Daily Republican., 1880-02-28
..ras p,s.a y.a..ss. o cl.y Bezs.,

active and prominent men Of his owl
city spent their boyhood, 1t would solv
the problem Of Whist Ia the best train
ing for boys, prepared the following
circular. which was sent to one hun
dred men who could fairly be said Il
stand at tho head Of the financial, com
mercial, professional and sducationa
interests OF the city.
''MY DEAR SIR:-I desire TO find ou
for the benefit Of the boys, how thu
leading men OF this city spent theil
boyhood. VIII you be kind enough Il
tell me.
81. Whether your home during the
frst fifteen years Of your life was on Z
farm, in q village or in q city, and al
so
"2. Whether You were accustomed,
during any part Of that period, to en-.
gage in any kind Of work when you
were not In sohool'
~ should be glad, to have you go
into particulars as fully as you are dis
posed to do but do not wish to tax
your patience, and shall be greatly
Obliged for simple answer to these
questions.
No less than eighty Of the busy gem
tlsmsn who received this circular were
kind enough to answer the questions
some Of them briefly, most Of them
quite fully, and II turned out that few
had been brought up like most Of the
boys who crowd the ball grounds and
ill the streets Of our cities In these Ia
ter days. Here Is brief summary Of
the returns Z:
OF these sighty-eight men twelve
spent the first fifteen years Of their life
ia the city, twelve in villages, and
sixty -four were farmers boys
But Of the twenty.four who lived In
villages and city, six were practically
farmers boys, for they lived in small
villages, or on the outskirts Of cities,
and had the same kind Of work to do
that farmers boys have. One Of these
village boys said:
II learned to hoe, dig and NOV; In
fact, l was obliged to work, whether l
liked 1t or no. In winter went to
school, and worked nights and mornings
Tor my board"
Another said: ~ used to work
away from home some on q farm ia the
and fall. In the winter, when
going to school, we three boys used to
work up the wood for winter uss."
Four others told substantially the
ZANE story. As these were about the
,sme as farmers boys, we may add
hem TO that list, 50 that seventy out Of
Eighty -eight--almost four.hfths Of all
hese mer-had the training Of farm
ife.
Now how was II with the eighteen
'ity and village boys ON the list Did
hey have an easy time Of itY Five Of
hem did, as they testify FIVE Of them
lad no work in particular to do, but
me Of the FIVE says that he studied
aw when out Of school, and that was
Tot exactly play. The rest Of the eight
cen were poor boys--not paupers, by
ny means, but children Of the hum
'ler classes, many Of them in narrow
md needy circumstances-and though
hey lived In cities or villages, they
Vere accustomed from their earliest
ears TO hard work.
"Was generally employed, "says one,
during the summer months, and in |
'acations, In deins any kind Of work !
hat offered"
Four of the city boys were. newsboys
'ne Of them says: The last year was
Onnected with the press, l earned one
hundred dollars before breakfast"
Another: ~ have paid my own way
ince eight years Of age, without any
ssistanoe except my board from my
ight to my eleventh year."
OF all these sighty-eight boys, Eve
My had nothing particular to do.
While these boys were growing and
'orking, a great many others, SONS
merchants and lawyers were
rowing up in Springfield, going to
,hool and amusing themselves, as
oys of their class are apt to do.
Where are thsyi Only FIVE OF this
lass are heard from among the eighty
lght solid men Of that city. Some OF
lem, perhaps, are prosperous men la
her cities, but the number cannot be
'rge, for in Springfield only FIVE men
at Of eighty-eight came from this class.
inety- four and a half per cent. were
ther farmers boys or poor and hard
orkipg town boys.
Mr.. GLADDEN. made his report to the
lblic Of Springfield, in the form Of q
cture. The mere announcement of
10 subject alone crowded the church,
hich is large one, and the interest
the lecture was 80 great that the
ayor and several Of the represents
ve citizens requested repetitian in
10 Music Hall. When this came off,
70 hall was packed and hundreds
ent away from the doors unable to
lin entrance. IL
Mr.. GLADDEN. has re written the lee
re, and his interesting facts and logi.
4 deductions will appear in one of the
aiding magazines for March. He is
w engaged on q "Talk With Girls"
r the same magazine. 1t will be print
before long, and will be Of vital in
rest to girls, and suited to their re-
lirements, as this paper is suited to
9 boys. =
From advance shses OF an article by Rev.
ashington dladden, OF Springfield, Mass
oh will appear in the March number OF '
I. Nicholas Y