The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-16
nnYs A. soLnIERs.

Hundreds OF movements having for /
their object the improvement OF the /
moral and physical condition OF the
boys Of the land have been inaugurated /
in tue United States in the past ten /
years But few Of them, however have 1
borne fruit. or have. even in moderate /
way, accomplished their objects. A boy |
is peculiar animal, whether he be the
child Of wealthy parents, or a wait OF
the streets. The average boy can be
led. provided he does not know It, but
few Of them can be driven for very long |
without rebelling. In this overlooking
Of boys nature has been the weak
point Of nearly Of all the plans Of the
past to interest the boys and have them
do something that was for their benefit |
Eleven years ago some one living in
Glasgow, Scotland. who must have had
considerable knowledge Of the character
Of the average boy, conceived the idea
Of organizing the boys Of that town into
brigades. This Scottish genius knew
that every boy who is a real boy delights
in being a soldier; he also knew that it
is impossible 10 feed a boy on husks
very long, and that to keep him he must
be interested IN something that was the
especial province Of men, and must have
the real thing. This man went into the
churches and Sunday schools OF Glas-
gov, and told the boys that he was GO
ing to organize the boys connected with
the Sunday-schools into brigades OF
soldiers. The boys took hold Of the idea
at once, and recruits came in very
rapidly. The requisite to membership
was that the boy must be a member OF
some Sunday-sohool. The boys were
Offered and drilled in accordance with
the regular army regulations, and in adj
dition TO the military drill they we're
given moral training, while athletics
were combined with ethics. In order TO
hold the interest Of the boys the mill
tary feature was ever kept to the front.
In a few months boys who had never
been in a church OF Sunday be-
gan TO 20 in in order TO become soldiers.
Where boys over twelve years OF age
had before been rarities in the Glasgow
Sunday schools, they soon began 70 at
tend 10 scores, and all the boys we're
held in the church and Sunday-school
and kept of the street. The military
instruction taught them to think and
act quickly, cultivated a spirit Of obedi-
ence, by submitting them 10 authority,
and promoted habits Of cleanliness and
punctuality The boys when recruited
took three.fold pledge to abstain from
tobacco, intoxicating liquors and pro
fame language; they also promised
obedience TO the compauy's rules The
consent Of parents had 20 be obtained
before a boy could be enrolled.
From Scotland the movement came
first company being organized in San
Francisco 10 1850 The plan Of the
parent company in Scotland was fol
lowed 10 all essential features 10 the
California city. The growth ia the
United States was very rapid, and IN
1890 boys brigade for the United
States was organized, constitution
was adopted. and headquarters estsb-
lished at San Francisco. During the
past three years the boys brigades have
grown with great rapidity all over the
country, and a census taken last July
showed there were 2l1 companies en-
rolled, uinety-four being on the Pacific
coast and l23 ID the east Ia al there
were al that time 10 the United States
500 companies. with q tota. membership
a. ID, 100. It's estimated that there are
now iu the United States 5000 boys
who are members n these brIgadss
ia some cities summer camps are
held, the military feature being kept "a
tho ascendant. Athletic and reading
rooms are provided in many cases. par
ticularly iu those cities n which there
are many boys without homes. The
object Ia not 20 usurp home training
but FATHER TO- supplement b. Some oI
tho most prominent men lu tuls country
and across The water lays heartily en-
dorsed the movement aud the peculiar
pant ~ these endorsements is that thel
como % "a large minority of cases frou
those men who are known % bo popula
with the boys, and who arc credlte,
with having an unusually clear iusigh
into boys peculiar nature.