When you grow older you will study the Declaration of Independence. This is a paper that was signed by some heroes who started our United States. They wanted a country where everybody could be free and happy. So the very first thing they put into that paper was that every person has a right to life, liberty and happiness. The Declaration of Independence is America's Golden Rule. Every one who lives here may live where and how he likes, go about freely and enjoy himself in his own way, so long as he doesn't interfere with other people's rights. That satisfies most persons, but there are selfish and even wicked people who want more than their rights. To get what they want, they do not care how much trouble and pain and loss they make for others. So we have to have laws, telling people what they are not allowed to do, and officers to make people obey those laws.

Laws are just rules for good behavior. You know how unhappy one selfish, ill-tempered person can make a whole family. It is the same in school. One unruly pupil can make trouble for a whole room. One boy who is a "bully" on the playground, can spoil everybody's fun. Little law-breakers become big law-breakers when they grow up. Then they find out that if they interfere with other people's life, liberty and happiness, officers of the law will arrest and punish them. It is better to learn to be good citizens in the home and school, so it will be easier to obey laws when you grow up.

If you live in even a small village, very likely you have a town marshal. He tells boys they must not throw stones or snow balls in the streets for they might break windows, or hit people or frighten horses into running away. He tells them not to build bonfires in the streets, or near fences and barns along alleys. He tells them not to climb shade trees or fruit trees without the owner's permission, for they might break limbs. He tells them they must not chase cats, or tie tin cans to dogs' tails, or rob birds' nests, or use sling stones on birds. The law forbids cruelty to helpless animals. You see, all these laws are just good common sense and kindness.

In small places, very few people break laws because everybody knows everybody else, and a selfish, troublesome person soon gets himself disliked and goes away. He is apt to go to a big city. He thinks where there are so many people he will not be noticed, and he can do as he pleases. But there he finds a whole army of policemen whose business it is to keep order. Policemen are the friends and protectors of everyone who behaves well, and the enemies of everyone who makes trouble for others.

Policemen always look out for children. Some school houses in cities are on crowded street corners, where street cars, wagons and automobiles are always passing. Often the children have to cross railroad tracks to get to school. In such dangerous places there is always a policeman, in a blue uniform and brass buttons, to help the children across. When he lifts his stick or his hand, every car or wagon driver has to stop. He can arrest a man who disobeys him. Very likely he has little ones of his own at home. Very often he picks up a little first grader who is afraid, and carries her across the street. If a policeman finds a lost child on the street, he calls a police wagon and gives the baby a fine ride to the station house. There he is fed and petted and put to sleep. Then the policeman goes to find the baby's mama and papa. A policeman is the best strange friend a little boy and girl can have. You see, he is a peace soldier. It is his business to take care of people.