The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-07-17
Days OF Promise.

mothers gravely held out to their
small boys the hope of one day be-
coming president of the United States.
if only they were faithful to the wood
pile, or washed their faces and hands
regularly before meals. AS there are
constantly something like five million
| small boys, and never more than one
president, the chance has become
what might be termed "a long shot"
ma Young America very soon dscov-
ers MS chances and hopes some day to
get on the police force, drive Fl fire
engine, or be a locomotive engineer
| While the dignity and honor which is
due all useful labor belongs especially
10 lhese three occupations, yet none
oi them are schools out of which
Sr"ouates can Immediately step into
posts OF such responsibility, say, as
mat considered in the preceding lines
What can and should apneaJ TO the
'oS Ola enough to have ambitions, and
'ne young man who has begun to
'hihk, is the wonderful demonstration
oi SKliled effort by the big men Of the
country VINO are being called daily to
"Ssume charge OF this and that all
essential position of management in
''oer 'hat we may win the war. These
men were no less able a few months
ago, but they were scattered geo
graphically, and partly concealed bv
the limits Of the industry they served.
NOW they are brought into action in
Such a manner their numbers become
Impressive, Just as 10000 soldiers, one
each in 10000 towns, are not impress
SIVe until they muster into one mass.
And what an inspiration to tho
young man. These men of power are
biS, not because of rich fathers. or in
iluence. or any chance Of fortune.
!hey are Big Men because they will
ed and determined to be such. These
men every one, had they chosen.
| "' i"'Nt DteI managing
peanut stand, or popcorn wagon. in
stead OF great departments of the
greatest government on earth. Each
one would have had more time to
spend in perfectly harmless ways.
which would have left them where
they had began. They certainly
would have had more hours for sleep
and pleasure, and infinitely less Of
work and worry and discouraging en-
deavor. But they always sought more
responsibilities and places higher up.
and both came to them.
Probably never in all the history OF
the world has SO inspiring an exam
pie been presented to the young men
Of any generation What they are
doing, others in years to come can do.
And never was there time of such
promise to young men of training and
ambition us exists today, and will ex-
iSt IN Il still larger measure when the
| reconstruction period after the war
b"GlhS In our own and all other coun-
trloS the demand for young men who
can do things in mechanics and engi-
necring, farming, finance, and busi -
ness. will be unprecedented. Those
who have Served in the war will have
an experience in self-contrOl and ac~
ton they would never have attained
IN lifetime of peace; those who dc
not 60 owe it to their country and
themselves to make the utmost effort
TO train their minds and hands i'm
useful arts, and selecting some Bi;
Man as an example, strive i'm every
way to rise as fully as possible to the
ieNel ne mas reached, and even go be-
yond that These are the days of large
opportunities, and never before wer
'h'rc so many stepping stones in the
way of books and schools and teach
ers. NO young man need go without
an education which shall make hin,
proficient in at least some one branch
OF endeavOr.
foung man, this is your day. and
your opportunity is just ahead. How
ever small you may be now. are Won
Dig enough to train to be one of the
Big Men then?
Its up to yOu.-By III. III. Windsor
III the July Popular Mechanics Mag.
azine.
'ftHUH Hospitality for Amcrican Co,