The Concordia sentinel., 1921-06-11

Is 10 get your nSnlng pOle anu
carry the question along with you. Near the shores
If old Sandy you will find schools of pOlliwogs.
Learn lesson from them
These pOlliwogs are on their way TO frOghOod
lou fellows are on your way to manhood. But the
polliwogs are not In any particular hurry. ! don't
think you'll find them trying to leap around and lift
their voices like frogs AS matter of fact they
are going to assume several different shapes be-
fore they settle down into frOghOOd. For the
present, however, they are content to go right on
being pOliwogs.
You fellows are in the polliwog stage. Your
powers and abilities are only half revealed. Look
around before you decide what you want to be or
do. In few years you may become aware of quail
tiles In your makeup whose existence you never
suspected. At the same time, abilities that you
think you now possess may fade away. Take your
time. You may save yourself from the fate of a
nistt You've heard of them-the doctors are un-
happy because they are not lawyers, the chemists
VINO would be Of more service to the world as
newspaper men,"
have passed on these wise words to many boys.
And pass them on now with a new application
TO the small-tOwn boy who dreams of achiev-
ing success in the city.
His mind is crammed with Horatio AIger, Jr,
stuff. He has read the picturesque life stories
"f some of our big men who left the farm for the
city, The whistles of a locomotive among the hills
makes him yearn for the city, bristling with op-
portunities. He looks upon the glistening rails
as the one avenue to his opportunity.
He is shOrt-sighted.
few years ago, big city was the place for
an up-and-coming young man. 1t needed him, and
IL was prepared to reward him with money and Do
sitiOn. Today, however, the story Is reversed.
America has grown too fast" say our deep think
ing economists and publicists. "She has spread
herself thinly over a large area. The future of
the country lies in It's undeveloped small cities
and towns"
Are you looking for opportunity Examine that
little old "one-hoss" town of yours, before You
think Of buying a one-way ticket from IT. There
are many ambitious, and very WISE young men
who are deliberately leaving the larger cities and
moving into towns such as yours.
A few months ago visited a country store In
typical small town Of the West. The owner is a
young man. Ten years ago he left the town and
went to Chicago for "real job" But he had moi
worked long before he realized that 1t would be
many years before he could get the kind of job
he wanted. There were opportunities for fore
men, managers, superintendent and other
bosses" But they were purely administrative
Jobs He wanted to create and build up bus-
ness of his own.
The death of his father called him home to care
for his mother, and he got Job in general store
of the town. 1t was terrible grind. The work
itself was not back breaking. But the daily round
Of little things to do-the same dull routine, hour
after hour day after day, week after week, got
on his nerves. Weighing out a bagful Of this
wrapping up a handful of that-it was hard work
simply because 1t was not interesting.
Did this young fellow settle down and wear him.
self deeper and deeper into the rut? He did not
He simply began to look around to see If he could
liyen things up.
he suggested to the owner that he advertise.
Advertiser snorted the owner. "What fort
Why-p'tu I-everyOne round here knows we're
here And open for business all the time. Ptui
And carrying almost anything in stock that they'll
ever want ADVERTISED What for?
He suggested specializing. "Why not throw out
some OF these slOw-moving articles and put In
g0ods that sell more quickIy"
mo" said the merchant "We depend on the
farmers for the bulk Of our trade, and we've got
10 carry general line-a little bit Of everything.
No-ptu well 60 right on with our line of
staples"
The next year the young man bought out the
old man and started In to be busness-buder.
HIS first reform was to get rid Of half the stock.
You know what collection of junk the average
country general store Is with its haunting odor
of harness grease, calico. soda crackers, horse
llniment and cheese
He had observed that the women did most Of the
i.uying SO he nodded his stores service to meet
their needs. He investigated their buying habits.
He learned that those who could afford to buy
hnery patronized the large city stores or sent
away to the mail order houses.
The young man visited the Jobbers and manu-
facturers in the city. He brought back large
consignment of hats. suits, dresses and other
stvlisb things that women wear Then he fitted
M a speciai department in the space from which
he had thrown the gun oil and ten-penny nails