Do you live in a large city, a small town, or in the country? What is the name of your town or the nearest town? At one point in the past, all this land was wild country, mostly woods.

Who first settled in the place which has grown to be a town? It is hard for us to believe that only a few hundred ago there were no houses, churches, schools, streets or roads where we now live.

The early settlers were strong and brave. They had to cut down the forests and build their first homes of rough logs. Then they planted fields with corn, wheat and vegetables. They killed the wild animals for food, using the skins for clothing. As soon as possible the settlers tried to build a small plain church and a school.

Now we have our fine towns which have grown from the early work of these first sturdy settlers. All the people should love our dear home town and try to make it beautiful, healthful, and comfortable. We should love our neighbors and treat them all like brothers and sisters. If we are true to our village or our dear town we will be kind and fair to all, rich and poor, Americans and foreigners, all races and creeds. That is one way of showing our thankfulness for our comfortable homes.

Notebook Work: Imagine what your neighborhood looked like before people settled in it. Draw your neighborhood before it was settled by people, including the thick woods and fierce wild animals.