The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-04-24
Temperance Department.
On Training Boys to be Good Citizens.
EDITED BY THE W. C. T. @.

/ When the minds and hearts of the whole
country have been stirred to the very depths
by great political crisis, when the duty
and priv ileges of citizens are being discussed
and agitated as never before, it would be
well to think seriously of the boys who are
coming to the front and will soon be the
actors in such dramas as the one enacted
last fall in the sight of fifty millions of peo-
Pile. LAS the twig is bent the tree is in
elined." This saying is ample truth known
| from the beginning. We often hear people
say the best parents have the worst sens.
| but this is false. 1t is an old slander refut-
ed THOUSAND times, that the sons of minis
ters are the widest in the parish, one prod
igal from the parsonage makes more talk
| and scandal than dozen among the people.
1t remains true in spite of the sneers of a
censorious world, that the home life is the
atmosphere in which the foundation of char
acters is laid, and the parent is responsible
for the principles which the son imhibes,
while yet beneath the parental roof, and
which moulds, in a great degree, the char
acter for life. l am writing these lines to
fathers and mothers, teachers, guardians,
and to all who have the opportunity and
the power to impress upon the minds and
hearts of children and youth, that moral
purity of life and heart is essential to the
cha racters of a good citizen. Integrity,
courage, truthfulness all should be taught
essential in the character of a good citi
zen. Growing up to manhood without Ie-
gard to truth, there is no vice into which he
may not fall, for the sheet anchor of an up
right life is lost, and he drifts at the mercy
of storms and waves.
Want of truthfulness implies weakness as
well as wickedness, and without courage
and fortitude tempted man falls into the
first trap that is set for him, as lying begins
in cowardice, and is the refuge of one who
is afrail of the consequences if he tells the
truth, so courage is virtue to be taught
and always to be held in honor, especially if
the child is of timid disposition, and he
yields easily to discouragements and fears.
Brace him up. The martyr spirit does not
run in the bloodof all of Us. But the youth
may be trained to stand fire. Boys should
grow early into nauliness in duty and dam
ger, coming to the wrong and sticking to
the right in the face Of reproach, or loss, or
even death itself.
There is not much martyr stuff now to be |
had, there never was too much of it in this |
world anywhere, but the good citizen mutt |
have enough of it to uphold the right and
when he has done all to stand. Boys need
more lessons on stability and bravery, on
moral courage. that they may dare to do
right, that they may not be driven or
coaxed into evil ways.
The greatest deficiency in the character
Of the boy and young rnan of to-day is want
Of reverence for those older, wiser and SUI
peri,r. Indifference to PARENTAL authority
of law and order, a spirit that |
laughs at restraints and scerns to obey. is
the features of the times, snl this respect
this reverence is the first lcssohto be taught |
the child in the cradle and impressed on
nim till he has attained manhood. The
needs citizens who are true hearted
followers of Him who is the pattern OF all |
hat is noble, generous and good.