The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1900-08-25
PUT THE BOYS TO WORK.
Two Sides to This Important Question:
Some Reflections Which Contain
Food for Thought.

II w W.. pa ataa
the back fence. Keep the lawn moved
and even cut the winter supply oil wood.
ANYTHING is better for him than loaf
ing about town at the rear end Of a Gig
arctic stump. learning all the Vices
that the devil keeps afioat to catch
idlers. No honest labor will hurt your
how but the evil habits be may con-
tract on the streets may kill his soul
and poison his moral nature so as 10
make him a detriment to the commun-
itv in which he leaves and bow down
his gray.haired parents With sorrow.
II the fathers and mothers OF today
would learn the Importance oil training
their sons to be industrious aud keep
them off the streets. the coming gen.
Grafton would be inestimably better
off,"
The above from the G%reeuville Times
is full of truth and good advice, but
there is two sides to this, as there is to
all other questions. The average boy
of good parents is ambitious, and WILL
ling to work II the opportunity is OIL
fered h~im-proud Of the dollar he has
earned by honest labor, and keen to
perfect himself for advancement and
promotion. Lacking the opportunities
for labor the boy falls into idleness and
evil ways, sometimes a disgrace to his
parents and a blot upon civilization.
Thus, it is not always the fault oflthe
idle and hayward boy that be is as he
is. The fault often lies with parents,
and especially fathers, in not providing
the opportunities for labor which hold
out alluring inducements and which
promote ambition, thrift and industry.
These opportunities exist in mills
shops and factories, and where these
are wanting the idle boys will be found
in abundance. The boy who learns a
trade, and learns 1t early in life, has
gained that which will keep him from
evil ways unless he is lacking in those
Inherent qualities necessary to make
the manly man.
IT is a duty, then. which fathers W
to their ,sous as well as others, who
have no sons. to assist in the establish
ment of mills and factories, in which
their sons can learn to labor, and in
which the way is open TO become ex-
pert mechanics, engineers, superin-
tendents, bosses aud managers. These
institutions are as necessary as schools
and colleges, for we cannot, as a rule,
make a living from books. BY the
sweat of the brow must the great ma
jority OF mankind exist.
Grenada today has young men who
are looked upon by some us being TO an
extent degenerate and worthless, who,
II they had the opportunity, would be
useful citizens, money makers, family
supporters and tax payers. Given oil
mills, cotton factories, knitting mills,
spoke factories. machine shops, wood
working factories, and other concerns
that we need and could maiDtain, there
will be positions Of honor and trust for
our young men as they emerge from
the dream days OF boyhood to enter in
TO the world where each must be a
worker or a drone. Everysfather of a
bright young boy should be the arGent
advocate OF the establishment OF these
|, things which count for material pros.
Men loan their money at eight or ter
per cent, and buy bonds which yield
four or five per cent. while their son;
often grow up to disgrace the parents
| who in the end would yield up all theil
worldly goods could they but place tn,
ensigna OF unsullied manhood upon tn,
brow of their boy. This money invest
ed at home In Industrial enterprise
i would make opportunities for thes'
idle boys and make them the PRIDE an,
delight of their relatives and friends
There is a moral consideration to b
taken into account in connection wit
these enterprises as well as a ~fiuancia
one. We trust that our men OF mea
with relatives growing up around..then
iie will ponder these few thoughts an
S. then take the steps to provide oppor
tunities for ambitious and wlllin
A. young men to work and earn money.
il The Grenada cotton oil mill, since
er has been in operation, has developed
r. number of young men, some OF who
Of we're travelling the downward trac
when they were given an opportuni'
there. Some Of them have gone
Ak other points and are trusted manager
,s' engineers and seed men, earning fit
~ salaries and making useful citizen
ne Without the chance offered by the G
mill they would now be following Il
pillow or doing nothing at all. We nee
1g more such enterprises for young me
1g And it is high time we were gettir
as them.