St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-03-13

needs of the situation? We think
not. AS long as there is so great
demand for cigarettes, the supply
will be forthcoming.
] The evil complained OF is but
surface indication of deeper seat
ed trouble. The added penalty OF
the amended law serves only as a
soothing lotion, having a tendency
perhaps to alleviate the pain for
the time being, but doing nothing
to cure the real disease.
| The trouble in most instances is
with the parents as we'll as with
the boys. Not that the parents are
knowingly doing their boys grave
wrong. Far from it! The whole
trouble lies in the fact that our
boys are being reared under a false
standard of social life. They are
no longer required to form habits
of toll, or taught the dignity of Ia
Dor. Everything is shaped to the
end that the son may be spared
the privations and toll endured by
the father and mother during the
time of youth. This condition is
seen not only in the home, but IN
the schools as well. Text books are
designed to make the tasks of the
DuDllS easy. IL 10 d fCAJ O. HAAN
serious mistake. Life is strenu-
Gus business and the sooner our
boys and girls learn this truth, the
better for them.
Honest labor in whatever field
undertaken should be looked upon
as honorable and praiseworthy.
That this is not so at the present
time was well illustrated by re-
cent instance in our city court. A
Young man was arraigned on a very
serious charge. He was manly
looking fellow, well dressed and
with the polish and manners of a
gentleman. He acknowledged his
wrong doing and expressed Will
ingness to try to do better in the
future. The presiding judge sus-
pended sentence, conditioned upon
the young mans going to work fol
the City of Rutland under the d1-
rection of the Commissioners of Pub
lie Works. The young man, de-
spite the pitiful pleadings OF his
poor mother, informed the judge he
would not degrade himself by dig
cling bitches. This boys mother
had taken in washings that her boy
might have good clothes and pose as
a gentleman. What a mistaken no
part, and of ingratitude on hisl I'm
fortunately this instance is not an
exception, but is fairly illustrative
of a rapidly growing type OF young
men in our community.
Our boys should all learn to toll.
to become physically tired from
labor with the hands, if We would
have them, as men, in sympathy
with the great majority of humanity
who must toll to live.
Then again we seem as a COM
munity to nave lost sight of ouI
duty to the boys and young men liv-
ing in our midst. We have by oul
easy going blindness created a con-
dition most favorable to cigarette
smoking and lawlessness. In every
boys life, there is a time known
as the gang PERIOD" when the So
cial instincts of the boy lead him
to gather with his companions OF
about the same age. 1t is the
working out of the natural order
of things, and should be encouraged |
This period should be recognized
by the citizens and some provision
made whereby boys gathering to-
gether for social intercourse might
have good influence and a healthy |
any such place in the city of Rut-
land. The people of this city stand
indicted for the failure in this re-
spect. We should have here a place |
where all boys of whatever race |
or religion could gather under prop |
er influences and a wholesome at
mosphere.
we elders all have our clubs.
and orders of various kinds. We
treat them almost as necessities in
our social life If we older ones
must have these meeting places, |
and attend them, where are our
boys in the mean time spending |
their idle hours? On the street |
corners, in the pool rooms, moving |
picture shows, tobacco stores and |
other similar places. An occasional |
meeting at these places becomes a /
fixed habit.
Boys whose parents indulge theil /
sons with plenty of spending money |
associate with those without money |
Boys are much like men and dis |