The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-17
THE GREAT NEED.
SHORT ADDRESS TO YOUNG
MEN.
What They Need MOss.
JAS. Atkins in Nashville Advocate

Qe Ilme mas come Wueu yOuUR
men must be educated or fall into
the rear rank. Every one must
choose his own position in life. This
be does Whenever be will be Al edu-
Gated or uneducated man. There Is
no avocatlon or calling, ftom The life
professions, in which good educa
tioD is not necessary to the highest
success. The young man, no matter
what his abilities are, who goes into
business life without well-trained
aud well-stored mind goes into it on
ly half made up. Iou know mcn
who have been successful and some
what influential without being educa-
ted In the schools. True but num-
bers OF men of this class have said to
me: "The greatest mistake of my
life has been that | did not become
thoroughly educated before entering
upon business life. | have made
money and won what men call sue
sess, bat | am not mentally equipped
for the circles and opportunities to
which my money and labor have
brought me. 1t is now too. late, but
| would give sands if | could
undo this fatal error
You would also observe that these
men are the most determined that
their children shall be thoroughly
educated. TGey do not want their
sons to repeat their folly or inherit
their misfortunes.
In the main, boys have mnch
more to do in determining this mat
ter tuan they think. Almost every
father will be found willing to edn-
cate his sor, even with great lGhor
and sacrifice to himself, provided the
Toy shows a proper ambition TO rise
above the common level and exhibit
praiseworthy diligence in the use
of the op ,ortunities which the father
provides fnr him. Yon may not
have thought Of it, hut it is really
great sffl elton for parents TO have
sons who are without an ambition to
he something In the worlf; who will
not, when in school at home or g.
broad. study and strive to excel; who
are content to be nothing, Or next to
COT thing. Are yoa willing to be one
Of these? The world will haye your
answer little later in life.
There is in this day and in this
land DO excuse for one who fails to
become educated. Any young man
with good mind and good health
can educate himself. and thus be-
come fitted for a grand and useful
life, If be so makes up his mind and
heart.
At least two men in the history of
our nation have, in the face Of great
er d fiji :ulties than those which con-
front you, arisen to the presidency Of
the United States. Thousands in
other spheres have done AS we'll as
these. They have overcome the
same difficulties, and have arisen to
places Of great usefulness and honor
In the less public places Of life. You
can do t same.
Many Of our brightest aud best
noys and young men are being ruin
ed by going too early into what is
callad business. They. and some
times their parents, feel complim ent-
ed that they are called at the age Of
ID or 16 years to take laces Of re-
sponsibility IN the store. the shops,
| the Office &; but when you reflect that
he who is bright Office boy at Is IS
more than likely to be OILY an cffice
BOY at so, the compliment vanishes
and the serious results begin to sp-
pear. Tnis Is true, because as q rule
Young men must Re educa.ed ct from
Is to 81 years of age. Any engages
tneut in business takes away a taste
for the drill work necessary to a
borough education. The right time
for this educating process having
passed, it can never be recalled; and
thus the young man, by fatal mis-
take, has bound his life TO this lower
| plane.
There are many young men who
fail for lack of q higher standard
Ttey seek only little or fair acade-
mic training, and then go off for a
| few months to q sc-cailed "buslness
school," ard there get little technl-
cal training in type-writine, steno~
graphv, bookkeeping. special engi
neerlpg, and the like, and think that
they are prepared for life. They
| seek q "hre ad-aud butter" education.