2.
Our lovely starry banner
Defeat must never know,
For it stands for truth and freedom
Where’er its colors blow.
Then pledge your faith anew
A vow to Liberty,
Which shall never cease to bless us
’Neath the banner of the free.
Enter Uncle Sam, a boy dressed in usual costume. He stands in center of stage while girls who sang group themselves at back of stage.
Uncle Sam:
I am America’s Uncle Sam,
Democracy’s pioneer.
I have sent a message across the sea
That other lands may hear;
And there comes to us now a call for aid
For her cause has suffered harm,
And Democracy turns for protection now
To your Uncle Sam’s strong right arm.
And I—in turn—am asking you
What help you will give to me,
And what will you do to make the world
Safe for Democracy.
A splendid army you’ve given me
But the fight has just begun
And men must be training all the time
For the work is not yet done.
So teach the little children, too,
A patriotic zeal
And they will be ready, if ever there’s need,
To answer a world’s appeal.
Enter 12 small boys in soldier suits. They advance to front of stage, Uncle Sam standing at one side. At conclusion of speeches soldiers step to back of stage. Each group take same positions before and after speaking and singing.
| All Soldiers: | When each of us becomes a man He’ll be a soldier if he can. |
| 1st. | I’d like to be a drummer boy. I’d beat a charge with vim and joy. |
| 2nd. | I’d be a trumpeter. I’d never sound retreat But call the men from hill and glen the enemy to meet. |
| 3rd. | I’d love to be a gunner and make the cannon roar. A lot of gunners, brave and strong, I’m sure would end this war. |
| 4th. | I’ll be an aviator and like a bird I’ll fly Within my shining airship, away up in the sky. |
| 5th. | I’ll drive a Red Cross ambulance and all the wounded men I’ll take away from battle fields, till they are well again. |
| 6th. | Some one must feed the soldiers and I think I’d like to cook. I don’t know how to do it, but you learn it from a book. |
| 7th. | I’d love to ride on horseback in every big parade, But when it comes to battles I think I’d be afraid. |
| 8th. | I’d like to be a general, like Joffre, so good and wise And find myself a hero in every nation’s eyes. |
| 9th. | I’d like to be as famous as the mighty General Foche Who leads the allied armies to war against the Boche. |
| 10th. | I’d like to lead our army like General Pershing, he Is just the biggest hero in all the world to me. |
| 11th. | I guess I’ll be a private. We can’t all heroes be, But anyway, I know I’ll serve my country faithfully. |
| 12th. | I’ll be the color bearer and hold our flag on high, And always, o’er the battle field, it will in victory fly. |
| All. | We’ll serve our country and our flag and serve them faithfully And all be valiant soldiers when men we grow to be. |
Uncle Sam:
Don’t fail to help the Red Cross, too,
Theirs is a noble task,
They ease the dying, cure the hurt,
So give whene’er they ask.
Enter any number girls dressed as Red Cross nurses. They sing air, “Yankee Doodle”.