The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-04-08
Boys vs.. the Pool Room.


The writer's attention was recently
called 10 the daily exodus OF school
boys 10 the pool rooms OF the village
shortly after 4 p. IN. of each school
day. Il was argued that pool room
was 4 poor place for boys OF IL 10 10
years Of age. Such contention Is 10
least partly right. There can be moth
log wrong In simply playing pool or
billiards. Both are games which re-
qulre skill and afford excellent amuse.
ment. Injury 10 health or morals can
come only FROM surrounding condlt-
Ions. Some boys are not contented
unless they begin early 10 ape the ways
OF some men whom they have seen, aud
sad 10 relate. la some Instances those
men may be their fathers. II they
play pool they must smoke and use oh
scene or profane language. II they do
not conduct theihselves after the mao
ner OF some men they have seen They
are afraid that on.lookers will suspect
that they are boys They don't stop
to consider that their unshaven lips
and crude manners continually give
their preteutlons the lie. TIE result IL
that the air OF the pool room becomes
filthy With cigarette smoke aud the con.
versatlon Is not elevatIng or even SEQ.
sible. The immature boy suffers Ia
both physical aud moral health.
The average healthy boy intends 10
do about what lsrlght He needs ceunl
sci and eompanionshlp moro than cuffs
and reprimands. What are the par.
ents OF these boys doing7 Do they
consider that they have performed
their whole duty when they provide
their boys food add olothing2 A boy
ought TO be happier 10 spend an hour
or two With bis father than With any
,chool or street chum and he will BE- u
the old man limbers up properly and
really enjoys being with the boy and
takes some pains 10 give him . good
time.
But not every father because OF work
or business can Do with bis son n
much ~ he would like to be, and ought
10 be. and parents and teachers cugb'
10 cooperate In directing the boy,
amusements outside OF school. II doe,
cot require much argument 10 shop
that good healthy boys ought 70 be on
gagged in out door sports rs much n,
possible when not In school A ding,
pool room With I've atmosphere sslurst
ed with tobacco smoke ought 70 be Oh,
last.place In the world q boy would r,
sort 10 who values good health anf
clean living. Athletics ale not ~
popular 10 the Bellows Falls school,
as they used 70 be. They ought 70 b
encouraged. There IL no gymnasium
10 town. We believe that the to~r
could afford 70 1T up q room 10 q mod
est way for the benefit Of tho boys
There could be no Digestion 70 poo
or billiard table or both, II prccau
tons we're taken 10 insure pure air
and clean language and 10 10 our opln
Ion that the boys could be depended on
to do the right thing.
Another great benefit TO many boy
would be course In manual training
In connection with the schools and q
well equipped workshop. What th'
boys need and what they will haze Il
something 70 do. A boy 10 years Ole
may hold out his ches and swageer {
little, but al heart he means we'll; he IL
not bad; he hasn't had time 70 get bad
He may be headed the wrong way, bul
hat IL not always his fault II Their
tare no guIdeboards either at homo o
abroad how can he with his brief or
perience always tell where his present
course will land him2 What woul,
you expect q boy would do after schoo
and during vacation II his parents did
nj care and his teachers didn't car
and anybody didn't care, and he didn'
know. Of anything 10 do but 70 hang OF
the street corners or 90 10 q pool room
or some like resortp Give the boy
something 70 do and a decent place h
do IL In and the boy problem will solv,
elf.--Bellows Falls Times.