Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-05
GOING TO THE FIRE

they see the fire department
IL pass? In small towns, I dare
say. a great many of the bigger Junior
boys have helped to extinguish some Of
the fires.
Each one knows of some fire which
was more or less unusual either in the
way it originated, in the amount of
damage that was done or in the human
interest which is associated with it.
This topic should evoke some good
letters, and ought to bring forth capi-
tai stories from many boys and girls
who have not contributed to the Ju-
nior columns before this.
There will undoubtedly be some sto-
ries of heroism connected with these
fires, and, while it will be interesting
to read them, yet the fire itself must
constitute the main feature of the
story.
City fires are rarely of much interest
since the days of fireproof construction.
and many a boy has run blocks out of
his way to or from school, only to wit
ness a group of men with big rubbe"
hose working mysteriously behind
wall of black smoke, while no flames Or
flying sparks are visible. This is, of
course a chilling change from the old
fashioned roaring mass of flames with
which the old frame and other flimsily
constructed buildings were consumed.
Such buildings still exist in the small
towns, and the sight of such fire on
a stormy night or against a pitchy-
black sky is one which the onlooker
rarely forgets.
I hope that many of the letters will
aim at good descriptive writing, and
that. the boys and girls will begin now
to try more faithfully to improve their
work in these letters.
The first year of The Herald Junior
will soon be completed, and 1 am sure
that the success which the paper has
attained is gratifying to us all. Many
of the contributors write very well;
others have excellent ideas which they
express poorly. My great aim in this
paper is to inspire the good writer's
with ideas, and those who have the
thinking power, with the ability to
write clearly and beautifully of the
facts and fancies which crowd their
brain.
I hope that with this new year the
teachers of the public schools will take
more interest in the work of the Ju-
nior and will encourage boys and girls
of their classes to compete for these
prizes The prizes. to be sure, are 50
small that they have little intrinsic
value but it must prove something of
an inspiration to any boy or girl to
know that his or her letter was the
best of over 400 received about one GER
tain subject.
It is such friendly competition which
stimulates the best energies of stu
dents In various races a pace maker
is sometimes employed, so in these
contests the members of the Junior
band may prove helpful to each other
by each doing the very best work
which is in his power.
The summer prizes, the Redondo
Beach trips. will prevail for a little
while longer,-for with these warm days
the boys and girls and many of their
mothers enjoy tremendously spending
a day by the cool waters of the Pa
cife and letting the tonic of the salt
spray penetrate and refresh tired
nerves and rejuvenate Tagging spirits.
1 wish that as soon as the out-of-
town boys and girls see that they have
won a prize they would at once write
to me and say whether they Will come
in to take the trip or whether they
want the check or book, / much pre-
fer having every one take the trip
when possible, for it gives me an op-
portunity to come into personal touch
with all these boys and girls, with
whom otherwise 1 must have only a
pen-and-ink acquaintance, and / enjoy
the privilege of speaking face to face
with the Juniors who have won my in
terest by their clever writings or
drawings.
With best love to you all, those whom
I have not met, no less than the Others
to whose happy confidence in me and