The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-06-02
MELP0LDER SAYS NEEDS OF BOYHOOD
met BY new CLUB AT RIvERDALE
BY JOHN MELPoLDER.

School Is out, but what about the
city-bound boy? He is happy, but it
is negative happiness-he has es-
capped something. But what will take
the place OF school work, the school
supervision and the school discipline
Turn to the juvenile courts through
out the country and you win get
most pathetic answer. Why? Simply
because the city-bound boy has been
robbed Of his natural elements
His river of pure water has been
polluted, his creek covered, his swim
ming hole filed up. and his domain
has become private property upon
which he must not trespass. His
activities, most of them perfectly ma
tural and harmless in themselves,
have been converted by the city fathers
into crimes; for these authorities
have decreed that he must not 1oiter
or act in a loud or boisterous manner
or play ball, cat, or caddy, or roller
skate or build bonfires or set off fire.
works or throw stones or use sling
shots, air rifles, or any other weapon
In the public street.
Loves Independence.
Yet, in spite of the unnatural condi-
lions of city life, the boy persists in
being a child of nature-a little saw
age, If you will. He is an individualist,
lover of independence-or license, II
you must-and an explorer and adj
venturer. He is fond of the hunt,
be it with slingshot or modern rifle.
He builds his hut in some vacant lot
and In true marauder fashion ravages
his mothers cupboard, or, in some
cases, enters the merchants store by
way OF the transom to complete his
stock of food and implements which
he considers indispensable to a ma
tural existence.
The happiest moment of his life is
realized when undisturbed in his crude
retreat he can quietly enjoy the fruits
of his labors, smoking his pipe, or
cigarette, of peace with the other mem
bers of his tribe-or gang-and dis
cussing the habits and exploits of his
real or imaginary heroes-Indians,
cowboys, outlaws, robbers, pirates,
sleuths. prize fighters, baseball play
ers end movie picture actors.
Gets Near to Nature.
The boys savage instinct demands
thai he live close to nature. His so
cial instinct must find expression and
exercise through tribal organizations.
used, requires no scientific knowledge
of intricate grammatical construction,
and he has a choice selection of war
whoops and battle paens that re-
quire no constant, tiresome practice in
the art of music to reach their highest
mplishment and purpose. He must
play, make believe, show off, assert
himself be loyal to something and
somebody. He has an energy that
must have an outlet, and that he wants
to Girec. himself; he has a creative
spirit that he wants to bring into play,
and he has a sense of personal re-
sponsibility that requires opportunity
fer him to be exercised in his own
way. But how and where? Through
the Boys club.
The Boys club is an institution OF
justice to the city boy, living under
unnatural and deterio~ating conditions
which endangers the physical and
neral preservation Of the race. The
Boys club can not restore to the boy
his natural environment except in the
summer for few weeks in camp.
Eut it can supply him with build.
ing where, under experienced leader
ship that encourages rather than sup
presses, that suggests rather than die.
taos, he has ample opportunity to ex
ercise and to develop his social in.
stinct, his play instinct, his creative
spirit, and his sense of personal re
sponsibility; where shower baths, il
not a swimming pool, are furnished in
place of the swimming hole, creek
and river, where a gymnasium meets
the needs for trees, stumps, fences
and haystacks, where he plays vari
Gus innocent games instead of shoot
ing craps; where plenty of illustrated
magazines and interesting books are
available, instead of Diamond Dick
and Jesse James; where Industrial
work is furnished to change destruc
ton into construction; where savage
instincts are satisfied and elementary
virtues are developed by various le
Ultimate means and methods that ap
peal to the boy; where boy may be