The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1916-11-17
BOYS RETURN FROM I.AUREL.

BOYS RETURN FROM LAUREL.
On Monday, November, 18th, after
. long all night ride, Greenwood's del,
egstion Of boys to the Older Boys
State Conference held at Laurel
Miss, on the 10th, 18th, and 18th,
returned tired. but happier and bet
ter lot.
Victor Hugo, Dickins or some Of the
other great masters could produce the
atmosphere and settings of this great
event that caused four-hundred boys
that attended this conference to take
forward steps to declare themselves
for clean, speech, clean athletics, and
4 clean life, but for the ordinary in
dividual it is difficult to picture to
the minds eye just what in the whole
conference that gave these boys the
inspiration to rise up n before that
great gathering and to declare them
selves for God and the right. Each
delegate came away with the deter
mination to help the other fellow that
did not have the opportunity to ex-
periencs the action Of Mississippi's
greatest event,
We hear Of gatherings of men and
women, clubs and organizations that
meet in certain sections of the state,
but until the Y. M. c. A. (which after
all 10 the right arm Of the church, the
one organization that is inter-denom-
nation and seeks to bring the young
men and boys into the church, carry
ing out the ministry of the lawety)
until the Y. M. G.. A. realized that
a gathering of older boys from all Sec
tons Of the state for the purpose of
discussing the problems confronted by
boys, no stempt at the pioneering Of
this event was made. No. attempt of
any great movement in this state de-
serves more approval by the public
than the foresightedness and earnest
endeaveor Of the leaders who first are
laymsn in the church, but in order to
bind themselves together regardless
of creeds and work as one, they CON-
bined under the name Of the Young
Mems Christian Associations. The
bringing together the select boys Of
Mississippi to actually take action up
on problems confronting them at the
stormiest period Of life. is indeed
worth while. Greenwood has the
honor of being the first in Mississippi
to hold a boys conference.
The theme Of the Confederate was,
THE people that know Cod shall be
strong. and shall do exploits"-Dsn.
lei 1882.
The speakers M. D. Cracked Of West
Side Branch for boys, Cleveland, Ohio,
Stanley Harris Secretary of Boys
Work for the Commonwealth Of Ken
lucky; Blake W. Godfrey, state Sec
rotary Of Mississippi; Rev. Geo. D.
Boothe, Rev. Lundy Sykes, and Rev.
W. B. Hogg, the last three named Of
Laurel, al spoke along the line of the
Conference Theme.
An important resolution the boy
delegates passed to continue their ef-
forts to enforce the law on statutes
Of Mississippi stating explicitly that
cigarettes and tobacco must not be
sold to boys under eighteen years old.
Citizens, can't you see to it that this
law will be enforced7 Won't it make
It easier for your boy to withstand
the temptation? !
Great. stress WAS laid on the aboli.
ton Of smuttp stories and the clean
life, clean speech, clean athletics cam.
psign were emphasized. High School
Clubs with Spiritual, Intellectual, So.
eial and Physical Activities were also
emphasized and discussed. The
American Standard Program was dis
cussed and demonstrated.
Last but not least, the mixing Of
four.hundred choice boys from every
section Of Mississippi, the exchanging
IDEAS, the education Of entering into
the home life Of the people Of Laurel
and the participating individually IN
large conference Is bound to broaden
''stR heUstst ast ssssnApd