The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1878-01-13
HOW BOYS SHOULD BE Trained

AT the late meeting of the Social Science
| Association North, Father Drumgoole, the
estimable Director OF st. Viocent's Home
for boys, New York, was called upon to ex-
press his views. He was taken altogether
by surprise, he said, as he had intended to
be present merely az a spectator. How
ever, be wOuld make few remarks ON q
! point that mad not yet been touched by any
OF tue gentlemen who preceded him. Then
! he went on to say: La looking after the
| interests of the child, it ia necessary to
! cultivate the heart. You must eradicate
| the vices OF youth if you wish that our
youth should grow up useful members of
society. My IDEA in training children is to
cultivate the heart and infuse- in TO the mind
of the child a knowledge of the law of God
and his duty tn his country, TO his neig hbor
and to hlmeelf. In training the child
take for my model the poor, houest, and in
dostrious, hardworking and virtuous man.
Help the child as his father would help him
until he ia able to do for himself. Teach
him spirit of honest industry and self
reliance.
The heart remember, is the battle field
of the soul. 1t is there that salvation must
be won or lost. 1t ia there that the strug-
gle between vice and virtue takes place.
1t ia there that the foundation of good OF
bad life begins, and we may spend millions
OF dollars TO better the condition of the
child, but if the heart is not cultivated and
brought under the influence of religion, all
ID lost. The vices of youth will predomin-
ate in manhood and he may easily fall a
prey to the prevailing spirit of insu bordin-
alton and to all the terrible 'isms of the
day that are everywhere threatening the
peace of society. If you want good and
valiant soldiers, ealtivate the heart; if you
want honest voters, politicians and iegisia
tors who will faithfully perform their du-
ties and be governed in all their actions
more by the justice of God and the well
rare OF their country than temporal gain,
then, say, cultivate the heart of the child,
{cheers}.
From my seven years. experience among
children, / find that with proper care,
boys Can all be reclaimed. I have had
boys who were some of the worst charac.
ters in New York, who, alter few months
training, were entirely reclaimed, and are
now holding situations of trust, beiug
highly respected by their employers for
honesty and industry. 1 might now give
very gratifying TO the hearts Of those noble
hearted ladies and gentlemen present. The
Legislature acted wisely in leaving the des-
titute young children to be brought up by
those of their own persuaDion whenever it
can be done. IL will always be consoIa-
tiOn TO the soldier, who rushes, at his coup-
try's call, to the battlefield, to know that,
should he fall, his family would be cared
for by his country and be brought up in the
persuasion which was dearest to his own
heart, and that they will grow up bearing
their father's name among their own kin
dred and in the sane Faith of their father,
no matter whether he was Methodist, an
. Presbyterian or a Catholic.
This thought will cause the brave soldier,
giving up his life for the welfare of his |
country, to die in peace.