The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1910-05-18
OUR BOYS.
How to Make the Best Citizens Of
Them--The Boy Problem.

Address by Mrs. u. r.. Steven
son, delivered at the Farmers In
stitute, White Post, KY, March
5. 1910.
This subject could have been
handled better by an older person;
who had been successful in train
ing up useful citizens. One who
could have spoken from experience
rather than one who is struggling
with the boy problem" in her
own home. However, the few
suggestions | shall give are not
entirely my own, but what I've
attained by reading and talking
with others.
Philanthropists, social workers
and parents are studying this ques-
ton as never before. The State
realizes the difference between a
good citizen and a criminal, and is
spending thousands of dollars each
year in trying to educate her flu
ture citizens. We point with pride
to our public school system, and
yet the States expenses of her
criminals is far in excess of that
spent for education.
Education is not alone training
the mind to think, it is also train
ing the hands to do things. To our
public school curriculum there
should be added a manual, and a
physical training course. A boy
should be trained for some definite
constructive work; some definite
part in life's activities, specializa-
ton should be the watchword. We
should train the boy for the thing
he is the best adapted. If he IS
mechanically inclined he should be
developed along that line. If he
wants to be farmer give him a
chance to secure an education. Do
not think he does not need an edu-
cation because he expects to be a
farmer Some of our most pro-
gressive and certainly most of our
best citizens are farmers. Too
long we've given our boys the idea
that doctors and lawyers hold the
only positions of honor. We've
spoiled many a good farmer or
mechanic and made a poor doctor
or lawyer. A physical training
course is almost a necessity in cit
les where boys have such little
chance to work off the superabun-
dance of energy. We know well
that a good healthy body gives a
feeling of buOyancy, a feeling of
self-respect and self-control which
gives one a vision in life of what
true citizen should be. The use of
the word problem in connection
with the boy shows that there is
still an unsolved question.
The period of a boys life is
roughly divided as follows: In
fancy, from birth to about six;
childhood, from six to fourteen;
adolescence, from about fourteen
to manhood. Infancy is charac-
terized by the most restless impul-
sive activity. The infant is like
the wild creature of the wood, and
it is as cruel to confine the physical
activities of the young as those of
squirrels or birds. Childhood is
marked self-directed physical ac-
tivities. The instinct which is
most prominent is the play in
stinct. 1t is both expression and
means of education. DR.. Fisher
says: play is not luxury but
necessity" 1t is not what a child
likes to have but what he must
have. The infant plays alone by
creeping, shaking, fondling, etc.
The boy child begins to imagine
and to personify in his games and
wishes to play often with others.
But that this social instinct is yet
incomplete is shown by the fact in
games, each one is for himself
alone. By the time the boy reach
es the adolescence age we notice
the gang instinct. He likes to be
with other boys. The boy whist
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