Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-02-28
The Disadvantages of City Boys.


Some months ago, Rev. Washington Glad
den. of Springfield, Mass. achieving iha, il be
could lind cut how the active and prominent
men Of bis own city spent their boyhood, il
would help TO solve the problem Of what rs
the best training for boys, prepared the follow
ing circular, which Was sent 10 the one hun
dred men who could fairly be said to stand at
the head Of the financial, commercial. profess
sicnal and educational interests Of the city.
my DEAR SIR II desire 10 iDd ont for
the benefit of the boys, how the leading men
Of this city spent their boyhood. VIII you be
kind enough TO tell me
-. Whether your homo during the first
fifteen years Of your life was on farm, in a
village, or in a city, and
"2. Whether you were accustomed, during
eny part of that period, 10 engage in any
kind or work when you were not in school
~ should be glad. Of course, 10 have you
20 into particulars as fully as you are disposed
10 DO; bu, DO not wish TO tax your patience.
and shall be greatly obliged for simple an-
swer 10 these two questions"
No less than eighty-eight Ct the busy gen.
tlemen who received this circular were kind
I
briefly. most Of them quite fully, and itturned
out that few had been brought up like most OF
the boys who crowd the ball. grounds and ill
the streets Of ogr cities 10 these later days.
Hare is a brief summary Of the returns.
OF these eighty-eieht men, twelve spent tho
first fifteen years Of their lie in ;he city, twelve
10 villages, aud sixiy-four were farmers boys.
But of the twenty four who lived in-vllages
and cities, six were practically farmers boys.
fur tLey lived in small villages or on the out
skirts Of cities, aud had the same kind Of work
90 do that farmers boys have. One Of these
village boys said ...
d" learned to hoe, dig aud NOW in fact, !
was obliged 10 work, whether liked Il or 10.
10 winter went 10 school, and worked nights
and mornings for my beard"
Another said used 10 work away from
home some on farm IN the summer aud fall.
In the winter, when going TO school, we three
boys used 10 work up the wood ivr winter
use.
Four others told substantially the same
story. As these were about The same as far
mers boys, We may add them to that list, -
tha, seventy on. Of eighty ght. almost four,
fifths Of All these men, had the tFaiaing of
isrm-lfe
Now how was it with the eighteen city and
village boys on the list? Did they have On
easy time of ID? Five Of them DID, as they
testify FIVE Of them had 90 work 10 paTiicu-
lar to do. but one Of the five says that he
studied law when oul Of school, aud that was
not exactly play. The rest Of tho eighteen
were poor boys not paupers. ty auy means
bat chi.dreo Of Ihc humbler classes, many Of
them 10 narrow or needy oirc0ms!auoes,- and
tho they lived in ciIos or villages, they were
accustomed from their earliest years 10 bard
work.
"Was generally employed, says one, "dn-
ring the summer months. and IN vacations, IN
doing sny kind Of work that offered
-Four Of the city boys were nowsboys. Ono
OF them says " The last year was coo0ect-
ed with the press, earned one hundred dol
lars before breakfast"
Another " have paid my own way sineo
cigh, years Of age, without any assistance ex-
cept my board from my eighth to my eleTcnth
year
OF all these eisbty-oisht boys, Gyconly Lad
nothing in particular to DO
While these boys were growing and woik-
ing, great many others. - sous Of merchants
and lawyers, were growing up 10 Springfield,
going 10 school aud amusing themselves, as
boys II thcir cla's are apt TO d.. Where ara
they? Only five Of THE class are heard ron
among The eishiy-elght solid men Of that
city. Some of them, perhaps, are prosperous
men in other cities, but the number cannot be
large, Cor n Springfield only Eve men out Of
eighiy-eighi came .hom his class Ninety
four aud a bali per cent, were either farmcn
boys or poor and hard-workns town-boys
Mr. Glaidcn made his iepOr. 10 the public
Of Springfield in The form Of lecture Tho
mere announcement Of tie subject alone
crowded the church. which is a large one, and
the interest Ia The lecture was SD great that
the Mayor aud several Of the representation
citizens requested a repetition 10 the husis
Hall. When this came Of, lhe Hall wns
packed and hundreds went away from the
doors unable 20 gain entrance.
Mr. GLADDEN. has rewritten tbe lecture, and
bis interesting facts aud logical deductions
viii appear in St. Nicholas for March. He Is
now engaged On "1'sk with Girls' for The
same magazine II will be printed before long
and will be Of vital interest 10 girls and suit
cd 10 ther requirements, as this paper is suited
to the boys