Home & Country Newsletters (Stoney Creek, ON), Winter 1961, p. 19

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1k 1k * CROWDED WAYS OF LIFE itten in reply to The House by the Side of the Road) By Walter S. Gresham 's only a half truth the oet has sung 0f the "house by the Si e of the way." Master had neither a house nor a home. But He walked with the crowd day by day. :1 I think, When I read of the poet's desire, A That a house by the road would be good; t service is found in its tenderest form When we walk with the crowd in the road. I say, let me walk with the man in the road, Let me seek out the burdens that crush, t me ipeak a kind word of good Cheer to the ~13 W83 » L “ Who are falling behind in the rush. ere are wounds to be healed, there are breaks we must mend, There's a cup of cold water to give; .d the man in the road by the side of his friend Is the man who has learned to live. ‘could not remain in the house by the road I And watch as the rollers go on, eir faces beclouded with pain and with sin, 50 burdened their strength nearly gone. go to their side, I'll speak in good cheer, ' A I‘ll help them to carry their load; . _ d l'll smile at the man in the house by the way, As I walk with the crowd in the road. 1.1: there in the road that goes by the house, ‘ ’Where the poet is singing his song, -11 walk and I'll work 'miclst the heat of the day, 7 And I'll help falling brothers alongâ€" »oo busy to live in the house by the way, Too happy for such an abode. ' or] my heart sings its praise to the Master of all, . Who is helping me serve in the road. ‘1' * ‘A’ rms of prejudice and discrimination would not so. But what a dull world it would be! Diversity ould stimulate our social consciousness, should d to the vigor of our growth and the wealth of ur heritage. ,If parents and teachers are mindful of their ,nguage. children will learn to regard differences in dress, in language or in culture as the fascinatâ€" i‘u and stimulating characteristics which educated ersons know them to be. ' It is wise also to challenge the prejudiced atements made orally or in print about other cos, religions or nations. Often such remarks e made nnthinkingiy, but they do perpetuate ejudice. As democratic citizens. too. we should otest discriminatory behaviour in all its forms. oused public feeling often has a surprisingly eneficial effect. Some months ago. citizen proâ€" , is induced a landlord to liberalize his leasing quirements. It is the vital obligation of every citizen to ’ pport the individuals and organizations conâ€" all of us when “newcomers” of many years' nding say that they have never been ln‘ a nadian home. I think that many do not realize than most the problems and perplexilies of strangers in a community. Multiply those prob- lems and perplexities by a foreign language. limit- ed funds, the pressing need of a job and one be- gins to understand the intense problems facing immigrants. It is important, too, to try to understand the mentality of minority groups. Often newcomers are accu5ed of a lack of appreciation. of arrogance or of aloofness. Very often their attitude is merely defensive. Old familiar ways usually seem best to most of us; one's own country reminiscently superior. Not only newcomers but native Canadians Ven- turing forth from their Reserves into our com- munities also need a helping hand and encourage- ment so that they can bridge the gap between their ancestral way of life and the sophisticated ways of the modern world. It is sometimes for- gotten that many Indian children entering schools are familiar only with their native tongue and have to start their schooling in what is to them a foreign language. It would be hard enough for any of us to progress under such circumstances; it is equally hard for Indian children. It is not easy to put oneself mentally in the place of another person: it is even more difficult to do so physically as the Uniled States citizen achieved with skin pigmentation. But such efforts do give one a better understanding of the deplh of the hurt and humiliation which many people endure because of unfounded prejudices â€" hurt and humiliation which few of us would willingly suffer for any length of time. Citizenship Programme Aids HE FOLLOWING PUBLICATIONS will I be supplied free to citizenship programme convcncrs and study groups if a request is made to the Canadian Citizenship Branch. Dc- partmenl of Citizenship and Immigration. Ottawa: The Art of Programme Planning By popular request. [he series of arlicles on program planning that were published in Citizen last season. have been reprinted in one booklet. Titles include: Keeping Your Eye on the Programme Goal “It's My Turn lo Plan the Meeting" Planning for Action Films as a Program Aid Tile Citizen in a Democracy This reprinted article originally published in Citizen. February 1959. outlines the role of a citizen in a democracy and shows how he can help form public opinion on which legislation is ultimately based. Includes questions for discusâ€" sion and a reading list. Women as Citizens in Canada and the World How women gradually came to take a greater part in the political and economic life of Canada is traced in this article. reprinted from Citizen. December 1958. Reference is also made to the work of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Discussion questions and a reading list help to make this reprint valuable for study group purposes. Citizenship Projects Stories of twenty projects previously described in Citizen have been collected in this booklet. 21

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