Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-12-31
A Busy Boy
Named Roby

" is not a hero. The things he
has accomplished are not great. In
fact, they are so commonplace that If
it were not that so very few boys ever
accomplish anything it would be rath-
er silly to mention what this Roby boy
of Congress Park has done.
Every American boy should be able
to do things equally as important and
useful as this Roby boy has done. The
fact that most boys do not makes the
Roby boy a preferred boy.
In order to illustrate just what we
mean by an achievement boy we will
relate the accomplishments of Herbert
S. Roby:
At the age of twelve years Herbert
visited an aerial meet in Chicago. He
returned home and Immediately began
to make an aeroplane. He describes
what he did as follows:
81 Whitfield out thin sticks for a
frame out of orange crate wood and
covered the sticks with fine woven
c~heesecloth. All lacings were made
with druggists string. Made two pro-
pellers, connecting them with one
large paper wheel. When the wind
blew this would operate the %aeroplane,
making it go round over the dining
room table. 1t was fastened to gas
pipe over the table by a small cord
which was attached to the center of
the aeroplane."
Model Map Takes First Prize.
When thirteen years of age Herbert
got an idea he would like to model in
clay. He made a map of the United
States, Mexico and Canada. Each
state was in color. 1t was exhibited
at an industrial fair and took first
prize.
Also at this age Herbert wanted a
delivery wagon. Some other boys had
wagons. But Herbert's parents would
not get him one, so the boy proceeded
to make an auto truck which would
carry 200 pounds. The second sum
mer of ownership of this truck Her
bert used it in hauling grips and boxes
from the depot to various places about
town, making considerable money dur
ing the vacation period.
Here is the boys description OF the
truck: "Two iron axles, one-half inch
thick; four iron wheelbarrow wheels
(secondhand); two pieces of 2 by 4,
six feet long; one steering handle made
of old gas pipe, n soap box for seat;
floor platform made of heavy box ends.
Six boys can ride on 1t at n time.
Run by pushing. 1t is good for use at
present time"
In describing a desk he made at the
age of fourteen Herbert says: my
mother would not let me use her desk
for home work or for my drawings, so
I bought five soap boxes and n spe-
cially made strong box which has four
corner braces of wood two inches
apart. Took some boxes apart and
made legs. Put two rows of pigeon
holes and a false drawer in the bot
tom with a trap lid opening on the
inside. Built a shelf in the center OF
two boxes, thus giving four book
shelves, which 1 set on top of the desk.
1 painted it and am using it now
Made a Reading Seat.
Herbert's latest makeshift came about
because he liked to read alone, and in
order to get a quiet place he climbed
up in a tree. He had a friend who
also liked to read, and these boys
would exchange books. So Herbert
built a seat in the tree. The seat has
back, arms, foot rest and head shield.
1t is made of boxes. His friend was
instructed in making a like seat in a
rec in his yard. Then Herbert pur-
chased $50 feet of bailing wire to run
from one tree to the other. This was
fastened twenty-five feet from the
ground. A carrier was made out of a
cigar box with a stick one inch square
and a pulley at each end. A pulley
wheel and crank at each end of the
line draw the carrier by means of a
strong cord. The box will carry two
pounds. In this way Herbert and his
boy friend exchange books.
The value of these achievements to
the boy is the satisfaction and real
fun and also the consciousness that he
can work a way out of difficulties and
think of how to do things.
He's a "Worth While" Boy.
1t matters not what kind of employ
ment this boy may seek. The fact
that he has done these things makes
him of more service to any employer
than the boy who has not ~endeavored
to do something.
The Youth Achievement movement
is going to class all such boys as those
who should be recognized first. No
boy is barred. To get into the game
just get busy doing something worth
while.
If you cannot find anything in this
world about you that you can do, there
Is something the matter with you or
with the world. A whole lot of boys