Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-04-27
Take Care of Your Boys.

I n
ed by the venerable editor of the Mem
phis Bulletin to parents and guardians Of
that city, has an extensive application,
and should be handed around among
guardians of youth in smaller towns and
country places:
Have you boy? If you have take
care of him. See to it that he does not
assert his manhood before his time. Sec
to it that he does not contract the vulgar
and criminal practices of bad men. See
to it that his affections are not alienated
from him by false system of indul-
gence. See to it that his morals as well
as his mind, are cultivated. If you
would properly appreciate your response
biiity as the director OF the character of
youth, read the history of crime, and
trace the rushing river of sin back to its
rills--rills that break out from under the
paternal roof, and if unobserved, min
gle speedily into volume of strength
that mothers prayer and fathers
frown cannot resist 1t requires no effort
for boy to grow into depraved manhood.
He has but to roam abroad and see the
corrupt worll--to battle his bright eye
in ten thousand lamps that pour upon the
walls of human bells more than orien-
tai splendor---to strike his foot against
the curb-stone that looked up to the place
where passion has piled its fuel. But to
keep him from becoming entangled in the
snares of human dcvils--to crush the
gilded serpent of pernicious example that
ever Graves an audience of his ear, is
work, labor that hath its difficulties,
and can only be successful by the obser-
vance of the most untiring ass;duity -
The lessons Of mothers love, and the
influence of fathers counsel, may be
countcracted in an hout bg saa agents Of
depravity that throng through ali ibis
world and penetrate to the very hearth
stone that ought to be kept sacred from
the touch of profano influences.
But what must be thought Of the fu-
turc of boys who are denied the advan-
tages Of correct parental counsel-who
are either down, trodden orphans, or what
is still as unfortunate, have drunken
beasts or depraved brutes who answer to
the sacred name of parsnt2 How is it
in Memphis? Go to any place of amuse-
ment, to the theatre, to concerts, to pub
lie celebrations. to public meetings, and
you will make the discovery that the boys
conduct the applause ana stand in the
fore ground of tic occasion. f f is 10;
twelve months since school exhibition
at Odd Fellows FALL was nearly broken
up by rowdy boys who greeted the per-
Torrance with yells and howls. These
boys appear to have no parents or pro.
tectors, and float abroad with the scum o.
society, and are promising candidates fol
places in the calendar of crime Wha
names they bear, we know not, and i
! matters not, for names arc not things
when they come to take their places in
the rolls Of infamy.
Men and women Of Memphis Docs
your boy run at large? Does he foa
with that under current of society tina
recognizes no law but its own deprayec
will, and no sovereign but the fiery GOO
Of Passion? Look to it that he 20 not
in the way that will bring him to infamy
and your white hairs in sorrow to the
grave. You must be less than human
if the voice Of nature does not counsel
you to curb the headstrong disposition
Of your children, and mark well whether
their way Of life may lead to virtue and
usefulness or to ruin and remorse.
If parents will not look after their
boys, let it be the business Of the city
, to do it. 1t is bad enough for men 10
obstruct the ends of justice, for they,
perchance, knew no councillors but APP
petite in the days of youth; but it is ten
, fold more disgraceful to society that boys
shall be permitted to assault the public
institutions Of learning, and put the
f teachers employed by the people in fear
Of bodily harm, as has been done in this
city But how much worse even than
that is it, that boys shall be allowed 4
murder men in The strcetsi VIII the city
> government not make some attempt Il
put check upon the rowdy boys Of tho
city, If they are orphans. it is the I'M.
perative duty of the citizens to look t.
them. If they have parents, then, the
) duty Of the law is to compel them to az
ford the proper restraints. What bust
ness has boy at the theatre, or public
, meeting, or FIRE, or any place where
, many persons meet together, unless be is
under tho protection Of father, guar
dian or friend? None whatever. lie
can only be injured at such places, for
where there is most passion, and most
danger, there he viii CO. We suggest
IN parents that the time has arrived when
boys must be subjected to greater re-
strants. and if they will not DO il, the
public authorities will take the matter in
their hands.