The herald., 1898-04-22
WHERE IT ORIGINATED
AAMEHICAN BOY" A CINCINNATI
LADS BRIGHT IDEA
William P ,nkin Good Suggested the
Project-Los Angeles Will Try
to Have the Name Changed

The building ~ a battleship to replace the
Maine to be called the American Boy, funds
to be raised by contributions from the
school children of the United States, was d
Cincinnati boys bright idea.
80 On the 18th of February the Maine was
destroyed and on the 19ts William RANKIN
Good. "a pupil in the Hughes high school OF
that city, conceived the idea of raising
fund in the manner stated. The next day
: the Cincinnati Enquirer published the sug-
gestion and the matter has grown into ma
tional Importance. A committee has been
appointed to work up the plan composed Oh
the following named high school boys: VIII
liam Rankin Good, Edward A. Bolslnger,
Harry I. Price and Louis H. Dunkman.
Circulars have been sent to superintend-
ants of schools throughout the country,
asking their cooperation in securing vol
untary contributions from school children
and all citizens, ''who wish to see float
ing monument placed on the bosom OF OLD
ocean to commemorate the brave sailors OF
the ill-fated Maine"
sIt is particularly impressed upon each
boy and girl who contributes says the
circular, that they shall induce two others
to do the same, each new contributor 10
carry out the same process with two 9TH
ers and SO on until every American boy and
girl has learned OF the project and been
given an opportunity to aid it." A list OF
references is given of responsible citizens
of Cincinnati and the Merchants National
bank will be the custodian of the fund.
The committee has received endorse
ments of the movement from Consul-Gen-
eral Lee, Secretary Alger, Senator Fora
ker. Governor Bushnell of Ohio, number
of congressman from that state and the
chamber of commerce of the city. NO
salaried officers are allowed in carrying on
the work, the expense being limited to
clerical labor and incidentals.
There is no question that the appeal VIII
meet with ready response from every child
in the public schools of the country, and
the girls will give as much money as boys
and will contribute with just as much pa
triotic fervor. To name the battleshlp the
American Boy appears on its face to be
manifest injustice to the girls. To exclude
girls from participation in patriotic pro-
jects, or to deprive them of their full snare
of credit is a mistake, for in the last ana
lysis the country must depend on the moth
ers for its patriots and in the event of war
daughters give up more than sons, as
Mrs. Browning aptly puts it,
The superintendent and pupils of the Los
Angeles schools feel that the name Sc
lected does not fully represent all the chill
dren and steps will be taken to induce the
projectors to change it to the one that in
cludes both sexes, Young America"
That the pupils of Los Angeles are deeply
interested in the matter is shown by in
stances of self-sacrifice that come to the
knowledge of the teachers. Saturday af-
ternoon the father of a little girl in the
city gave her % cents to attend the Or
pheum, but she decided to stay at home
and give her money to help replace the
Maine. A small boy wanted to assist in the
good cause and he took a long lingering
look at his bank that contained all the
wealth he possessed "Well, its mine," he
said resolutely, and poured out twenty
five precious copper pennies and carried
them to school to swell the fund
The generous offer of Manager John c.
Fisher of the Burbank theater and Freder-
ick Belasco of the Belasco-Thall company
to give a school childrens matinee on
Thursday, April 2Sth, the entire proceeds
to be devoted to the Maine fund is endorsed
and highly appreciated by City Superin-
tendent Foshay.