St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1899-07-01

lis entitled to an occasional licking. so
that he will have something to talk
about when he grows up. It win hurt
some at the time, but think of the hours
and days Of happiness he viii derive
from thinking of these more exciting
episodes of his school days. So far as
can observe, the man who was never
licked in school seems rather ashamed
of his past. .5 /.
Another attack on the liberties of the
rising generation is found in the effort
to compel boys to remain dressed up
and wear their shoes all summer. In
our cities and larger towns there are
thousands of boys rapidly approaching
young manhood who never knew the
pleasure of going barefooted. These
boys can never be statesmen or million
great man begins his career as "a bare
footed boy" Yet there are mothers
| who viii sacrifice both the comfort and
iizv frrturr-oa thefr sons In order to hare
them be in style.
Do you remember the beautiful poem
beginning: barefoot boy with cheek
of tan?" Doesn't that sound more
poetical and appropriate than .'Tan-
shoeiboy with cheek so palee''
The liberties Of youth are being
abridged in other ways. In most Of our
towns and cities the boy who climbs
tree is pursued by policeman. II he
wants to get out and roll, he encounters
4 sign, Keep Off the Grass. He cannot
go in swimming within mile of the
city limits.
But OF, all cruelties ever inflicted on
the young law passed by the last
legislature of Indiana is the most out
rageous. In the state of Indiana all
fishing with hook and line is strictly
prohibited during the months of MAY
and June. Any boy who iares to put
q worm on a hook and drop his line into
a tempting deep hole under a willow
viii be gathered up by a constable,
hauled into a court as if he were an
ordinary criminal and made to pay
fine to the state.
Now,sif there is any time during the
year when a boy bankers to fish it is
during May and June, especially if there
is. q law against fishing.
s The legislature, in passing this law,
professed desire to save the young
fish from determination. But it is evil
dent that the real purpose was to lay
another hardship on the abused and suf-
fering youth of the state. This is GER
tainly the refinement of cruelty-to per
nit boy to stand on the bank OF q
'.crick' and watch the goggle-eyes"
passing around the messy inches in the
stream, and then tell him that if he
dares to throw in his hook, the law
win punish him.
What is to become Of the old-fash-
ioned boy who fshed, swan and
climbed trees and fought hornets
nests? He had stone bruises on his feet,
sunburn on his back, gravel in his hair,
warts on his fingers, a live snake in one |
pocket and four "aggy" marbles in the |
other. He played hockey" and was
licked at both ends of the line, home and |
school, and the only effect of the lick
ing was to arouse him to new and more
original methods of making trouble for
everyone.
Are we going to allow the Legislators.
the educational reformers and the
fashionable mammas to eliminate the
typical American youth? Is the day
coming when a boy will wear clean
waist and polished shoes all day? Will
he cease to swim and fish and climb
trees? win he be petted by his parents
md coddled by his teachers? VIII he
90 to bed at sundown, when bell
rings9 Will he always be clean and
polite and love his teacher? viii he
ong to be a minister or an editor in
stead of a cowboy?
Let us hope not. BY ali means, let us
et together and organize the Society
Ii the Preservation of the Liberties
Privileges of the Small Boy.ss,4sase
JOHN HAZELDEN. 1