The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1918-09-13
WHAT OTHER
SMALL BOYS DID
in GOOD CAUSE
GOOD RECORDS AT SCHOOL AN
EARNEST OF WHAT MAY Be
EXPECTED LATER

Most o. you know that we ar,
: fighting TO make the world safe Tor
democracy an0 against a German
autocracy that would enslave US if it
; could. We shall win the fight, but in
doing so we shall lose many young
men, and it is probable that you boys
will core 10 manhood just in time
to fill ii places. / hope that by
tt~ ilae you are old enough to be
oidiers the war will be over, but if
it isn't you may haave to shoulder a
gun and risk your lives in defense of
your country. In any event, you are
almost certain to be called upon to
assume the responsibilities of life far
earlier than would have been necess-
ary if the war had not occurred. You
will be men in a world where work
men will be needed more than any
prepare yourselves for work. and
efficient work with al the speed pos
sible. The wealth that the war has
destroyed viii have to be recreated
Civilization viii have to be rees-
tablished. The wounded and the
manned and the poor will have
to be taken care Of. and those upon
whom the duty of doing these things
shall devoNe must try and equip
themselves for these responsible
ties as promptly as possible.
feel. therefore, that it is my
duty to urge upon all the boys who
are condemned TO listen to me the
need of educating themselves as
completely as possible and as speed
lily as possible. In the luxurious
present war there had grown up in
the United States q theory that the
idea of work should be disassociated
from the getting Of an education; !;
that the school should be made
sort of a playhouse, and that it was
wrong and injuriuos to demand of
children the application and inten-
sive study that used to be insisted up
On fifty or one hundred years ago.
| am inclined TO think that the eX-
perience of the war and the need
that it has created for we'll equipped
and thoroughly educated men Will
dissipate this idea. am a thorough
believer in work, whether 1t be physi-
cal or mental. as the most healthful
form of exercise that boys or girls or
grown-ups can take. and am an
Xious that the Toys who listen to me
should not be afraid of work. I
know that some boys and some pa
rents with whom / have talked have
thought boys subsequent career is
not much affected by his record and
standing at school. Ny observation
and inquiry leads me to the reverse
conclusion. In most cases the bril-
lialt men of the world were hard
students and precocious children. We
read of Julius Ceasar-perhaps the
greatest of all warriors-riding to
war behind his Uncle Marius at the
tender age of three. Napoleon at the
same age played with toy cannon
and marched imaginary troops to war.
Alexander the Great, when but three
years old, went out 20 meet ambassa-
doris ard talked 20 them in the an
sence of his father.
The three-year Confucius play
ed on the lute and talckd with his
mothers friends on filial piety. |
When only four years old, Milton
wrote creditable Latin verse, and
Pope composed Greek stanzas-
while the latter wrote his famous
lode to Solitude" when he was but |
twelve At FIVE, little Hannibal |
held sword heavier than himself !
and vowed eternal vengeance against |
the Romans; Saint-Seans wrote !
waltzes and galops; Mozart composed
and played on the violin; Titan
painted pictures with juice squeezed
from berries and wild flowers,
and Landseer made remarkable
sketches when they were hardly
more than children. Millais won his !
first prize at nine. Huxley, who as
learning at seven. was taught by his
mother. who "did things while others
were thinking about doing them;"
Goethe had made 81, considerable
reputation as writer before he was
fifteen. At seven. Emmanuel Kant.
'the little fellow with the big head"
began to teach those who were willing
20 be taught He was "such a small
potato" that he had to stand on a
oox to be seen, but being a teacher
oy temperament he held the atten-
ion of all who heard him.
Paul Murphy, the greatest of chess
players, was a champion at nine.
whose genius was awakened
Early by going to the theatre with
lis jolly grandfather, wrote plays at
,en. John Stuart Mill knew his
Creek alphabet when three, and at
i've could correct his elders in Latin
md Greek. He was his fathers con-
'tant companion and carried a note
,ook with him whenever he went for
| walk. During these walks he asked !,
III manner of questions and thus ]
,ained the early part of his educa-
ion. Herbert Spencer received the ,
.arly part of his education by being
aught to observe things when he
vas tiny boy. Before he was Is, ,
Tohn Keats had translated the whole ,
# the Aeneid into prose, and in his !
pare hours had read most of the !
looks in the school library. Cole Z
idge, who was charity scholar in an