Our America: The Elements of Civics

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Excerpt from Our America: The Elements of Civics
There is no subject of so great importance to American citizenship as the study of the way we govern our affairs. In a country where every citizen takes a part in controlling public affairs it must be apparent that every citizen should have a clear idea of the problems that confront him in city, state and nation. How can a citizen act intelligently on the public problems of the day, such as roads, health, education, conservation and control of business, unless he knows at least the elementary facts about them?
Not only should the citizens be informed on the problems which confront them, but they need also to be familiar with the plan and methods by which we govern ourselves. The citizen needs to know the actual government of his country in sufficient detail to enable him to vote with the best effect. We need to know what the officers whom we elect are called upon to do if we are to choose men fitted for the offices. Above all we need to realize that the government in all its forms is our government, subject to our control and to any changes which we choose to make in it. It is a most unfortunate fact that so many people look on government as being something imposed from without instead of being created and run by the people for their own benefit.