Four freedoms

Dear Editor,

Memories of my old elementary school in Denver in the 1940s keep popping into my mind.

Dora Moore School consisted of two buildings located at Ninth and Corona Streets. The oldest of the two buildings was built in 1883 and had Victorian style architecture.

I noticed that it was a lot like Stevens Elementary School where I attended Girl Scout meetings. Both schools displayed a picture of George Washington and had a color guard of students who raised and lowered the American flag.

World War II was in progress and adults were discussing complicated subjects like the Atlantic Charter and the Four Freedoms. President Roosevelt said that everybody should have them.

Our fifth grade class had some smart kids, but we didn't understand all the details.

Miss Reese, our Social Studies teacher, displayed some large posters by Porter Rockwell. She said that he was a famous artist who lived in Vermont. She explained that everyone has the right to enjoy Freedom from Want; Freedom from Fear; Freedom of Speech; and Freedom of Worship.

In my mind's eye I can still see those posters and the wonderful expressions on the people's faces. (They were just ordinary folks in simple clothing.)

Most of all, I know that if we could achieve those goals in 2013, we would have a better world.

(Art critics say the Four Freedoms posters were Rockwell's best work.)

Helen Ruth Arnold

Trenton, Nebraska