The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-11-05
Help the Boys

In this strident era of commercial
ism, when men are moving heaven
and earth, figuratively speaking, in an
effort to secure more than a modicum
of this worlds goods, it becomes
necessary to adopt methods for the
employment of the youth whose con-
dition and environment render doubt
full the full contamination of a hap
Ply and comfortable existence. Too
often it is the case that boys whose
future should have been CARRIED
in all that was originally intended
by nature, have been forced into
channels of vice or Incorporate liv-
ing because they had not been taught
some art Or trade which would have
enabled them to earn an honest
subsistence if not an actual compe-
tence. From time to time, philan-
thropists have essayed to minimize
the dangers besetting the children
of the poor by establishing institu-
tions in which they could be taught
some useful trade or occupation.
Technical schools have accomplished
much in the proper direction, but
with a constantly increasing popula-
ton, the helplessness of the. youth
is only accentuated. Thus thous-
ands in the larger cities almost in
sensibly drift into channels which
end in poorly paid labor, due to a
lack of intelligence of effort, and
which closely approximates poverty,
if it does not absolutely result in that
condition
One of the most unique methods
employed in redemption of the i'll
directed youth of the cities, has been
put into execution by Mr.. John H,
Patterson, president of the National
Cash Register company at Dayton,
Ohio. Mr.. Patterson's attention was
directed to the fact that boys who
are not taught useful habits lapse
physically and morally. Contrasting
his own early form life and after sue
| cess, he concluded to establish 6
| Boys Garden" and this he did or
the property of his company. Boys
between the ages of eight and six
teen are enrolled in a class under the
direction of an expert gardener
These are put to work in the garden
and in one year they are taught how
to raise twenty-four varieties Of. vege
tables Each boy is given charge o
a plot seventeen feet wide by on'
| hundred and seventy feet long ant
| this he cultivates under the direction
of the gardener. Each boy cares TO
his own tools and is expected to kee1
his plot scrupulously clean and wei
worked. Prizes are given for tn
best cultivated plots and for tn
most careful attention. Records o
the work are kept and these record
determine the standing of the boys
The young farmers are permitted t
utilize their products in the house
holds of their parents, and one of tn
youthful prize winners of last yea
supplied his family of five person
with vegetables the entire year an
sold portion of his product in al
dition. Seventy-one boys of the age
mentioned, all children of the en-
ployes in the factory. were last yea
taught intensive agriculture an
made better children in the process
The redemption of these particuls
boys was in itself generous phi
anthropy and the lessons of the inn
walton will undoubtedly sink I'M
fruitful SOIL When it is considere
> that sixty-five per cent of our e
4 ports are agricultural and that OF
/ own seventy millions must be fe
/ the Importance Of Mr.. Pattersons e
c pertinent will be appreciated. 1t
move in the interest of the masse
and anything which tends to crea
c a better condition both of health al
S OF morals, must of necessity col
It mend itself to an observing public