Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1881-07-21
A Word 60 School Boys.

I "bhiu say sSty HluCH IKE piSdCHiHk'
Well, il might start earnest thoughts,
and we are apt TO call words which do
that preaching. | wonder, boys, if you
realize what il costs to get an educa-
ton Have you ever heard how much
] your owncily priown annually deyotes
/ T. tho schools Wave you ever coasid
asaa Eiow si'ar yetF parents must 81
pend to keep you elb.hed and in school
for ten or twelve years. How much
parents often deny themselves, how
many pleasures and Iuxuries, that the
boys may have a good high-school ed
ucalion, aud then, perhaps, 60 TO coll
legei Then how much labor you your
self must give, how many years of la
Dor it costs you to obtain even an ordi-
nary education to Ct you for business
life, and il you study for a profession
there must be three or four years more
Of hard work
So you see il costs a great deal IN
money, aud in that which IS Of more
value than money---in time, self-dcnial
and close application to acquire an ed
ucailon; but let me tell you secret. II
costs much more not TO have one For
wilhopt it how helpless you are; all
your life long you will have to be pay
ing others tor the use OF their brains,
aud are Of disadvantage at every turn
10 lite. II you have capital and 90 into
business, you must pay a high-prlce
man for dong much which you ought
10 be capable Of doing, and even then
you are in measure in the power OF
another. If YOU are so unfortunate as
20 have a dishonest book keeper or
cashier, he may swindle you out oil
halt Of your profits and you will never
be able to discover il.
remember years ago a janilor en-
ploYed 10 our school building who could
neither read nor write. He frequently
hired the boys to add up small bill
for him, o. write a letter, and they in.
vpriably charged him ten or fifteen
cents tor their service. II was not
very e-hearted Tor the boys 10 ask
payment for such a small service: but
that is not the point | want 10 make.
hhd s ne aaaine f tie M5oasld over; I'll biuis
mess men viii tell yon that knowledge
aud Judgment are hired only at great
expense. Ia any profession or trade
YOU will find (oiher things being equal
the man Of the best education has the
advantage.
And lastly, the lack Of knowledge
will cost YOU tie society Of cultivated
| people, for Of course you cannot asso-
ciate with the educated il you are igno-
rant, they would not enjoy your soc,e-
Is, nor YOU theirs. Ignorance will cost
/ YOU much modification aud many re.
| grcts for lost opportunities, SO when
YOU grow disheortened that you are
giving up so much for your education,
remember II will cost you much more
no, to have one.
II YOU will carefully observe men you
| will find that most Of them have an am
bition: by that mean a fixed determi.
nation 20 possess something, or TO sue
coed in some undertaking. One mar
longs 10 become learned, and Will spent
his days and nights IN study, giving VI
many pleasures that he may have NOR,
time 10 spend over his beloved books
Another wants to be famous o. an eX
plorer, 30 he turns away from all the
comforts OF quiet home, and wanderl
over strange countries, suffering untolC
discomlorts that he may become note6
as a traveller or discoverer Anothe
has sol his heart upon riches, and toll
ing early and late turns his heart an,
mind from much that is ennobllng, be
coming old and worn in bis pursuit 70
gold.
Il Now, do these win the object 70
which they are siriyingi Invariably
il they are persistent in their efforts
there are few things within the bound
OF possibility that you cannot possess
you patiently and perseyer'"giy worl
for them. Then how important Is
that your ambition should be nohl
one Have you ever asked yoursel
the question, "What is my aim in life 2
, Probably you will say that you are nov
r too young and inexperienced TO determ
inc what hade or calling you will To-
> low. That Is true, but if you are oil
i enough TO be in school you can under
stand that you may work for some OF
, iect, and this Should be clearly detine'
: You want 10 get the most thorough e
' ucalion possible. Your advantages ma
be limited or may be very good;
. either case you want TO make the mo
d olthem. Having set your heart on 'hi
: do not look lar ahead and expect 10 a
complish great things when you tai
4 on advanced studies. DO not expe
y algebra aud geometry TO make you a
4 complished mathematicians unless y
, have FIRST conquered arithmetic. k
e member The duty whichls Of first lmpc
: lance il the one which hes nearest.
: Do YOU remember the legend OF Il
,e man in pursuit Of the four-lcaf Glove
i When boy be was told that Il he cou
II find fouf-Ieaf clover il would be
him tallsman Of good fortune, q
with il 10 his possession success IN a.
undertaking was sure; so early IN i
he started out TO search for this ut
id token Of good. He LETT his home a
Is friends to wonder alone in this pursu
ho travelling across continents and ocea
O. in bis search, but all in vain. at Ia
- a...,,,.:,4ad and Vunrn-onf old m,