The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-02-27
OF A BOYS LIFE DANGEROUS PERIOD
Robert Roughan. in Extension.

lRoDeft Roughan, IN Extension
hat there is a dangerous period in boys life
all will agree, both teachers and parents. This pc
Rod varies as to time with the individual. | think
1t fair to say 1t usually occurs between the four
teenth and eighteenth year. This is the period
when the average boy lays the foundation for good
or evil for future years. 1t be said that this
Is the time the man is made.
The previous life and good habits make but lit
tie if any impression on him during this period.
new nature, entirely foreign to the Old has APP
peared and the training temporarily at least, of
the past seems lost. | do not mean to say such
good training has been wasted 1t has not. 1t has
kept the boy clean and strong for the struggle but
il will not meet the new conditions It has done its
work and its immediate usefulness is past. Should
the boy pass the dangerous period well he will
turn to his earlier traditions and begin again where
he left off.
This period appears to me to be the lapse in ouf
civilization" and the return to savagery. 1t is
the call-the demand of our savage ancestry to
turn to old conditions So strong is the 'call' that
the anxious mother feels almost hopeless. The ia
ther recognizes it and remembers that he 'came
out all right" and laughs at the mothers fears. He
should not laugh. He should take notice This is
his time in the training of the boy. The mother
has worked and toiled for fourteen years in rear
ing him. SO long and well has she done her
work the father has gradually ceased TO think of
doing anything. But he must. She cannot
hope TO cope with these conditions Man, and
only man. can do the work. Many boy has met
bitter because of that laugh. because of the
careless father. The mothers boy is chang
ing into his fathers son. You, fathers, must act.
The scene has. changed from the nursery to the
world You know the world, its temptations, its
sorrows, as the mother knows the nursery. If your
boy fails during his dangerous period you and you
alone to blame.
The anxious mother knows the signs of the be-
ginning of this period. Nature, always faithful to
Maker NJ fu
signs. The father, less observant, sees mo differ
ence from other boys he has become used to these
outward manifestations from the young boys he
meets in business life The fond mother. however
realizes her darling" boy is not the same.
What these signs! There are so many and
so varied in form one hardly knows where to begin
in naming them. Let take the physical ones
first. The small body, almost girlish, begins to
shoot up the small hands seem now to have be-
almost "as large as his father's"-al legs and
arms-he outgrows his shoes-his suits seem to
shrnk-he grows so rapidly That sweet gentle
voice now becomes strident-it cracks. breaks. He
never speaks in whisper, he almost yels, These
some of the physical signs placed as warning
those in command that the crisis the dangerous
period. is approaching.
Mental signs are not wanting The confdng,
open hearted boy now becomes secretive He never
says where he has been or where he is going. He
is going out. that is all. He has been AL round
He holds his eyes from you when you question him.
He may have done 10 wrong He simply feels SUI
pcrior to control.
His character makes manifest the change going
on within him He reads only the sporting page
of the paper. He knows every pugist by name and
reputation. He eagerly drinks in the story of every
cruel battle in history and in life.
My boy never used to fight" said mother to
me. "and he never seems to be out of one.
First a black eye. tooth out ii seems as though
he were fighting all the time"
So one could enumerate forever almost, the
signs of the coming struggle, for it is struggle
and great one-the contest is for soul-the
greatest contest in the world.
Now is the time to PREVENT future failures.
Money and time spent later in CORRECTING
may or may not be successful Prevention in time
is always successful.
"Now is the acceptable time" for your work, 0
fathers of youths! "Arise from your lethargy."
your boy is in dire peril.