The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-29
LEM WILL BE SOLVED, SAYS
MAYOR DORIAN.
CHECK HIS TENDENCY TO ERR
BY SHOWING HIM THE RIGHT AND
INTERESTING HIM IN
1T.
At Peoples Church, Addressed by
Rev. s. G. Smith and the Mayor
Of St. Paul.


Of st. Paul.
At the Peoples church yesterday
morning Mayor Doran and Rev. S. G..
Smith discussed the Problem of the
Boy" It was expected that Supt.
Curtis, of the public schools, would
take part in the platform talk, as it
was called, but Mr.. Curtis instead sent
his regrets. Rev. S. G.. Smith discussed
the subject from the position of pas
tor and as to the influence the church
had and should have on the youths.
Mayor Doran spoke on the subject from
a municipal point of view. He supple
mented his paper by saying that the
municipal code of the city was devoid
would say on the subject was simply
as an individual who happened to be
connected with the municipal govern
ment. He said in part:
The boy is a rare product of animal
life. In some respects he differs little
from young animals of a lower order
than the human. He loves play and
loves to bask in the sunshine.
Lack of experience leads him to at
tempt Investigations that mature
judgment would prompt him to avoid
The world is new and bright to his
youthful vision, and having no care he
is disposed to look upon life as con-
tinuous play spell.
These same qualities are possessed by
the young of nearly all animals.
But the boy possesses other qualities.
He has destiny beyond the fact of
having been born and reared through
the different stages of helpleSSnesS,
playfulness, experience and maturity.
From being the most helpless of all
animals and continuing in utter depen-
dency for long period, he develops
into the lord and master of all others
Unlike the others his maturity is never
reached until decay itself checks his
development.
He is peculiar character. He alb
serbs and assimilates with a voracity
that is in itself alarming, unless these
qualities are carefully guarded. He
is observant, initiative, impulsive, and
when properly treated one of the most
interesting of all products. A gener-
Gus cOnfding friend, he becomes under
real or fancied provocation a danger
Gus enemy.
These qualities are largely the result
of ineXperience, for later in life he
learns to be sordid and suspicious from
having been often imposed upon, and
less dangerous as an enemy because
more cautious.
The proVerb to beware of the man
of one book is exemplified- in the I'M
thinking enmity of the boy with imma-
ture general ideas. | always cultivate
the good will of the boy.
He detects or fancies he detects
wrong in others and feels it is his mis-
sion to redress the wrong by the most
direct course.
Being inexperienced his methods,
While direct, may lack in all other re-
spects proper treatment of the sub
ject of his wrath.
He has not had the animal trained
out of him and he is prone to tear
through all obstacles with little regard
for properiety or the rights of others.
This is the fellow who is presented as
a problem for consideration. How shall
we solve him? 1 answer ciVilize him,
for this is what he needs. He is born
a heather and is very much of heath
en- in embryo.
AS [ have Indicated he is very much
like other animals in his natural and
mature instincts. To him the pleas
ures of sense are more alluring than
mental or moral culture. The first APP
pealS largely to natural inclination and
dency to avoid effort or restraint.
1t is easier for him to adopt the
promptings of pleasure and sense than
to submit to restraint and obedience to
civilizing customs and influences.
1t is easier for the average boy to
play truant and travel a score of miles
to hunt bird nests or seek the pleas
ureS Of the swimming pond than to
spend an hour in the effort to memorize
the decalogue.
But this same boy possesses two very
distinctive and saving traits, viz,
pride and loyalty to his friends.
Cultivate these in proper channels.
and by supplementing them with a
serse of moral obligations, or conscience
and you have changed the young
heather in to beingwho is in line to aid
in rshering in the millennium of the uni
versal brotherhood of regenerated man.
Neglect this culture and he becomes
the creature Of circumstance-possi
bly, developing, through associations,
into good citizen, but probably into
an ill-assorted character who may be
dangerous to society. an educated alien
to good government.
1 am not believer in the theory that
an education in the ordinary accept
ance of the term is the only essential
to good citizenship. Some of the most
superior knowledge and have utilized
such knowledge in aid of anarchy.
Citizenship devoid of conscience is
not the kind which possessed the faith
ers Of the republic.
They may not all have been good
church people, but they had been
taught the golden rule.
They We're familiar with the greatest
code of morals ever promulgated to the
hn Of fIa
1 am not an adherent of any particu-
lar creed, but 1 do not hesitate to avow
the belief that the main preceptS of the
if taught and assimilated,
will lay a good foundation for belief in
and subsection to moral obligation Of
man toward his fellow man, which
means good citizenship.
Speaking then from secular stand
point and as one not versed in church
doctrines. permit me to ask why the
Christian ministry can not pull to-
gether and by a commission of COM
potent ecclesiastical authority agree
upon simple and non-sectarian
rules of sectarianism exist in the
and permit these rules to go
into the primary schools for a guide
to the feet of the young. Train up a
child in the way he should go. and
when he is old he will not depart from
it," is good doctrine.
Then let not our parents think their
whole duty is performed through the
schools, but let them also instruct the
boy in true manliness and self-respect
Let them teach that the place and the
best place of all for boys after nightfalI
is in the home. Give them good read
ing. but not of the too goody kind that
frets the boy into feeling that he is de-
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