The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1924-01-18
WHAT'S WRONG
WITH THE BOYS?
Simply That They Have 1881
Hours Of Spare time With
out Direction Says Speaker

year in which the average boy
of these jazzy times is thrown
OH his own resources to find
something to do and it is not
at all surprising that he finds
so many wrong things to do.
The real wonder is that he
doesn't do more fool things
and get into more mischief
than he does.
What's true Of boys is also true
Of girls. SO said Prof. W. II. Livcrs,
head Of the extension work Of The
North Carolina College for Women
In lively address to members Of
the Elizabeth City Parent-Tcachcrs
Association Tuesday night.
Prof. Livers figures out Il boys
hours In this way: Say there are
S,7GG hours In Il year. The average
hoy In year spends 3, 2S5 hours
In bed, 1000 hours In school, $50
hours at his meals and 100 hours
In church and Sunday school. Here
aro 4.035 hours Of the year In which
his time is spent under the parental
roof, under parental observation or
under the observation OF teachers
and instructors. But what becomes
Of him the other 1881 hours when
he isn't under the parental roof or
under the observation Of teachers!
God only knows! Prof. Livcrs was
perfectly sure That Gods reprcscn.
tatives, the churches. knew least
OF all. And departing somewhat
from his theme here he proceeded
to say some things about churches
that caused many TO squlrm. 'rhcr"
are too many makeshift churches"
said the speaker. ~ don't know
any place where money IL 40 wan.
tOnly wasted as In the building Of
unnecessary churches. Any little
town that could support one or
two good churches and afford 10 cm.
ploy preachers who could c9plmnnd
the admiration Ind respect OF the
people, must have six or more
shabby little churches with 80
many half.baked, underraid preach.
crs who can't preach very well and
who do not commnnd popular re-
spcct. We demand special trnin.
Ing Of the teachers for our day
sch Sols hut any simp OF II Miss
who can do q fox trOt until 2:iS
on q Sundny morning. is considered
qualified to 10 Into Sunday school
room OIL Sunday, morning and In
struct a class OF young people II
the way Bf. lift." The spcuke
profcsscd absolute, contempt 70
a religious denomination that w0ul
try to plant n little church In .
community already served by scvt
raj large churches, just for the sakc
Of having It's denomination repre-
scntcd. lie didn't think much OF
denOninatiOnalism anyway and In
dicatcd that II heaven Is to bc mnd'
up OF Baptist, AfethodIsts. Eplsco'
palians, Prcsbytcrinns. Catholics
and n thousand other jarring sect,
who carry their dcnomlnntlonar diff
fercnces nlong to heaven with them,
then heaven will be one hcllurn
place. lie didn't ay It just thnt
way, but tbnt's what was In him.
Prof. Livers says the trouble with
our boys and girls to-day IL simply
th!lt they have too many spare hours
In which their energies ure not
directed. Modern ways OF living
have done awny with the old fash.
ioned home and the surplus Of spare
hours Is unavoidable; bnt any com
muhity cnn help to take cnre Of
mnny Of the spare hours Of ith
energetic youth by providing them
with Fairgrounds md with conlpe-
tent plny supervisors. Both boys
and girls are eager to follow help.
full leaders who can show tlcm how
10 make use of their hours Of r..
creation. The speaker urged Eliz.
alrth City folks to get busy nnd
employ II plny supervisor to tnEc
hold OF It's thousands Of young pco.
pie who will m out of schools and
chatting to do something this sum.