The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-03-17
"The Boy Problem"
DIR. Stuart S Topic

DR. George r. Stuart spoke yesterday
morning to capacity house on The
Boy Problem" lie said in part as fol-
lows:
1.-The boy problem should primarily be
settled in the home. God has intrusted
the child to father and mother for its
early training. Where ever boy has
home whose parents recognize the
problem and are solving it in sane ana
proper way society may rest at ease.
but there are thousands of American boys
whose homes cannot give them the at
tention demanded for their proper train
ing. and the problem reverts to society,
who must ultimately handle the inn
moral boy and man.
THE boy constitutes a distinct problem,
| If he is properly handled from early
youth to young manhood he becomes a
| safe and profitable citizen, real asset
| to society; if he is neglected or I'M
properly trained he becomes danger and
| a liability. 1t Is therefore to the ad-
vantage of every man and woman In
society that the boys of community,
| city, state or nation shall be properly
| trained for future citizenship Every
man and woman, young and old, can
somehow, somewhere. help in the solv-
ing of this great social and religious
problem kind word, kind deed, a
small favor, word of friendly counsel.
any one or all of these, touching a boy
life at an opportune time often turns the
whole current of his career
BOYS CHARACTERISTICS
There are peculiar characteristics of
boy which ought to be known in order
/ that a proper appeal may be made to
him A boys highest ambition is to be
a man, a strong brave, vigorous man.
IN is surprising how early boy begins
| to admire a successful man, and to nave
| a contempt for a failure; he marks sue
csssful man in business, on the sporting
| field and everywhere, he marks WIN
contempt the failure. The appeal to a
boy therefore must be manly appeal,
things worthy of his ideals In the sec
ond place a boy appreciates friendly.
manly COUNSEL he resents browbeating'
pubIic reproof, or anything that humiil-
ates him before his fellows; he appre-
| ciates the counsel of friend, manly
| counsel, confidential counsel counsei on
a high plane. The mother is MS great.
est counselor because of her love ana
sympathy: the father comes next II ne
| is manly and worthy; good friend
who takes a substantial interest In nm
, is his next powerful counselor me
biography of almost every great man VIII
| reveal an hour in which boy was
| touched by a wise counselor. In the next
place a boy needs friend, not paVroh-
iizing, condescending friend. but reai
friend, who reaches down and prihgs tn'
how up on a high manly plane of friend
shin. A bov knows a friend he appre-
| GATES friend. he will be faithful TO
n friend. and all these things viii give
that friend powerful opportunity 10
shape the character of the boy,
MANLY SPORTS
| cone of the greatest plumbers made IN
a boys life is his sports. one OF inc
greatest natural traits Of charaNer is de-
structiveness. The two great elements
/ OF character are destructiveness ana con-
strrctiveness. The pioneer destroyed the
| forest and built the house; the Farmer
| DESTROYS the weeds and cutivates the
lcrop. the moralist destroys the bad ano
cultiyates the good. Give boy as ne
ats alone on the floor, unable to SPEAK
or communicate, a picture or paper OF
book. he will tear it up. That ism pae
lin a child. that is good. That disposltiot
nn,y naeds TO be turned in the right di
rection. 1t is good to kill snake, IT Il
lhad IN kill an innocent bird. The destruc
tive spirit improperly turned is ike IRE
linproperlN handled destroys the GOOD ane
the beautiful.
A bov's sorts should be manly, turnec
to the cor tructive side; the building o.
| a ranlv BODY. the building of manly
character. the building of manly sue
cess In all his games he should %
taught the highest constructive eiement'
OF character, building fairness, honesty
lurselfishness part OF boys III
should be devoted to what Is known al
ordinary sports. 80,
Industry is the hope OF the ooy, iole
nos. ia his snare Even his sports may
lhe conducted along manly and INDUS
| trial lines to the delight of the boy ant
the good of his character