The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-14
For the REPORTER.
How Do You Look mt IL?


Boys are human beings. They are not
machines without souls, created and set
in motion to make mischief 1t is true,
suppose. that every man now living,
good or bad, WAS once boy. 1t is
equally true that every boy now living,
if his life is spared, will sometime be a
man, good or bad
Lay aside for the purpose of this
inquiry the question OF goodness for
goodness sake, and does it not make a
difference from business standpoint
whether men are good, law-abiding citi-
zens, who will by their industry and
skill accumulate property and contrib.
ute to the support of the government
or bad, awless citizens, who are pau
pers when not serving sentences for
their crimesP The answer is obvious.
Is 1t poss BILE then TO give encourage
ment and aid to the boys and young
men of today which will lessen the mum.
Der of bad men in the future? II 80,
how can it be done? The public schools
and the homes are the two important
factors, but there are many boys who
can not enjoy the advantage of the
schools and many more who have no
homes except what they make for them
selves.
The boys in school with good homes
have vast amount OF energy which
they will give expression TO in some
way. The boys who work are boys,
l, oil
recreation and amusement Boys, full
of life, will amuse themselves and sat
isfy the demand of nature for activity.
Boys and young men do things which
are called bad because there is no oppor-
tunity to do things that are good
The last convention of the Railroad
Y. NJ. G. A. lat Philadelphia) was a
striking witness TO the value that hard
headed business men set upon that
institution. Here were over 1000 dele
gates from all parts of the u. S. and
from Canada, brought upon free passes
Prominent railroad officials were pres
ent at almost every session, and sever
al had places on the program. And it
is well known that the II r. Corpora
tions have largely paid the cost of the
finely equipped rooms and buildings for
the use of their employees in every large
railroad centre. And this is done, not
as a matter of religion or philanthropy,
but of business. Experience has shown
that it pays large returns in better SER
vice from the employees. A like motive
has prompted the giving of much money
for the buildings and equipment of the
regular Y. NJ. G. A. in many city
The merchant or property owner wants
the young man To learn industry and
thrift and become an owner and tax
payer, and thus share the burdens of
government. He therefore gives of his
money--and sometimes of his time and
thought-to provide place for the
young man to spend his leisure hours
apart from the companionship of the
idle and vicious and in IA way that tends
to develop and keep all his powers at
their best. The library and gymnasium,
the games, and evening classes and en-
tel tainments are as indispensable to
good citizenship as our public schools.
without them the burden of pauperism
and vice and crime of all sorts would be
far more alarming than it is. 1t takes
money to run these institutions, but
that money is repaid many times in the
lives of men and women saved for indus
try and self support.
Good v ill Farm is not an expensive
institution if you will but figure the
damage that ten of its boys might have
done if not cared for Several years ago
it was reported in the Outlook that
many saloons in Jersey City were losing
custom, because the Roman Catholics
had opened large building with every
convenience for the social life of their
young people. That meant so many
more thousands of dollars for the mer
chants, less business for courts and
jails, and more happy homes and self
respecting tax payers in the years to
come.
Is it not practicable and profitable as
well, to maintain in our village a read
ing room such as has been established?
The room now occupied over Mr. j. A
Dealey's on alter street, is large, clean
airy, well heated and well lighted. In
the front of the room are papers and
periodicals; near the middle of the
room games are played, and in the back
of the room are horizontal bar, chest
weights, Indian Clubs, etc. The pnr
pose of the room is to give the young
men of the village chance for whole
some reading, interesting games and
invigorating exercise. The charter
membership of 80 has grown to 70, each
paying for his use of the room until
June LIST. During the hours the room
is open (from l to 8 Is p m it is under
competent supervision.