Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-08-22
Poison for the Youthful Mind.

OiLuO 1ONOio Va a LhOSb OOJSNhAOAApAS
class. To speak of this feculent stuff as
poisonous is surely within the bounds,
| for although the publications in ques-
tion do not fall within the laws re-
strietions as immoral or obscene, they
are, nevertheless, contaminating and
pernicious in their effects upon the
immature mind of the growing youth
by whom they are very largely pa
tronized. In passing along the streets
everybody has seen them displayed at
the shop fronts, and pretty nearly eve
rybody has some idea of their charac-
ter. 1t tseems as II they are especially
written to destroy all notions of hon
est industry, of success in life by ap-
plication to legitimate pursuits, and to
substitute in the place of sensible am
bition desire for impossibly wild and
romantic careers. They are calculated
to teach a clever and pushing boy that
he is a fool for remaining fastened to
his school and home duties; that he
should throw off all restrictions and
domestic associations and strike out
for himself in the world In any capa-
city, from a boot black to a bandit.
The heroes are preternaturally smart
fellows, who have tapped the family
ton upon adventures, in the course of
which they run the gauntlet OF vicious
ness, crime, beastly iraterniZations
NTH abandoned people, hazardous en-
terprises, and finally end by some for
tuitous chance in plenty and prOsperi-
ty. 1t Is almost needless to say that
such lessons are wholly bad, and yet
they have wonderful influence on the
. Of tho hnV WI hn
is constantly taking them in from the
printed sheet. They fill his dreams;
they unit him TOR ali work at his
books, his desk or his trade, and If they
fail to make worthless young vaga-
bond of him it is only because some
saving cause interterF5. 1t is not very
difficult TO persuade the city represen-
tative of the growing generation that
the better lie is to drink, TO seek
rough company, to haunt bar rooms,
concert halls and sporting houses, and
| to make the earliest possible break for
freedom aud laWle5sne5S. OF course,
the average youngster who does get
his feet once we'll planted on such a
career is most likely to become a loaf
er or criminal within the next few
years. The New York Tribune has
been summing mp some OF the pleasing
results of the mental stimulant afforded
by the flash weeklies and yelloW-cov-
cred novels:
"Once in while we are shocked by the dis
closure of certain facts which seem to indicate
| an increase of crime among young boys. The
police discover some secret lair where lads OF
a Bohemian taste play at gipsy and bestow
the proceeds of course of petty pilferingi or
gang of young thieves is broken up, and the
rascaIs prove to be half grown children; or
party of Shop boys rob till and sail on
voyage to the Spanish Main; or perhaps the
budding hero indulges in the glory OF pistol
and homicide Stealing in small way is
found to be common among boys. 1t Is not
hong since the detectives arresteda an extensive
dealer in stolen postage stamps who obtained
all his supplies rom errand boys and most of
the money he paid them no doubt, POUNDS its
way to the purveyors ofpernlclous literature.
The Superintendent of the House Of Refuge
Oh Randall's Island, who has given great
deal of attention to the philosophy ofjuvenile
crime mentioned curious circumstance the
other day in conversation with one of our re-
porters. There has been OF late most re-
| markable increase in the number OF boy
tramps. Vagrancy seems to have become
with these lads almost a mania. The absence
of restraint, the free life i'll the open air, the
irregular and surreptitious meal, the variety
| OF scene and incident, the chance of adventure,
have irresistible charms for them; and it is
easy enough to trace their vitiated taste di-
rectly to indulgence in sensational hterature.t
This experience as the outcome of
poisonous publications for the young
is more than common enough. 1t is
well known to the officials of local in
stilution5 FOR the retention and reform
alton of juvenile delinqnents;' and, in
deed, in all such establishments 1t is a
stringent rule to exclude from the
reading matter allowed TO the inmates
papers and books Of this class Boys
who are confined try numerous strata
gems to obtain Possession OF the very
sort of literaure that has been instru-
mental In bringing them to misfortune,
and care and watchfulnes5 are required
to keep it from them. But even 10
cases of boys who are not directly led
into evil courses by such reading, the
effect is nevertheless bad. 1t WeakenS
and debaucheS their mental strength
and tastes. 1t saps all intellectual Wig
or and is fatal to the disposition for
healthy reading. 1t makes OF the boy
what we may call, for want of more
elegant word, a mush-head, who will
probably never afterWard be able to
take any pleasure in, or derive any
profit from, the productions of great
minds. A course of sensational read
ing is very much like prolonged in.
toXication on adulterated liquOrS-it
attacks the brain and rob5 it.Ot all its
highest and best faculties. Moreover,
there Is no excuse for feeding the
youthful mind with such stuff. Hearty,
breezy and choice literature for the
young is now abundant. Men and
women of brilliant abilities and re-
quirements as writers are producing
magazines and books that are lnvigo-
rating In tone, engrossing in interest
and wholesome in sentiment. The
lessons in science, art, history and
travel are being reproduced in choice
vet simple forms, and the grade OF
standard fiction for the boys and girls
has been elevated by the work of mar
rative writer's who have already at
lained foremost rank in the more Sc.
rious department of literary effort.
Time was when there was nothing for
the growing generations but the tlab-
by, goody goOdy style Of fiction, each
story only disguised imitation of its
predecessor, and in all ineXpresiibly |
dreary. But all that has been changed,
aud the model books OF to-day are rs
different from the feeble tales OF twenty |
years as they are from the Overstrained |
aud nOXious romances that ought TO be |
permitted in the hands of no child. |
The youth Of the present are eXcep- |
tionally favored in the attention paid |
by conscientious and graphic authors |
to providing for them reading matter |
Ut once pleasant, stimulating and ben
eicial. Let the boys aud girls have
the kind Of books written for them
that emanate from the respectable pub
fishing houses, and we believe they |
can be Weancd from feeding on the
slop of the slums OF fiction.
Parents and guardians must look to
this subject. The noXiouS books and |