The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-06-22
Centre and White SITS.
EDITION
pRo1ncrs AND PURPosRs.

PROJBOTS AND PURPOSbS'
,omething OF Interest to Young Men by "a
Former schuylkIn Countian.
noticed in the HERALD a short time since
IN extract from the Tamaqua Courier stating
hat Mr.. ]. r. Bond had a few copies Of our
mall paper the Young America, published
IN 1853. The announcement brings vividly
before me the intensity Of purpose and
zeal, with which we talked it up
at odd intervals and persevered in the carry.
ing out Of details in manner none the less
real because it happened to be a boys
venture.
had Just turned fifteen at the time and |
had been with Major Reinhart on the
Gazette from the age Of twelve, when the
greater part of the conduct Of the office fell
to the boys, of whom A. S. R. Richards, with
the Office sobriquet of 'Shamp," was the
capable and recognized head. The MAJOR
was constantly in the drag" as he termed
1t; spent but small portion of his time IN
the Office and the business was largely LETT TO
the boys impulses and resources. The i'm
pulses, am sorry to say, often led to a
serious annoyance Of the neighbors, but IN
the fits Of remorse that followed the re-
sources often made up, not only for our own
but the Majors shortcomings. As l recol-
lect now, "Shamp" was more solid and
literal in his writings, bus my own eHusions
am afraid, were tinctured strongly with the
vivid coloring of my then favorte author,
Sylvsnus Cobb, Jr.
In the details of good typographical work
"Shamp" led and in expedients, when we
lacked the proper essentials and the credit OF
the office was doubtful, he was boy Of
"infnite resource" We made the most of
what we had, devised substitutes for what we
lacked, and did tolerably good work. Into
this condition of affairs came Harry Boyer
with his ambition and push, advocating the
publication of a boys paper.
Boyer was more aggressive than 1 and was
willing to take the field, while l felt every
confidence in as far as the Office work went
The Pottsville STANDARD was advertising
some discarded type for sale and straining our
resources to the utmost, we amassed, what we
considered the comfortable working capital
of ten dollars.
The outlook was far from dazzling but
question if ever two lighter hearts took the
team road for Pottsville and trudged those
sixteen miles with more settled purpose
That we did well with our purchases was
credenced by the fact that we were enabled
to take the train back. Then began the
work of fixing up our homemade appliances
in the way of cases, chasos, etc, in which the
distinguishing feature was a universal kind
ness shown by every mechanic and trades
man to whom we in any way applied to aid
u.s. The novelty appealed to them, and some
of our crude ideas were improved upon.
Even Major Reinhart was gracious in his
encouragement, although with bOyish in
gratitude, we took up the cudgel and in our
New Year address, after the first number, hit
out at him in a style more forcible than ele-
CANT. In all respects was Tamaqua au tait
except that its paper was late about day,
Mayhap it was not the editors fault. Com
positors sometimes get sick or go halt.
The first number was worked of on the
Majors press and then from the amount
raised from subscriptions and sales we were
endDl5u 10 puICuh5S an OAA AAehhANAAA pc
with wooden frame lever and screw that fol
years had encumbered a remote corner of the
Gazette Office and with this addition, con
sidered our enterprise fairly inaugurated
The paper met with all the success il
deserved.
We had our friends and disparagers as Older
people and if we sometimes oyerstepped the
bounds of boyish mOdesty and presumed tt
lecture our elders on the conduct of affairs i
was no more than many equally incapable
are doing daily, safely ensconed behind the
sheltering shield of editorial WE.
Even the name of the censurers have for
gotten; but think gratefully of Mr.. William
Bailey and Samuel Martin, two of our Sab
bath school superintendents, who contributed
a series of interesting articles on Reading
for Boys" and "Reading for Girls" respec
lively, that were eagerly looked for. Thes'
men left their impress for good on the enter
prise and its readers and to such men every
where it is given, to see the sterling qualities
that nnderlie the mass Of boyish inconsis
tencies and foster and encourage them to som'
good end.
While the enterprise lasted we gave to ii
support that enthusiasm and singleness o
purpose that only boys can give and expert
enced, in the achievement, qualification
that it would be hard for older minds t
realize. In these latter days it is scarcely &
novelty for boys to branch out ina such under
takings. The market recognizes the demand
for small and cheap printing outfits ant
parents are only too glad to encourage theiI
use as a help to education; but the lack o
such essentials and our scant capital required
and called out all our resources to accomplish
the end.
We must ever recognize the fact that The
craving for achievement is as strong anC
genuine in the boy as the man and hi
segacity of purpose fully as firm and un-
yielding despite the seeming inconsistencies
We were merging into a period that demon
strated this in manner that now forms n'
mean part of our common history.
The war was brewing, the drilling in the
old militia companies had become active anc
the boys participated in the general excite
ment by forming company Of their own
As long as it was confined simply to stree
parades parents looked on complacently, bu
whenever the organization was alluded t.
seriously in connection with the ripening oi
events it met with anger or ridicule and "a
an inquiry from a neighbor, who had called
~EOPLE who 20 out Of town to pur