna Carta. Paula
Fuller, chairman of the department, planned and presented her own
program.
The thought-quote for the meeting was - "Eternal vigilance is the
price of Liberty" - Thomas Jefferson.
Ms. Fuller began her presentation by telling of the medieval way of
life in England which made law and order almost meaningless. Medieval
Europe was a map of continually changing and warring Kingdoms, isolated
walled cities, secluded monasteries, provinces and principalities over
which hereditary claimants constantly clashed. Feudalism was a system
based on an exchange of promises between the owners of land and their
tenants. This was a pyramid arrangement with the king at the top, then
the barons or nobles, their lieutenants or knights and so on down to
the peasants.
She continued telling of the rulers of Europe down through the ages
to when John, brother of Richard I-the Lion Hearted, became ruler. John
was cruel, violent, greedy, treacherous and his rule was so harsh that
the nobles and knights banded together as Englishmen and forced him to
sign the Magna Carta (or the Great Charter). This was the beginning of
our democratic heritage, in 1215, some 788 years ago. The Magna Carta
established that the King had to come under the laws of the land and as
a whole stands for the spirit of the law more than specific laws and
therefore is flexible to changing times.
Ms. Fuller then told about the Mayflower Compact which was signed on
November 11, 1620, on board the Mayflower (ship) in Cape Cod Bay. The
Pilgrim Fathers voluntarily signed this compact agreeing to
self-government. There were numerous references to God in this
agreement: by the grace of God, in the presence of God, for the glory
of God, and in the name of God; and for the advancement of the
Christian faith. Taxation without representation was also discussed and
called tyranny.
Rebels against King and Parliament, the men who signed the
Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, literally
took their lives in their own hands commented Ms. Fuller. Many, like
George Washington, had hoped that a complete break with Great Britain
could be avoided. But the resistance began at Lexington and Concord had
finally made this hope vain. The Declaration itself was written, in
it's final form, by Thomas Jefferson. With its signing, all hope of
reconciliation ended. Franklin is reported to have said, as the group
of men left the hall after the signing: "If we don't hang together, we
shall hang separately." The Declaration is one of the most famous
documents of all times and was the Unanimous Declaration of the
Thirteen United States of America.
Ms. Fuller also spoke concerning the Bill of Rights. It's
establishment by the Constitution Convention, presided over by George
Washington, produced such a relatively strong federal charter, as a
basis for a central government, that many were of the opinion that the
new Constitution granted such sweeping powers that the rights of the
states and of the people might be overridden. The various sections of
this American Bill of Rights as these Amendments were called, after the
English Bill of Rights granted by the Prince of Orange in 1689, were
adopted finally by all the states as a guarantee of protection for the
rights of the individual against any possible tyranny by the majority.
To this day they remain the ordinary American's bulwark against mob
rule.
Winning the War of 1812 finally established the United States as a
sovereign nation. After the peace was signed at Ghent, that gave birth
to our National Anthem. In 1814, Francis Scott Key, a Baltimore lawyer,
had gone aboard a British warship to arrange the release of an American
prisoner. He was forced to stay aboard during the night-long
bombardment of Fort McHenry. At daybreak, as firing ceased, Key saw the
Stars and Stripes still waving, and wrote the poem, which is sung to an
English melody, that we know as our "National Anthem."
President Joyce Morton presided during the program. During opening
ceremonies Catherine Travland led the Club Collect and Paula Fuller led
the pledged to the United States of America Flag and the Texas flag, as
those in attendance repeated all in unison.
Pearl Gustafson, treasurer, presented a report concerning club
finances. She reported a donation from the Estate of Phyllis Stool to
The Modern Study Club. The hearts of the club members were very touched
by Phyllis' generous gifts to the organizations, that their work could
continue on awhile even though they had lost so many faithful members.
During the report of correspondence the club received a thank you
letter from Safe Place for their gifts to them. It was also reported
that a thank you letter had been sent to the family of Phyllis Stool
for her generous gift to the Club.
Federation Counselor Lena Harpham presented a Federation Report on
"Stop Elder Abuse." She stated that currently there are no Federal Laws
protecting the elderly. Types of abuse include physical, mental,
psychological, sexual, exploitation, fraud and neglect. In February
2003, Senators John Breaus and Orrin Hatch introduced the "Elder Abuse
Act." This bill addresses these crimes against the elderly and provides
seniors the protection they need to live safely and securely. This bill
would make the laws uniform throughout the nation.
A report was made concerning the Fall Board Meeting, 2003, of the
Western District of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs held in
McCamey, recently. Joyce Morton and Lena Harpham attended representing
The Modern Study Club. President Morton made reports for District
Committee Chairmen Doris Moorman, Catherine Travland and Etta Sullivan,
recently deceased.
The club made a donation to the Western District Alma Van Sickle
Scholarship fund as a memorial honoring District Life Member, Etta
Sullivan. Being a life member requires 25 consecutive years of local
service and 10 years of service on the district board. Mrs. Sullivan
also served on many committees, both on the local and district level,
served in numerous offices in the club and served as The Modern Study
President 1972-1973, 1974-1975 and 1988-1990. Mrs. Sullivan enjoyed her
work in the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs and had many dear friends
throughout the state of Texas because of her many, many years of
Federation work. Etta Sullivan became a member of The Modern Study Club
in 1958 and was a pillar in the organization since that time.
Gifts for lodgers at the Pecos Nursing Home and donations for
Christmas for Kids were discussed and finalized. Both projects are
long-time efforts by the organization
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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Copyright 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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