The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-01-19
THE IDLER.
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q y @ g q % q q q q q % H e H ~ 81
/ was down the street a few even
ings ago and l was struck with the
great number of boys and young men
who were standing On the street. And
t4ey are fine looking set Of boys and
seemed polite and we'll behaved They
were in no mischie. but they were just
loafing and lettering. What worried
me was that l knew so few of them.
1t was reminder that am no longer
young One time | knew everybody
in Newberry Now, l know very few.
Must be growing old. Love to talk
about things before the war. Well,
you can't expect them to be old men
and stay around the chimney corner
of evenings. Not all the time, any
way. But I got to thinking. I some
times try to think whether any one be-
lieves it or not These boys are just
budding into young manhood. They
will soon be taking the places Of the
older men of the community-not my
place because pray they may be able
to fill a better station in life than l
haGe-but they will be the business
men and the husbands and the fathers
Of otter boys of the community very
soon. AS | heard an old .armer say
once the obligation of the men who
are filling positions now is to these
boys and the girls whom | suppose
were at home-not to the men who
have gone on before, but to those
who are coming on after. What are
you doing for these boys to develop
them into tie highest type of man
aood and citizenship. That's what ]
was thinking about. What is this
community doing for these boys tina:
! saw on the street corner and around
the Greek restaurant? What are you
doing, Mr. Reader? Mr.. Father? Mrs.
Mott err? 1t may have been your boy
that was there. He was not doing
anything wrong, but might not the
community provide some place where
he could go along with his young
companions and have just as good
time and at the same time have beeG
doing something that would have up
lifted him spiritually and morally
aad intellectually? Suppose you had
some sort of building where there
were good books to rk1d, gymnas-
ium, an athletic club, and comfor~
table and inviting place, not too re-
ligious, if you pleace, but a place
where he could go and feel perfectly
at ease anG be with his companions.
Where there were some innocent games
such as pool or cards or checkers, or
anything that was good and uplifting,
would it not be a thousand times bet
ter for that boy than loafing On tae
street corner. What are you doing
fer YOUR boy? What are you doing
for the boys Of the community? Are
you d:scnarging your duty as good
citizen and your obligation to these
boys who will so3n be the men OF
the community? Now, l would like for
you 20 stop a moment in your MAD
rush for that almighty dollar and
think {. little yourself. 1t is Worta
year willie. Who can estimate the
possibilities of an American boy? Who
can place value upon him? Don't
try to make an Old man out of him
either. He will get old quick enough.
Help him to be hoy with all of the
possibi tiles of a boy and help him to
dcve;op into the highest type of man
hood and good citizenship. Are YOU
doing il or are you just standing OFF
lalkirg about him and if he happens
to do a little something wrong telling
every one about it and saying all
sorts of unkind things about nim?
Think about this, you good Christian
people of this community.
The editor handed me the follow
ing little poem the other day and said
that a friend of his asked him to print
it and as lie knew | was fond Of poetry
ne thought he would pass it on to me
We'll, | am fond of fine sentiment and
like little poems that carry it. But
bless your dear life. that friend of the
editor is losing half his life because
he evidently is not reading my articles
because it has been only short time
since l printed this little poem, but 1t
right