The herald., 1896-06-08

Our boys
Editor Herald: In spite of all lectures
to the contrary Whittier is regarded as a
penal institution. The changing of the
name by the legislature did not change
over the boy who has spent long or
short term there. and it hangs equally over
the parents who have their children COM
1t is matter of fact that many boys
have, been committed to Whittier who
should have been provided with home
elsewhere 1t is for this class l plead to
the fathers of Los Angeles county. II is
the boys want to save now. Many places
are opening for girls; Les @ Angeles county rtyy
management is credit to any state. 1t is
almost self-supporting.
Now if this county of immense wealth
can sustain for poor men an institution too
prosperous to be dubbed a poor house bur
elegantly called the county farm, why
have no homes, or if SO such as cannot give
them the necessities of life? 1t can be and
must be done if the fathers wish to see
the present generation of boys rise to hon
est manhood and become manly voters and
progressive citizens in order to combat for
their inherent right of pre-eminence in the
home and state. Man is properly the head
of the house and the builder and supporter
of home and statehood. The sons and
brothers have been showed aside by their
progressive mothers and sisters until our
boys have not where to lay their heads.
More and more is the work adapted to
young men monopolized by women. Chv-
airy, courtesy and tenderness Tor woman
is smothered in its birth.
We must not let them perish in idleness.
nor their souls become polluted with vice.
opening the gates of Folsom and San Quen-
tin for the men.
There is an immense amount of govern
ment land in California: There are school
lands, either one of which is in the reach
of the county at a nominal price. Let
section of land be purchased with view
to its, tillable qualities; health is at hand
lish home for boys and here place a thor
ough humanitarian as superintendent.
want of EMPLOYMENT. Schools close early.
the boy has no work at home and trouble
begins. He must be doing something. Bad
or good the boy seldom stops to think. His
active young limbs must move. Put him
where he can be trained to move them use
fully and see how cheerfully he will do il.
There is a class of boys who care nothing
for study, as applied to books, and they
come from all grades and stations in life.
His body is growing SO fast and wants TO
and therefore hates school. He Will study
nature and many are born naturalists. In
a farm home for boys niche can be made
in which such a boy will exactly TT and
develop into perfect manhood. Again; we
have the homeless boy, who sleeps wher-
ever he can find place G to hide NJ. ms IS lonely
manent refuge and built up by good food
and systematic training rise to honest
honor. The boy whose mother mas to go
peals closely to our heart me A1nS
Daughters day nursery cares for the babies
and tots, but who cares for the ehiid pc.
tween and 12? The street. Many or
these children do not go to school. We can
see them any time of day. Many earn lit
tie money by odd jobs which they reck-
lessly spend, rarely sharing 1t with the
home.
A home under the care Of the county
would shelter these boys. First. 1t must
be literally home. No limit to the time
of occupancy from date of entrance until
81 No commitment for crimes to this
home. Let the real serious criminals be
sent to Whittier until q, then mustered g
where they will be honored as protectors
of the nation. Slight offenses should not
be regarded as crimes. 1t IS for the worst
boy in town we plead. He is not yet a
Campbell's address in behalf of the news
boys. know how easily he can he made one.
I wish the full address could be daily read
by every father in Los Angeles county,
these boys. Every father and mother who
cannot properly care for their boys would
gladly pay into this home as much as II
costs them in cash TO feed and clothe them
OF course there will be a large class to he
provided for who have no means of sup
port Education should be planned for all
try, the home could in few years be made
almost self-sustanine. Kindergarten
work and manual labor training school
established in the beginning Boys quickly
If you do not believe it you should havo
seen the tiny gardens of company p AZ
Whittier. This is the little boys company
commanded by Gapfain tai Mills Mills These tiny
beautiful sight The happy faces of these
little boys among their plants made one
sigh for millions of acres to give each one
Company B is the model upon which DR..
company in the school. Ana It is the prop