The Monroe journal., 1922-11-03
Mrs. Weaver Speaks on Boys
Work Before Monroe Rotary

Mrs. {. c. Weaver was the prin-
e;pal speaker at the last luncheon of
the Monroe Rotary club. Taking
Boys Work" for subject, she sad:
What do We mean by boys work ?
II is pr marily the saving of boys
from becoming undesirable citizens.
But i. goes beyond this in strength
en:ny the moral stamina and patriot
ism of tia next generation, who will
take your place as citizens Of our
respective countries and furthermore.
as supporters Of civilization.
Some oGe has said 'boyhood Is the
key store in the arch Of the worlds
destiny bu, that keystone, the boy,
whose interest in life touches upon
many subjects, is not conscious of
the 'arch Of the worlds destiny His
life is cast in other lineS-sc.ool.
movies. athletics, games, swimming
camping. etc. He is a normal boy,
his heroes are Douglas Fairbanks
and Babe Ruth, and the street Is
the biggest thing in his vision.
"As | understand it, Rotary be-
lieves that today's scholboy is tomor-
rows citizen. You can max him
what YOU will if you will. | wonder
if you are building the arch and for
getting the keystone
There are two phase of the de-
ye'opment OF boyhood. Oae is that
which IS under the care of our public
schools, and which has to do mainly
with the boys mental training. The
stare has made it possible for every
boy % get az least graded schoo,
education, ard for some to get u
high school education. We have left
little excuse for illiteracy and we
are paying a good price in order that
there should be little excuse.
Proper Influences Necessary
The other phase is that which de-
penis upon the use of the boys out
of school time his play time. Stu
dents of ch lihood tell us that this
period has more to do with the de-
ve!opment o. character than any 9TH
er. Il is in the choice of occupation
and compaaionship made by the boy
his leisure that motives, view
points ani standards are formed and
established.
THE activities and assoc .ations of
this period determine in large degree
the use the boy will make of the
knowledge and mental training ac-
auired in school. II we are to get the
worth of our investment in schools
i is of vital Importance to see that
the influences affecting the boy in his
leisure time are of the wind to pro-
vide him with the right sort of mo-
tives, viewpoints and standards.
II would like to impress upon you
business men that boys work is a
business enterprise. City building
and money making are important,
but the boys themselves are most im-
portant. The city or town that does
not make men is doomed.
Need to Fill in Gap
1T seems TO me that what we need
is something which will fill the dan
ger gap between the hour when
school closes and the bows bed time
fill it with interest, clean play,
helpful associations and opportuni-
ties for Improvement. 1t must be
something which will fill it every day
of the week and something to which
the boy will respond of his own free
will because he likes II because 1t
gives him real fun, and because
gradually it opens up to him new
outlook, visions of new possibilities
and goals for ambition.
"In terms Of cash our boys are
worth billions of dollars, yet only
one boy in twenty is afforded an OPP