The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-07-16
SOME THINGS TO DO.
Many Things to be Learned by The
American Boy Graduates.
CAPABLE WORKERS NEED NOT Be IDLE.
(The American Boy.)

American boy graduates would make
if they could by massed together in
one great company. l suppose that
a good many of them would resent
the imputation that they are still
boys, and it is really time that the
should put away childish things"
and begin to see and feel as men feel
and see. Now comes the time of
testing, and we have no shadow of
doubt that some of them will meet
this test bravely and we'll. The next
few years will prove whether they
are made of the right stuff or not
the stuff of which the real men of
the world are made. All this educa-
ton has been nothing but develop
ing of the natural powers of the boy
and strengthening through the de-
velopment of his character. If this
character-building process has been
omitted the most important part of
your education has been sadly neg
lected. There's just no use talking,
boys, if you lack character you lack
the most essential element in the
achievement of the only kind of sue
cess worth having in this life. And
you want to set it down on the tab
lets of your hearts that money is a
secondary consideration when it
comes to making success Of ones
life. One trouble with our Ameri-
can boy of today is that he has an
idea that money represents the high
est standard Of success. Recent de-
velopements IN the great world of
finance have given proof of the fact
that it is a standard so low that it
has brought some who have achieved
this kind Of great success down to
the dirt itself in the estimation of
the great mass Of the American peo-
pie. Just take note of the fact that
the men our nation has always de-
lighted to honor have never been
men Of great wealth. Some have
been prosperous men, but it is fer
he things growing out of the nobil-
ty of their characters that they hold
such high place in the esteem of
heir countrymen.
The American boy graduate will
10 we'll to bear in mind that he must
low pull off his coat and d. a lot of
mighty hard work if he is to do all
hat the world expects of him. Why
lot? You have used all the Drawn
md muscle of yours at football and
baseball and rowing and other
stunts" Of strength long enough.
The school and college gym" didn't
develop all that muscle of which you
ire so proud just for football and
,ther games requiring muscle. 1t
developed it for the purpose of help
ng to make you more capable of
pushing to the front in the real work
# life. And there is plenty of work
or you to do. The willing worker
md the capable worker need not be
die for long in our land. But if you
nave not learned any regular trade
,r profession while you have been in
school you must do as the Bible says
md whatsoever thy hand findeth to
10, do it with thy might" Don't
lawdle. And don't complain. If
7our work does not "suit' you keep
It it just the same until you can find
something that does suit you.
Every American boy graduate
should start out in life determined
hat he will not actually "loaf" a
single day while he lives. The
'loafer" is about as poor spicemen
# humanity as any country can pro-
luce. You can find work of some
lind to do if it is of no more cash
producing kind than studying at
lome or working around the house.
Don't wait for something to turn
lp." A great, strong man who has
,een idle for months told me only
he other day that nothing seemed
% turn up" for him. The shores
If time are strewn with the life
wrecks of men who have sat in idle
less waiting for something to turn
ID" You'd better run an elevator
,r do something for fifty cents day
han to sit in idleness waiting for
someone to offer you job.
And the American boy graduate
must learn to posses his soul in patti
,nce. Get that get-rich-quick nom
sense out of your head, and don't be
,ain enough to think that somehow
,r other Nature has been so gener-
JUS in her gifts to you that you are
.eady to begin at the top instead of
It the bottom of the ladder. You
lown that Franklin said that "he
hat can have patience can have what
,e WILL" and another wise man who
rnew lust what he was talking about