The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-09-17
A Word to School Boys.


very much like preaching. Well, it nigh
start earnest thoughts, and we are apt t,
call words which do that preaching
l wonder, boys, if you realize wha
it costs to get an education. Have
you ever heard how much your owl
city or town annually devotes to the
schools Have you ever considered how
much your parents must cxpend to keep
you clothed and in school for ten or twelve
years ? How much parents often deny
themselves, how many pleasures and lux
uries, that the boys may have good high
school education, and then, perhaps, go tc
college Then how much labor you
yourself must give, how many years Of
labor it costs you to obtain even an ordi
nary education to fit you for business life
and if you study for a profession there
must be three or four years more of hard
work
So you see it costs great deal in mon
ey, aud in that which is of more value
than money-in time, selfdenial and close
application to acquire an education; but
let me tell you secret 1t costs much
more not to have one For without it
how helpless you are; all your life long
you viii have to be paying others for the
use Of their brains, aud are at disadvant.
age at every turn in life. If you have
capital and go into business, you must pay
a high-priced man for doing much which
you ought to be capable of doing, and even
then you are in measure iu the power ol
another. If you are so unfortunate as to
have a dishonest book k-keeper or cashier
be may swindle you out of half of your
profits, aud you will never be able to dis
cover il.
remember years ago janitor employ
ed in our school building who could Meth.
er read nor write. He frequently hired
the boys to add up small bill for him, OIL
write letter, and they invariably charged
him ten or fifteen cents for their service
It was not very large-hearted for the boy:
to ask payment for such small service
but that is not the point | want to make
The ignorant man had to pay for the use
Of little learning, aud you viii find it the
same she world over; all business men will
tell you that knowledge and judgment are
hired only at a great expense. In any
profession or trade you will find (Other
things being equal the man of the best
education has the advantage.
And lastly, the lack Of knowledge will
cost you the society Of cultivated people,
for Of course you cannot associate with the
educated if you are ignorant; they would
not enjoy your society, nor you their s
Ignorance will cost you great deal Of
modification and many regrets for lost op-
protunities, 50 when you grow dishearten-
ed that you are giving up so much for
education, remember il viii cost you much
more not to have one.
II you will carefully observe men you
viii ind that most of them have an ambi.
ton; by that mean q fixed determine
tion to possess something or TO succeed in
some undertaking. One man longs to be-
come learned, and win spend his days and
nights in study, giving up many pleasures
that he may have more time to spend over
bis beloved books. Another wants to be
fanous as an explorer, so be turns away
from all the comforts Of quiet home, and
wandering over strange countries, suffering
untold diseomforts that he may become
noted as traveller or disOoverer. Anoth-
er has set his heart upon riches, and toll
iug early and late turns his heart and
mind from much that is ennobling, beeom-
ing old and worn 10 his pursuit for gold
Now, do these win the object for which
they are striving? Invariably, if they
are persistent in their efforts; there are
few things within the bounds of possibili-
ty that you cannot possess il you patiently
aud perseveringly work for them. Then
how important is it that your ambition
should be a noble one Have you ever
asked yourself the question, "What is my
aim in life p Probably you viii say that
you are now too young aud inexperienced
to determine what trade or calling you will
follow. That is true, but if you are old
enough to be in school you can understand
that you may work for some object, and
this should be clearly defined You want
to get the most thorough edseation posi-
bic. Your advantages may be limited, or
may be very good; in either case you want
10 make the most Of them. Having set
your heart on this, do not look far ahead
aud expect to accomplish great things
when you take up advanced studies. Do
not expect algebra and geometry to make
you accomplished mathematicians unless
you have first conquered arithmetic. Re
member the duty which is Of first impor-
tauce is the one which lies nearest.
Do you remember the legend Of the
man in pursuit of the four-leaf clover
When a boy he was told that if he could
find four-leaf clover it would be to him
a talismau of good fortune, and with it in
his possession success in any undertaking
was sure so early in life he started out to
search for this little token of good. BE
left his home and friends to wander alone
in this pursuit, travelling across continents
and oceans in his search, but all in vain.
At last, n disappointed and worn-out old
man, he Returned to the old homestead to
die; and as he tottered up the familiar
pathway, 10 close beside the doorstep
grew a four-leaf clover. 1t may be that
your assurance of success lies hidden be-
tween the leaves Of the despised speleri
it surely is somewhere among your school
books Golden RAE.