Payette enterprise., 1924-11-06
THAT BOY
IOF YOURS

Perhaps careful study ol MY
e. Dickerson's "a Fathers Ten Com
mandments" might fit very nicely
( into the thoughts that are filling the
air lust now with reference to juye-
nile delinquency.
/ And the boy spake all these
/ words, saying:
/ Il am thy son whom thou hast
brought, without regard TO MS
wishes, into the land of the living.
l. Thou shalt love thy son with
all thy heart and hesitate not to
manifest thy interest in and affec-
ton for him. This is the first and
great commandment.
2. Thou shalt not make unto
thee craven image of thy business,
thy career or thy sports nor any
likeness of any pleasure, occupation
or pursuit and bow down to them
nor serve them so that thou forget
test to be a pal and chum to thy
son.
3. "Thou shalt not take the
name of Dad" upon thee lightly for
Jehovah will not hold him guildless
who hath little regard for the re-
sponsibilities of fatherhood
A. Remember thy sons portion
of thy time and keep it holy. Many
days shalt thou labor and do all man
ner of work, but IN that portion OF
thy day which belongeth to him thou
shalt not work at thy business,
neither shalt thou bury thy nose in
a book, betake thyself to the golf
links or busy thyself or hunting or
golfing with thy chum, thy son.
5. Honor thy wife, my mother,
for /, thy son, lowest her dearly and
cannot admire, respect and love thee
if thou display not loving-kindness
toward her.
6. Thou shalt counsel with thy
son and share with him some Of the
secrets of thy heart.
z. Thou shalt be firm in thy
discipline lest thy son stray from the
paths of righteousness for the lack
of thy guiding hand, but in thy dis
cipline do not fail to understand that
thy son needeth more and more of
that independence of action which
becometh a man.
s. "Thou shalt have trust and
confidence in thy son and be patient
and long-suffering with all his short
comings.
8. Thou shalt walk uprightly
before men and make thy ways
clean in the sight of thy God for
.hy son doth follow after thy example |
and is more influenced by what he
seeth thou really art than by what
hou pretendest to be.
IN ssThO,t chalf nnt fnrpat tba
hou vert once boy, neither shalt
hou be unmindful that times have
hanged much since the days of thy
Touth."
Now, seriously, suppose we Dads"
If Payette sit down together and
lave a little confidential chat among
ourselves and find out Just where we
re.
II the recording angel is doing his
luty, there will be long account !
or the negligent father to settle
ome day; and when that day comes
nay God help us! Some day each .
If us will stand before great judge. !
low then shall we answer such ques-
ions as these: What did you do
9TH that boy of yours with whose
guidance you were intrusted? How d,
many other young erring boys did !
Tou help save from destruction by
he example of your right living?
These are serious thoughts. But
loes not the very sacredness of
atherhood make it necessary for us
o think seriously? Is there not
more to raising boy than
he mere feeding, clothing and send
ng him off to school? Is there not
better and higher than
hat to be aimed for? Cannot
Dads" be led to feel that the final
i'm is in so organizing the home life
hat the boy shall find self-realiza-
ion in happy ard useful manhood?
}annot Dads realize that the de-
elopment Of proper character in the
hild transcends all else in import
nee, and that fathers highest
luty lies in saving the manhood of
he boy who otherwise might fall by
he way?
Are there so many lodges and
lubs and other organizations to at {
end that we have not the time to
aise the boy? Hoy many homes are !
here in Payette where the first
hought of the father is the proper
raining of the children and his best {
forts are given to carrying out that
hought?
II every father in Payette would
I've the time and attention to his
oys for the next half dozen years
hat he rightfully owes him; would
o his best to see that he treads in
he path he should follow; lodges
light die, and clubs might fade I
way, but the future manhood of the {
ommunity would amply repay for J
he loss of voth. I
So much for our won boys. What
bout stray delinquents? In a con- {
dental talk with boy just this |
eek he said, 'if all the stories fly- S
lg about are true it seems as if the
len of the town expect us to be c
ad. Maybe we would just we'll be
ad so they will not be disappoint-
That constitutes an Indictment
us men, There must be a change G
the attitude of the "grown=ups"
wards delinquencies and delin- d
uents. On the adults part there a
ust be manifest to the boy an eager d
etlyity to help him rather than to I
unit him down and brand him. Such S
et1Vitu ic hnpnJ