Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-11-30
Future of Community
Depends on the Boys
FUTURE CITIZENS FORMING HAB.
IRIS NOW THAT WILL BRING
SUCCESS OR FAILURE

fought as earnestly to gain supreme
position. We are all built according
to an identical pattern, equipped with
standard motors, and under the same
conditions are capable of similar
achievements. But neither soils nor
minds yield their utmost without cul-
tivation. The earth and the mind must
both be coaxed to full fertility. Rich
lands do not profit neglected farmers
and all the splendid sources are squan
dered in promising boys, when their
parents neglect to cultivate their
minds and their characters.
Every parent who is fit to be one
should endeavor to give his son that
fundamental Impulse of rectitude as
to the true moral agencies operating
outside the domestic circle.
There are many thousands Of young
men and boys in this country just
approaching manhood, some Of whom
are sons of honest and religious par
ents have not devoted themselves to
this task with the zeal and understand
ing necessary to good results, or be-
cause other associations Of the boys
have been so strong as to counterfeit
their efforts This means that these
many thousands are honest, or rather
that they refrain from dishonesty, not
because of ingrained and instructive
Of 1oOly of
tunity, disposition, or conditions Of
safety that appeal to them
To these it becomes necessary to
present the policy side of honesty at
least as strongly as is presented the
side of principle
More good can be done for the COM
munity by the development of
character in our boys at the present
time than in any other possible way.
They are to be the future men of this
community, and will reflect the com
munity through their conduct. If they
are clean, honest, honorable, upstand-
ing men, the town will reflect that
degree Of character.
An old citizen, who perhaps knows
as much about East st. Louis as any
man living here, remarked recently
that one of the great drawbacks to
East ST. Louis had been due to the
carlessness of fathers in former years,
in making the right kind Of men out
of their boys. This, of course, does
not apply to all cases, because there
has been large number of men
grown up in East st Lopis and be-
came model, upright, useful citizens.
But it may be said in a general way
that the boys have been neglected.
You cannot teach a boy good morals
in bar room or a dive. He must have
more wholesome surroundings and a
more inviting and better environment
than the bar rooms.
Usually a man reflects through his
character and conduct, the training
he had when he was boy.
You are the manner of man your
mental attitudes your viewpoint
have made you. Reflect and see if
what you really are down in your
heart, is not the result of what you
have loved to think about when you
have been free to follow your hopes
in day dreams.
The crouch you had is not in the
world, it is in you. The suspicion and
doubt you find about yourself is really
your own suspicion and doubt. The
pruriency you seem to find all about
you is really your own rotten thoughts
Your distrust of the world is but
your distrust of yourself.
The greatest discovery that man
ever made is that his mind is but trib
utary to his thoughts; the greatest
achievement of man is to change him
self by changing his thoughts
If we are going to build bigger and
better community, if we want to
keep faith and hope, we must take
thought of the future of our boys, and
teach them right from wrong, Teach
them to believe that as a man thinketh
in his heart, so is he. "They themsel
YES are makers of themselves but
they can be taught rectitude, character
honesty, energy, on the fathers knee
to the greatest advantage. Second to
this is association and environment,
and in developing character in boys,
we must maintain the institutions that
are used for that purpose-the church
es, the schools, the Y. M. G. A, the
Community House, and any other
clean, moral places where the boys are
allowed to cOngregate.
Do not neglect the boys, because in
neglecting them, we are neglecting the
future of this great city. The charac-
ter of the country in the future
will depend upon the character of the
men of the future.
More power to those who are devot-
ing their time and energy to the boys
work
LUTHERAN CHURCH