Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-07-31
THE Y. NJ. c. A. RECEPTION.

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of business men, both old and young, and
by quite number of members. After a
couple Of well rendered selections by the
Y. NJ. c. A. orchestra of twelve pieces,
which were enjoyed and applauded by the
audience, Mr.. John Foos spend
few minutes in giving some
Hints to young business men,"
The talk was listened to with attention,
and was evidently interesting to all who
heard 1t. The senior class then gave drill
In the gymnasium that entertained everyone
well for forty minutes.
Refreshments consisting of cake and
lemonade were then served in the parlor,
concluding the evenings entertainment In a
very satisfactory way, the heat rendering
the good cool lemonade served by the boys
very refreshing.
Mr.. Foos spoke In substance as follows:
Every young man should start out in life
with some definite object in view. He
should avoid the tdea OF becoming master
of many things. Life is too short to admit
Of this. II you can become master Of one
of the many industries, you will have done
well. Concentration upon any one thing
is much mere likely to bring success. as
such concentration will, In time, enable you
to understand the various elements that
may enter into the work you have
selected. AS rule, no man can at
tain to the best or even good
results, unless he has first made himself
competent, and just here arises another
thought which is an important element to
success, and l desire to impress 1t most
strongly on your minds, as 1t Is one of the
causes why so many fail to succeed. The
business which you may select to follow
should be one for which by nature you are
best adapted to follow. Education will
overcome many natural disadvantages. but
1t will fail to make a good mechanic OF
any one who lacks mechanical talent
Such a person may become mechanic,
but he will always have to work at
the lower or coarser branches, and will of
necessity receive less pay. This is not only
the case In mechanics, but it is equally
true of every other industry or profession.
Many poor mechanic might have made a
good lawyer, and many a poor lawyer
might have made good mechanic.
Do not understand me to say that you
could not succeed In other pursuits. /
only mean to say that the one for which
you are best adapted by personal endow-
ments Is the one In which you will make
the greatest success. You may succeed In
any one of them, as there is hardly any
limit to energy, perseverance and cOncen-
tration, but you should wish more than q
mere modicum of success. A success that
is barely across the line from failure is not
the success the intelligent young man
should aim at. He should strive to i'm
prove upon the older methods and attain
| to greater success, no matter what the pur-
suit may be, whether mechanical or pro-
| fessional.
have said that you should select that
pursuit in lite for which you are by nature
| best endowed, but this does not insure sue
cess. You may be endowed with faculties
that would distinguish you among your
fellow men, and yet pass through life with
out leaving any record behind you.
You may be genius, possessed Of ex-
traordinary mental faculties, and yet cross
the stream of life without accomplishing
anything. 1t follows, then, that even
though you may have all the mental en-
dOwments, you may utterly fail-yOu may
pass through life without bettering your
own condition or that of q single fellow
being. Is such q life worth the living
To be gifted with all the attributes
to make life q blessing to yourself and
| to others and yet fail to use these gifts
| What does this act teachr Is there moth
ing i'm the lesson? 1t seems to me there is
something in 1t. Why are we endowed
with immortal faculties. unless 1t be for
some good purpose and how will this pur-
pose be obtained unless we use these fac
ulties? Ii follows then that though you
may possess all the 'gifts" but that Of in
dustry, yet, lacking this, your life may be
a blank-you may never cross the line
which separates success from failure.
gather from this that there is nothing
good or lasting accomplished In business
without labor. There is no royal road. He
who would win success must work. But
would not have you think that /
advocate all work and no play
II would not blot out one mo-
ment of joyous, innocent pleasure from the
youthful mind. l would that every one
could look with pleasure to their youthful
days or early manhood, when health and
strength lent zest and zeal to every manly
sport believe there Is time for amuse-
ments as well as for work. l
believe it Is necessary for the full
enjoyment of all the faculties given you by
your Creator, and would only plead that
your amusements shall be of that manly
character as distinguished from tnat whlch
Is unmanly and immoral.
An American, above all others, Is apt to
think he is equal to anything-that he can
do what any other person can do. Now
l am quite willing to admit that the idea
that we can do anything gives the Americans
the national characteristic of independence
-independent in thought, independent in
speech, independent in action, and all ad-
mirable II governed by good Judgment
Sound Judgment will make one discreet,
and discretion will make one think many
times before acting. l would, therefore,
urge the young men to weigh well the
var,ous mechanical. manufacturing or pro-