The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-05-09
BOYS AND GIRLS OF TODAY.

the Young Mems Association in this
city, where facilities are afforded for
recreation and for physical and mental
culture, has brought to mind the greater
advantages and opportunities the young
men of today have over those of fifty
or more years ago. Take the matter of
education. The majority then could
only attend school in the winter months
and many had to go long distances.
The teachers in the rural districts were
often selected for their physical PROV
ess rather than their scholarly attain
ments, and the text books were very
inferior to those now in use. Graded
schools were few, and the writer well
remembers a Greenleaf's arithmetic,
thumbed about half way through, as
each term a start was made at the be-
ginning and the back part of the book
was never reached. In studying at
home the student either sat in the
chimney corner and read by the fire.
light or by tallow candle which barely
sufficed to make darkness visible"
Later the sperm oil lamp came into
use, the wick having to be pried up
with a pin, and which gave little, if
ANY, better light than the tallow dip.
Nowadays graded schools are the rule
and pupils living at distance are trans
ported to and from school at the public
expense. The teachers are college grad
yates, or graduates from the Normal
schools, the text books are beautifully
printed and finely Illustrated and the
school equipments are in keeping.
Kerosene furnishes an excellent light
for evening reading, and many even of
the smaller places have gas or electrici-
ty, or both. A college education is now
within the reach of every boy of aver
age intelligence and ambition. The free
High schools fit the boys and girls for
college, and hundreds of Maine boys
have worked their way through col
lege" by teaching school part of the
year or availing themselves of the many
other employments open to them.
In the sos, and before, the young
man had, generally speaking, to either
follow the sea or the pillow. Many of
our Maine boys chose the former call
ing and won worldwide distinction as
master mariners. Farming was then a
more arduous and less remunerative
calling than it is today. The farmer
and his family had to produce, in addi-
ton to the necessary food, many arti-
cles of domestic use which they buy
today at reasonable price. Many had
TO go long distances to market or to the
grist mill. Today they have market
at their doors for what they have 10
sell, the goods they buy are delivered
to them, the telephone puts them in
touch with neighbors and the town, the
r. F. d. carrier brings their mail, and
the Grange furnishes social enjoyment
and mental stimulus. In the early
days the boy worked on the farm until
he was twenty-one without pay. If
employment was found in store the
pay was only SO or 81 week. Lumber
ing, working in a mill or driving team
were about the only other occupations
open to the young man.
How different the conditions today.
With college education readily avail
able the professions of law, medicine
and engineering are open to every boy.
New fields of usefulness and profit are
awaiting them. The electrical business
mas already offered many Maine boys
remunerative positions and its rapid
development is constantly demanding
more. Railroad building calls for sur
veying and constructing engineers. The
vanishing forests have brought out a
new professionalism of forestry. The
national government is giving employ
ment, with good pay, to many young
men in this line, and all cities which
have parks are employing foresters that
the shade trees may have expert care.
The telephone companies employ large
number of young men in various capaci-
ties, and in all these comparatively new
employments there is promotion for
those who merit it.
When the introduction of labor-say-
ing machinery began it was feared that
it would deprive many of employment.
The reverse has proved true. The more
labor-saving devices the more employ
ment, and at increased pay. Take the
printing business. Practically all the
type for newspapers, periodicals and
books is now set by type casting or type
setting machines, and never was the de-
mand greater for good compositors or
wages higher. 1t is difficult to see how
we could manage in the factories on
the farms or in the homes, without the
many labor-saving devices which are
now so essential. The small farmer
could not get along without his moving
machine, his horse rake and the many
other labor-saving machines and imple-
ments. Thus the young man of today,
in comforts and conveniences, in educa
tiOnal facilities, and in opportunities for