The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-09
SAVING THE BOYS.

| Boys are exposed to temptations in
Honolulu which they escape in many
mainland places of greater size. In the
East, for a part of the year, there is an
incentive among them to spend much
time within doors. The storms of win
ter the long rains of summer the mud
of spring and autumn, help teachers
and parents to keep growing boys I'M
der their eye. But here it is a physical
| hardship for restless urchins TO stay
within doors at any time; the streets
failure, winter and summer, and
| boys and girls naturally get an amount
| of freedom to run about which IS oy
/ no means the best for them and which
| is responsible for laxity in their con-
duct and oftentimes in their morals.
Running in the street in a staid New
England town is thought to be bad for
the young and 1t is. But what lad
sees here is ten times worse than any
thing he sees there. The vices of Asia,
Africa, Oceanica, Europe and America;
the vices of a seaport which is in close
touch with it's waterfront, all are con-
centrated here. Deviltry is taught In
five languages and in multifarious
forms. The human fiotsam and jetsam
of the world are cast up on this beach
and the youngsters come into contact
with them. And as, in the tropics,
youth develops fast, it is astonishing
how early boys and girls acquire bad
habits. One passing transport left
knowledge of the gambling game OF
craps" in town and now boys gather
under electric lights after midnight to
play the fascinating game. And so
prevalent is craps" that we already
have in sight a native and Portuguese
population of gamblers.
In what may be called the tonic lati-
tudes, there is a constant incentive to
work which is lacking here. Boys be-
gin labor without much goading and,
where the need exists, begin at an early
age. They feel like doing something.
Here the climate promotes sloth and
sloth invites the devil. 1t was easier
for Adam and Eve to fall in the banana
patch Of an equatorial Eden than it
would have been on piney upland in
the North. Give boy his way in a
New England town and he Is ten times
more likely to look for a job than is a
boy of equally good stuff in Honolulu
Unless taken firmly in hand the native
boy does nothing but loaf and play
craps" the Portuguese boy is no cred
it to his parent stock; there is an often
sive percentage Of lazy white boys.
The question is, What can be done to
improve them? What can be done to
bring them out of idleness and mis-
chief and make them worth raising?
The promoters of the Boys Brigade
answer the question in a practical way.
They say: We will, If supported in the
undertaking, get these stray lads out
of the streets, interest them in games
and amusemenes of a wholesome kind
and then give them groundwork in
some of the trades. So far as our
means will allow we will do the work
of a Cooper Union. In fact we are do
ing it now and can point to actual re-
suits TO support our theories. If given
money enough to establish a few more
centers Of effort about town we will un-
dertake to make useful citizens out of
hundreds of boys who otherwise may
be burden on society or a menace to
its peace. We do not ask money as
mere gift, although such money would
be put to the best of uses; but we pro-
pose to earn funds by means of enter
tainments. Will you help?
This question is up to the business
men and citizens generally. VIII they
help? If not, why not? No cause can
be worthier than that of making good
citizens for future use, diminishing
crime, encouraging good morals and
thrift among the youth of Honolulu and
saving them from themselves. We go
to great trouble over heather abroad.
Here are heather at home. We try to
rescue hardened sailors, but here is
scheme to keep boys from hardening
into men that need to be rescued. We
perspire over schemes to lead men
away from saloons; here is plan to
keep boys from going to them. What
do our well-to-do and moral people pro-
pose?