Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1897-10-14
GIVE HIM A CHARACTER.

looking around these days with a
good deal of misgivings as to
what their boys are to do in the
future, because, as it explains,
industrial life is changing rapid
| ly. Trades and pursuits which
have been established for gen.
erations, if not for centuries, are
being superseded by inventions.
Machinery is doing the work that
was once done by hand, and do
ing it so rapidly and we'll that
little skill is demanded in the
operator. 1t is probable that
this revolution has only just be-
gun and that the first half of the
next century will see it carried
on to an extent even now unex-
pected. Only last week it was
proven that the great water
power Of Niagara Falls, which has
gone to waste for thousands of
years, can be utilized and made
to turn wheels and run machinery
over twenty miles away and that
it can probably be conveyed
further still. This and other new
forces must inevitably displace
thousands of workers and those
who have learned only one trade
and cannot readily adapt them
selves to changing circumstances
will find it difficult to secure en-
ployment. If this revolution
were to stop now parents could
forecast the future and fit their
boys for the new conditions. But
this is not possible. The revolu-
ton is likely to continue and in
wade all departments of industrial
life, and the boy prepared to meet
the conditions of today may find
his trade useless twenty years
hence, as many men in middle
life now find the trade they learn
ed in their youth. 1t is this IN
uncertain outlook which is
troubling parents and causing
them to look ahead with fear and
trembling. They are unable to
forecast industrial conditions and
so make ready for them. ''How,"
asks the press, "can a boy be
prepared for these changes?
First Of all, give him character.
Ground him well in principles.
There is no such preparation for
a boys work in life as this. With
it he can meet and overcome
difficulties which to a man of
weak moral principles are in
surmountable. Does the home of
today give this training in char
acter? If it did there would be
less fear for the future of boys"
The Philadelphia paper adds:
eff a boy has character he will
be able to meet changing cir
cumstances with ease and ia
cility. Character gives man
confidence in himself and wins
him the confidence OF others.
These two resources will bridge a
man over almost any difficulty
he may meet in life. There are
thousands of parents today who
are working and saving IN order
to give their boys capital on
which to start in life but who are
entirely neglechng the building
up of the same boys characters.
They might as we'll build a house
without any foundation under it.
The time given to money-m max
ing to give the boy chance had
better be spent in intoxicating
sound principle. The money
may be lost even in the safest
business venture, but the char
aeter will endure. Give the boys
character and they can be con-
fidently left to meet the chang
ing industrial conditions. 1t is
better than the best trade, better
than a trust fund of which only
the interest can be reached.
There need be no fear of the boy
who is well grounded in princi-
pie, who can look out on life with
clear, strong vision and who in
this way is prepared to meet and
buffet the difficulties which every
successful man must overcome"
This is the fundamental and
vital requisite of all true educa-
ton. Without it the acquire
ments of schools of learning orr
training are only fraught with |