The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-07-24
HOME CIRCLE COLUMN.
THE BOY AND HIS PA

AAANlN II obliNbhAhE lfhShihE - h'"'y
young people today. They are more
pleasure loving, shirk responsibility,
and do not love work as their parents
did. one reason why so many boys 90
astray is that the fathers are at fault.
Mother takes care of the boy with the
girls up to his tenth or eleventh birth
day. suddenly there is Il change in
Willie. He no longer loves the com
pany of his mother, his sisters and
women visitors. He likes to go out
playing Indian and indulgng in other
rough sports. Mother thinks him
spoiled. Soon after while mending
his trousers, she finds the making Of
cigarettes in his pocket. But Willie
doesn't care. lie is no longer little
girl. His mother is Mortified. She
knows what is going on in her daugh-
ter's mind and body; but she does not
understand her son. He is going along
path strange TO his mother. Must he
be left to lrod it alone, to fall victim to
any vulture that may meet him?
us the sister privileged, is she to
be warned and the boy TO be ignored?
MOI Providence gave him a guide
his father. Does ne realize his duty.
For twelve years he has sent Willie to
mamma whenever the boy wanted
something. No wonder one boy said
to his mother: Who is this guy who
hangs around here all day Sunday
THE boy naturally puts his father
on a pedestal. His father can make
more money than Jmmie's father.
His father can lick Jimme's dad.
When mother scolls Willie and threat
ems to tell father, he waits with awe
for the moment when father with all
the dignity and power of manhood en-
ters home in the evening. Father is
tired reads his paper, and let's Willie
take care Of himself lie thinks he is
doing enough whep he is furnishing
the funds for the house hold. He leaves
to mother the burden Of managing the
children. Willie proceeds to start
something by getting all his playthings
and disturbing father and mother.
After some seoIdng he asks for per-
mission to 90 outside to play, and they
heave a sigh Of relief when he does so.
"Outside he meets some other boys
driven from their homes by loving
parents The boys crave adventure.
They 20 to the movie, if they have
some money, or play pranks on some
body. In itself this is not an Indication
OF criminal trait. But one day by
accident they break an arc light or Il
neighbours window, and they're hailed
into the juvenile court. The Judge
gives them some fatherly advice. Per
haps one of the boys is afraid to 60
home because he knows that his par
cnis are heartbroken. The result is
the boy runs away. or the others, one
becomes IL gang leader and prides him
self on his court experience. As lead.
er Of the gang he naturally must be a
little in advance Of the rest in cutting
up and he may soon land in the peni-
Tertiary.
sometimes the growing lad gets a
bit Of mysterious information. He
asks his parents about It's meaning;
but they refuse it. The result is that
he gets the Information which he
should have received in the right way
from his father, from some foul.miuded
youngster, who poiSons his mind about
the secrets Of nature. After gcaduat-
ing from school many boy must help
his father earn a living. Ia the morn
ing he accidentally oyerhears some
fellow workers, older than himself
tell about the high times they had
the previous night. lie notices that
they break OH rs soon rs they see him
because he is what they call IA kid
By and by he finds out that they do
this because he cannot talk like a man.
He proceeds to get more information,
goes out for a good time, and is initi'
ated into manhood And another boy
is headed for the breakers Mean
while bis father thinks that Willie is
quite Innocent although he knows
more than dad ever knew at that age.
But the hoy is paying the price.
"The American boy is not secretive.
He is open.hearted with his friends.
Educators are often astonished at the
frankness with which boys tell them
their troubles and ask questions about
things which father should explain 70
the boys. The average lad has his
fathers sentimentality, vices and yir-
tues He is going through the same
experience as pa did. i the latter is
wise, be will give him tip here and
there, and the hoy will appreciate it.
The lal will say TO himself: "Well,
ia ought to know; he was boy once
| 3y taking the lad to a ball game or
! Joining in his games, father can FIRE.
uuently find an opportunity TO give &
word Of sound advice. He can say:
| willie, YOU re- getting to be a young
man now You ought TO learn this or
| THAT. Watch your step here. was
along this road that you are travelling
/ and know where fellow easily gets
of the track.
]