The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-01-08

: SSt a nine o'clock cur
''''' --s''''' '-''A' few to keep you
young rowdies going straight. A
half dozen expelled last week;
three stolen autos the night of the
concert and now two more Of you
have tired of the restraints Of
hOme,' and have started to see the
world on five dollars apiece"
Bob looked sheepish in spite of
himself. The principal had had sew
eral recent special assemblies. The
chief Of police had talked to the
student body and things were badly
upset.
dad, it's not SO good, 1 know.
Seems to come in streaks like dog
days. Those kids aren't bad. They
just get crazy. Thank goodness I
missed it all this time but don't
know how IL happened. Dad, are
modern kids worse than old-fash-
toned kids? I've been wondering.
I know from what Mothers told me
and Uncle Ed that you were no
saint yourself, but things do sort Of
seem to get a bit raw at times"
Dad Smithhough considered while
he pursed his lips bit. "It's just
a bit complicated and hard to I'M
derstand, Bob, just what has hap
pened. Things are different, no
doubt about 1t, and whether for
better or worse seems quite debat-
able. You know mighty well I'm
not one Of these old fogies always
signing for the good old days The
old days that we hear so much
about, good or bad, are gone never
to come again because we live~fn a
totally different world. ALI down
the line there has been a sort Of
stripping off Of the superfuities; q
return to the almost primitive in
every realm. People, even you
boys, have been doing q lot Of
thinking and you seem to be chal-
longing a good many old ideas, GUS
toms, conventions and prejudices.
Certain it Is, too, there is new
freedom, less convention, less pre-
scribed ways, less respect for super
imposed authority and SO it isn't
strange that youth which fer thou
sands Of years was 10 be seen and
not heard has suddenly emerged to
be both seen and heard. much to
the discomfort and concern Of your
elders-experiment;ng with conduct
much as you do with chemicals in
your chemistry to see just what
will happen when this is mixed
with that.
Parents and society, Bob, first
startled, dismayed, concerned, are
now looking on with not a little
fear in their hearts at the outcome
but helpless to stay the new day.
The newspaper, with its reverend
Ing array Of out-of-the-0rdinary
crime and immortality, the stage,
the modern magazine, the movie,
fashion, have all made utter frank
ness their program. Boys are be-
ing forced to see and hear a lot
that was forbidden before and then
there is the automobile. Reserve
has been cast to the four winds and
we modern parents are good deal
like the hen who, when she saw her
adopted family Of ducks sailing Sc
renely away on the water, screamed
and cackled and scolded for them
to come back, but they would not
for they were certain they could
both swim and fly and that by them
selves.
Bob, your mother and l know
full well that you and all like you
have escaped permanently from the
artificial, superficial props and bar
riers of yesterday You are on
your own as we never were. The
question is: Will you be able to
stand your freedom and liberty?
Will you, with such help and en-
couragement as we will be able to
give you from the Shore be able
to develop new resources Of reli-
ance and integrity which will sta
Billie your characters?
"YOuth today and youth Of yes
terday are fundamentally the same,
no better, no worse. 1t is the TIMES
which have changed. Essentially
all boys are Inherently good.
healthy, vigorous, active.
"Avoid being cheap; keep your
self hard with vigorous activity and
determine to accomplish the impOs-
sible In every realml
"The youngsters of yesterday did
not dare to even think the things
that are your common thought be-
cause of fear. To have acted as
many Of you now act would have
been a family disgrace and could
not be tolerated. The boy Of only
two generations ago was personal
property belonging body and soul
to his father whose one object In
life was to conform his son TO So
ciai custom and standard. Today
you-are free individuality, a great
privilege and a great responsibility!
The future will hold you resp0n-
sible for your heritage. You live
In q new and daring and terrible
but epic age. Your world Is q
neighborhood. In many many ways
you are wonderful. We believe In
you. We expect great things from
you. You have the raw material.
Do not disappoint rs"
"Why, Dad, then You think we
aren't such q bad lot after all. Why
the chief Of police said"
Bob. be true to the best that is
In You and you'll make rs older
men seem like lot Of pikers.. I'm
for you boy, and you know It r.
c. 1850. Western Newspaper UnieAl
Handwork ~. Headwork