davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
THE DEBIT SIDE.

A city owes 10 its boys a chance for intel
lectual and social development through product
i've manual industry. This is the most difficult
problem confronting the cities to-day and the
cities Of the world are coming to recognize its
seriousness. Were we starting anew II would be
easier to include such work In our scheme OF
education. All existing school traditions and
school machinery are impedments.
The idea is deep-rooted that education con-
ssts of academic culture, that schools exist to
promote this culture, and that the more elegant
the schoolhouse is and the more artistic and
beautiful it is made the finer and the more i'm
pressive the culture which II represents and pro-
notes. Marble and stUcco, books, pictures, stat
uary and decorative plants are provided TO cul-
uvate and minister TO the aesthetic sense of the
children. The sense they do not cultivate is A
sense OF the dignity of manual industry. A mar
bic palace is a poor substitute for a shop or a
piece of land. 1t may have it's place in educa-
ton. but Its place is subordinate and not an
exclusive one.
What then does city owe to its boys? First,
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
A MAN AMONG MEN.

OF his methods in his work the author says
breakfast over Captain Joe was the nrSt man on
deck He had left his peajacket in the cabin ana
now woro his everyday outdt-the blue Hammer
shirt long since stretched out OF shape In It's ef-
forts 10 accommodate Itself the spread OF his
shoulders and a pair OF trousers in which each
corrugated wrinkle outlined kuOtted muscle twist
ed up and down a pair of legs as sturdy as dock
logs.
Close association with Captain Joe always IN
splred g peculiar confidence and loyalty, not only
among his own men, but IN all others who heard
HIS voice His personal magnetism his enthusiasm.
caution and watChful care for the SAFETY OF MS
men. had created among his employees bind CON
fdeEco IN his Judgment that always resulted III
immediate and UuQuestlOned obedience 10 MS OF
dors. no matter what the risk might seem
OF the captains fluent command or objuFgatloils
when great personal danger threatened his men
that the captains everyday conventioua! EnglSn
seemed inadequate. on such occasions, when the
slightest error on the part OF his working forc6
might result in the instant death or the nalInins
OF them, certain, and II Is 70 De hope ulro-
cendos and ending IN fortissimos. would often
escape from the captains lips with vim and =
rush that would have raised the hair OF his Puri-
tan observation-disclosures OF Oaths that kindled with
sputters OF dissatisfaction, famed into showers OF
abuse and burst into basphemies which cleared
slons he never made any apology. In the roar OF
the sea they seemed sometimes the only aInnuni-
ton he could depend upon. Somebody II glt hurteo
round here. n ye amt careful somehow ! can't
make ye understand no other way he would say.
This was as no ever came TO apolostE!ng
F,-i ifg afrF
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
THE MORAL DEBT.

If the financial burden upon the cities is q
heavy one 1t is not because the expenditures for
schools have been eXtravagant. The school
committees have not kept pace with the other
departments of the municipal government.
have dwelt at length upon the citys debt 10
the boys on the physical and intellectual sides
because tho evidences of obligation there seem
less clear; but city life interferes with the de-
vclopment of a healthy moral nature on the
neral side the city owes to its boys protection,
restraint and eXample-pToteCtion from cntice-
ments and suggestions to vice and crime: pro-
lection from open saloons. from gambling dens,
from lurid biIboards flaming with criminal and
lbidinous suggestions. and from low amusement
resorts.
The boys ara entitled to be taught by the firm
hand OF the courts healthy respect for law, @
regard for the rights Of persons and property,
the distinction between mine ana thine. Much OF
tho administration of justice has been feeble
and VaCillating so that boys have mistaken
ieniency for encouragement They have a right
10 be restrained for their own salvation.
And they have right In preparation for active
citizenship to the example OF n city administra-
ton that IS clean. honest bUsiuessuke public
spirited, broad minded, progressive.
The National Bureau Of Commerce and Labor
has recently published a bulletin OF state and
municipal Indebtedness. II shows how the debts
Of The cities Of the country have increased at Il
constantly accolerating rate. II did not include
their heaviest obligation-what they owed 10
their own boys. Had they paid this debt ear
uer. they might have owed less TO other people.
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT.

The city interferes with the Intellectual de-
veIopnent Of a boy disastrously as with his
physical development.
The most effective agency in the intellectual
development Of boy is not the study Of books.
1t is experience in some form of productive
industry 1t IS making something or doing
something that has yaIue in itself when it ia
Q0he Not only does he acquire skill of hand.
but what is OF much more Importance he gets
an IDEA OF the elements involved in all pro-
ductIVe processes-namely material labor and
uhle; he gets some basis for estimating values
IN terms of cost, and he acquires that quality
which is the mark of the master Workman
power to see the END from the beginning and
TO trace the line which connects the two Feeble
at first. but gaining strength his work broad
ems ne acquires a comprehensive grasp that
marks the thinker
II this experience IS gained as q partner in
the industry, to his other acquisitions are added
social element, sense of Comradeship IN cf-
fort and Of obligation 10 his comrades 10 do
his part. Loyalty TO the organization grows
out Of such effort
The man who goes back to the old farm and
says. as he looks about, Father and I cleared
that wood lot That's the wall we laid: how well
II has stood! We made that old harrow and
that OK sled, and we built that old henhouse"
Bot out OF InaI experience tired but Geft hands
a brain 70 PLAN and a win to execute, and a
sense OF partnership In piece OF useful work.
It is easy to see that these are valuable con-
trbutions TO training for citizenship.
This was the sort OF training which all boys
got In d greater or less degree in those days
Ni4lC44 We p4CluIeStluEly describe as the age OF
honespun' It was the sort Of training which
boys got IN the medi@val guilds and goes far
to account for the fact that those guilds were
able TO gain contTel Of civic affairs and to die
tate terms to kings while IN the public buildings
which they erected they left monuments TO their
own learning and skill in craftsmanship
To this natural and healthy process Of fntal-
lectual leading up TO social development the
modern city opposes an impossible barrier For
such experience and such partnership as I have
described, the industrial organization must DO
simple The family, the farm. the shop furn-
! ished ideal conditions
In n modern city the industrial organiza tions
are too vast and too complex There is no place
-! for boys. except on the fringes. And If a boy
| gets a foothold, he Is exceptional if he sees
| enough Of a process TO develop any sense OF
mechanical perspective. any constructive imag-
ination, or any sense Of partnership and of
! loyalty.
| Again this is no fault of the city It is an
unavoidable result of modern social conditions
But the city IS dereict If it fails to do what
| 1t can to make up to the boys for what they
| have been deprived Of.
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
STOPPED HOLE WITH HIS OWN BODY

Another ma,tress-quick All gone? \ blanket
then-carpet-a nything; five minutes moro and shon
right herself. Quick. for Gods saker
1t was useless. Everything even to the oil rags,
had been used.
Your coat. then. Think OF the babies man
DO you hear them"
Goats and vests were off IN an instant: the en-
gineer his knees braCing the shattered pank7
Captain Joe forcing the garments into tho splin-
tered openings
1T was useless. Little by little the water gained
bursting out first below, then side, only 20
he recalked and only TO rush in again
Captain Joe stood for q moment as II undecided
his eye searchingly over the engine room, saw
that for his needs II empty. then delibera tey
tore down the TOP wall Of caiking he had care
fully built and, before the engineer could pro-
test, had forced his own body into the gap with
his arm outside level with the drifting Ice.
"An hour later tho disabled ferryboat with
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
MANY PERSONS IN PERIL.

zone morning IN January. two years before. when
the ice IN the Hudson River unusually heavy.
q Hoboken fcrryboat slowly cruched her way
through the floating foes until the thickness OF tho
pack choked her paddles IN midriver. The weather
had been bitterly cold for weeks. and the keen
northwest wind had blown the great fields OF float
Ing ioe into hard pack along tho New York
shores II was the early morning trip and tho
decks were crowded with labor!ug men. and the
driveways were chokod with teams; tAe women
and children standing inside the cabins. solid
mass up to the swinging doors. While she was
gathering strength for further effort. an ocean
tug sheored to avoid her. ycered a point. and
crashed Into her side, cutting her below tae water
line in a great V-shaped cash The next instant
with blanched faces caught terror stricken children
IN their arms while men cr'tzed with fear called
the rails and upper decks to escape the RIunsing
helpless, Into tho V-sHaped cash tho water poured
IN torrent. II seemed only q question Of min
utes before she would !ungo head!ong below tho
within two hundred yards OF both boats oni
Reiance' '' of IN" or sHoro WrCtF.nr ComSanv'
I1sLI- rcI M. a,,tf'I1sIy. W. 10 %s,,, Isrssy
shore 10 coal at Wechawken on her deck for
cautiouary orders to tho mato IN tho pilot house.
stood Captain Joe. When tho ocean tug reversed
the shattered whcelhouse of the ferryboat. he
tho vtatcr line, noted in a nash every shattered
plank climbed into the pilot house OF his own
astonished PILOT could catch his breath ran the
nose Of tho keiante along ne @ ra OF the ierryooat
II he had fallen from passing cloud the effect
could not have been more startling Men crowded
about him and caught his hands. Women sank on
their knees and huEgeu their children, and O sud
den peace and stiffness possessed every soul on
board. Tearing -preseryer from the man near
est him and throwing 1t overheard, he backed the
coward ahead OF him through tie swaying mob
ordering the people to stand clear and forcing tho
whole mass to the starboaTd side. The increased
weight gradually rghtcd the stricken boat until
She regalncd q nearly keel.
with threat to throw overheard any man
who stirred. he dropped into tho engine room met
the engineer half way tho ladder, compelled him
TO return, dragged the mattresses from the crews
hunks stripped off blankets. racks OF clothes
overalls. cotton waste ana rags or carpet. cram
ming them into the great rent left by the tug .
cutwatcr. until the space of each broken plank was
replaced except one. Through and over this space
the water still combed, dcluRinC tho floors and
swashIng down between the gratings into the hold
hclnM.
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
WHAT He ENTERED IN THE LOG.

The next year. when the work on the lighthouse
was nearly completed. the author took friend 10
see CAPTAIN Joe al his home. and after trying 20
lead the conversation up to the Incident sald;
Tell him. Captain Joe OF that morning IN the
ice off Hoboken. when you boarded the Terry oOt''
'He would but lie had most forgot, been so
long ago So many OF these things a-comlh up
when a mans hangia' round, it's hard to ieep
track on en-. Remembered there wuz ElesA OF
ueonle aboard mostly women and babies. and
they WIZ all a-hOIeUn' to wunst. lie "u1
workin' on the Reliance at the uIne-caI1ttih, 81
her Come 10 think of It. he found her !oS idSI
week when he wuz lOOkin' for some ruDDcr cIotI
To- patch his dlvin suit II his wife would SET lns
book out, he guessed it WIZ all there. ne ",t@
always palrticIer about keepln ioS nbo1.d snip
All here l. Is KnOwed hadn't IotsoL III
You can read IL Yourself Ny eyes ain 50 s1o!tt
IS they wus-poiHtug TO th6 entry on the INK
stained page. ., 80. I.rga,-
City = a. III. Ice running Aea'S. Na+NN'-'' -
stopped leak IN ferrybOat.' 80 go.
IN Caleb West. Master Diver, Mr Snltu LsI, ,ras
10 the same incident follows. after meh''OlA''s
the gray hairs of "Cautaiu Joe Bell: 80
These hairs betray the only chang" seen IN mn.
since the memorable winters day when ne nad say e
the lives passengers on the sinking ieIiE
near Hoboken by calkiug with his own pody , Ltie
cash left I'm her side by d coding tug nv .i
had touched him nowhere else. he was sun 3 eny
same loveda he was-long-agO sea dog, toush am
sturdy, tender eyed and fearless. His tteth @ Wo.e
as white his mouth was as firm. his ia" as sIio'S
and determined.
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24

push. Or he refuses to recognize the reigning
authorities as legitimate, breaks through their
restraints, eludes their vigilance, matches MS
own powers against the powers that De- HaV-
ing little better bodily Development than the
others he becomes precociously acute. His per
ceptions are keen out narrow and his judgment
warped, and his reasoning Is ready but faie-
c,ous.
These are extreme types. but every city has
them both in numbers sufficient TO make the
problem of dealing with them perpleXlng one.
The majority Of city boys will be found between
these two extremes having the characteristics
Of both in varying degrees
Using the terms bad and good in n conNen-
tiona way. besides the boys who are haDitualIy
bad habtually good, are the boys who are
internationally bad and good who try TO conform
to urban requirements and succeed fairly wen,
but whose boy nature sometimes asserts itseII
and gets them into trouble.
Then there are just average boys who con-
trive to get a little fun out of life. even in the
city who never do anything very bad, but
whose bodies and minds never being subjected
TO any real tension, are fiabby. They lack grit
These are the boys who clog the grammar and
the high schools in every city.
The tragedy in all this is reached when the
city boy has lost his instinct for primitive sport
when his ear is deaf to the call Of the wild
Workers among city boys have told us that this
is the saddest thing they fnd-children who 90
not know how 10 play.
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
PUNISHMENT TO FIT THE CRIME.

When Congressman Small young lawyer
he arguing a before a country
magistrate. why" said Mr.. Small, 1.-The man at
the bar. Jones, would Just kill me right
here before your faces as not"
The old magistrate slowly took out his spectacles
put them on, and peered over to get a good look
at the desperate Jones Then he pointed his finger
him, and said YOU Bill Jones' IL you kill John
II. Small here before me I'll fine you dollar and
nifty cents for contempt OF court. durn my soul If
1 dou't"'-Women's Home Companion
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
THE CITY'S DUTY.

In view Of what boys are. Of natures provision
for their growth, of the necessary interference
Of city life with those provisions. the first obli-
cation OF city to its boys appears to be to
give them a chance to develop freely in accord
ance with the laws Of nature without breaking
the laws Of man.
In other words, every city is bound to furnish
suitable and ample means by which its boys
may grow physically into men without becoming
criminals or even juvenile dennquehtS. MoSI
large cities are beginning to recognize dinlly
this obligation, and are making feeble and hair
hearted attempts to fulfil II. few play
grounds have been opened, here and there free
public gymnasium, a swimming tank or two ana
some skating ponds. This IS all that the largest
clues have undertaken. and most cities nave
scarceI- made beginning
To pay its debt to the boys in fun. the city
should furnish a sufficient number of play
grounds, conveniently situated for the use Of
ali the boys. Those Fairgrounds should range
In size and in equipment from the small neigh
DoThood lot for the young children, with sand
boxes ana swings, TO the large athletic fields
with space for Symnastic apparatus. for team
games, and for the usual competitive exercises.
There should be skating ponds for the winter.
small and large, and swimming places for sum-
meT and winter. There should be a sufficient
number of indoor gymnasiums amply equipped
for the use Of all the boys
a considerable part of the wild land set apart
Tor public reservations might be used for tenn
PoTary camps Where some experience IN wood
craft might be gained. There is land enough
IN state OF nature within easy reach of all but
the largest cities 10 furnish TO large numbers OF
boys opportunity TO play Indian to good ad-
vantage. There is a field here for splendid team
work by groups or clubs or boys who might learn
all the lessons OF civil society by practice
To plan for such work this, to determine
the number and location and proper equipment
OF grounds and buildings, TO organize the whole
work and then TO direct and control It. would
mean a new department of municipal adninis-
tration' coordinate with the department of edu-
cation. Its chief would be a superintendent Of
physical training a master Of games and
sports. His chief function would be to furnish
opportunity. His interference should be onIy
IN the interest OF safety and canal rights
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
EXPOSED IN THE STREETS.

The Spartans exposed their children on Mount
Taygetus; we expose ours in the city streets.
Under such conditions inseparable from city
life one Of two things happens. The boy grad
ually learns to submit TO the superior forces
about him, goes tamely in leading strings and
becomes a good boy. comfort 10 his mother and
the pride of his school teachers. But he has
lost something in fibre, he lacks initiative has
no go in him. He likes to wear clothes and
talk with the girls. He is ignorant alike Of mis-
own powers and Of his own limitations. He
doesn't know what to do in emergencies. He
wants 10 ride when he ought TO get out and
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
,ul on board. was towed into the Hoooken

every soul board was roWeo liAI0 '-
slip. -, -. e, the wreck he was
,,rconscio1Is and barely alive The water Hau tIa
flesh from his protruding arm from SCIr 10 Ills
wrist When the color began 10 creep otSS SoctnT
cheeks he opened his eyes and said 10 the uON'0-
who was winding the bandaSeS:
'VuZ any of them babies hurt! -. ..-.,.tb
"a month passed before he regalned nus -
and another week before the arm na1 NJ {HzS -
that he .oud get his coat on Ihen ne "eI'' N"-
To his work on the Reliance. ,.,.u- C,,.,,-
In the mean time the ff-Shore Wrechllis
panv had presented bill TO ne Ieiry St;
for saIyaes claiming that the safety OF the IeIaS
iney company Payment had been refused IeSIae II
ine- i'm legal proceedings. which had alTeaEy
gun. The morning following TINS, dClt8ll IN ~h
Zoe was called into the president oInce. 20
- ','eptain' said that official. we re sul'iS -,
have some trouble getting our pay lot tI@t t0'''
lob Here's an affidavit for YOU 70 swear - .,1
.rThe CAPTAIN took the paper 70 the WlhuoM Ght
read it through without comment, theh i,i' -
back on the presidents desk. picked UP HIS ''~i'
and moved to the door.
" Did you sign itT
No: and / amt e-goin' to-
Z" Why 49,, 10 ooI,
AZ This arm. Do you think I'd got into tlaL neIl
hole if it hadn't a been for them women cIyIH n
and the babies a-hoIlern'? And you want EN- 20 30
pay for it. II your head wuznt white Ia His'9i
Then he walked straight to the cashier de de,
inanded his weeks pay waited until the hqIsJ 3iS
was counted out, slammed the ONCE dooI Oei1IIia liz
him and walked out, Cursing IKE a ptrfte- A''o
next day he answered my advertisement
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24

I land for cultivation, where they may learn oy
experience some of the initial processes OF thaI
industry which underlieS all otner INDUSTRIES
the production OF food.
Second, workshops where they may learn Dy
experience those mechanical processes that ,I un
derlie all constructive INDUSTRY reai "oi ,I t 5
where q boy with a work apron and soled hanos
would not feel out Of place.
While as have said before, some cltles nave
made a feeble beginning in providing opportuni-
ties for boys to play and 70 grow therepy- no
where have even beginnings been mace al Pio
vidinc adequate opportunities for the boys 10
work with their hands and 10 grow 1hereoS::
The so-called manual training is not the sGIt oL
work l am talking about Ihat Is 100 l'oi'1S'o
and unnatural
If the city owes these debts to the boys be-
cause il has deprived them of those haturaI op5
porIunltics which it is their right TO possess AiIt
eniov it cannot begin soon TO pay them. 1t
will cost money to pay them II uSuallE ,toe9
cost to pay debts, ard ii is easier Tor the tlihe
to ranudiata them But these debts to nature
are never outlawed, and sooner or later must oe
, paid with interest, and the interest accuiluIal5S
The standing excuse for delay Is that the city
cannot afford it because 1T is already spehaiiis
so much on schools nave recen.lS uoal5 5ilg
figuring to see how much the cites are Spetts SptI
on schools compared with expenditures Tor other
municipal purposes. TO see Il the c'iiA'le e'i 81
getting more than their share -.
have the story of Massachusetts CITY.
In fifty years it's population has increases oS9
ner cent It's property valuation has increased
565 per cent. Its total municipal eNpehul'uIe
has Increased 2577 per cent. It's expenditure IoI
fire protection has increased 1888 per ceilt., loI
80
II 0o3 per cent and for schools, 10S4 per cent.
have the average increase of .departmSSHIt Ie eA-
penditures in the six largest cities OF . NiasSa
chusetts outside OF Boston. They are as follows:
Per cent, ..s
AveGage increase IN p1 f @ rrotocon Iii
Average Increase expenditures for streets
expenditures FOR police llo'et''"l
Average increase expenditures for schools i''
This increase in expenditures for police does
not include the great expense OF the courts ana
Of the penal and reformatory institutions. -
In the city first in the list fOr police eNpehdl-
lures increasing 1I0UO per cent in hfty years;
forty years ago the city marshal in has annual
reDort called attention to the increasing number
Of Migrants and truant boys and Of juvenile
criminals. Had the city then begun 10 sale
guard the interests Of the boys, that as their
freedom was gradually restricted by necessary
city ordinances public provision was made 10
supply opportunities for natural and rational
sports and occupations there is no doubt what
ever that the saving in police expenditures would
have met all the cost of the preventive measures
while the saving OF boys would have added un-
told values to the economic resources OF the
4
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24

"John," she whispered, "there's a buraisp IN
the paror. He has just knocked against Tho
piano and hit several keys at ones."
"l'll go down." said he.
"Oh, John, don't do anything rash!"
"Rashi Why. I'm going to help him. You
don't suppose he can remove that piano from the
hnnaA Wlthout aaslstanesr
-, -~2hs Threns.
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24

Aunt (shovVins small nephew, who has come
on visit round the sroundsl-NoH, dear, III
Just take you through the orchard and then I
must really &c and e down.
NePhew-Auntie, il you'd rather 90 at once
you know nlessa do l--l-shoudn't be a BID
lonely. -Yvusa-
New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
A CLTY'S BOYS.
What the Municipality Ooces to
Them.
q George ID. AIartln.

BeOrEe
Secretary q the 3Iassachuse-ts stote Board q Edu-
cation.