Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-03
.iiA low when 1 was a boy"
an What father, with a peni-
tent son before him, has
not uttered these time
lo~orod ,r,orJeO Jyo toyoo


dripping with benevolent condescension
to the temptations of this terrible mod
ern age, what father is not inclined to
bring back pleasant memories of the
days when boys were boys-and far bet
ter boys than there are today? Most
fathers refer to peculiar era which is
called "the good old days" In 'the good
old days." according to the reminiscent
father, the 'teen-age boy occupied him
self with some useful vocation, or in
dulged very rarely, in some proper, man
ly pastime.
The youth of the good old days
which term, by the way is used to desig-
nate all the years from the beginning
of mankind up to the present day-was
much superior to modern youth The
'teen-age boy of today is but pathetic
weakling, incapable of doing anything of
real value! An incorrigible hedonist
with no other thought but to derive as
much pleasure from this vale of tears as
is humanity possible.
Is the youth of the Nation declining?
Were boys different" in "the good old
days? Is the modern boy an object of
concern rather than assurance for the
future? Or is he worthy of trust and
capable of taking over, when he has
reached maturity, the reins of citizen
ship and government? Is he able to
make career for himself?
CUPPOSE we glance into the early lives
- of five great men plucked at random
from the pages of history. These five
men have become symbolic of what every
man wishes he could have been and what
every mans wife tells him he should
have been. They lived in "the good old
days"
What were the great men doing when
they were boys? Were they idling away
their early years in frivolity? Or were
they shaping themselves for the careers
which lay before them?
Over a century ago, in the little village
of Undertook, N. Y, 14-year-old boy
was becoming famous as lawyer When
the tavern, conducted none too lucrative
ly by his father, failed, Martin Van
Buren, was apprenticed to an attorney.
His industry and alertness soon attracted
Tile dIGcHGiOI "a lid CillPiOyCi, WIN Sii-
couraged the boy to study law. 1t wasn't
long until the laxative, yellowhaired
little lad was standing on chairs in court
rooms defending clients.
His political career is no less remark
able. He began by campaigning for
Thomas Jefferson and his success in the
venture won him place as delegate to
a political convention. His fellow dele
gates lioniZed their youngest member
and he was the most popular feature of
the entire meeting. Thus, at Is, Martin
Van Buren, had laid the foundations for
his public life. He is an example to
whom father can point with a shaking
finger and say: They did things in
those days"
Andrew JackSon's early life while less
inspiring, is certainly as colorful Cap
tured by the British during the latter
part of the Revolution, he had seen his
mother and two brothers sacrifice their
lives to the cause of liberty; he had lived
in primitive prison camp, where small
pox ragged and men died like flies from
neglected wounds; he had taken part in
at least one skirmish and had witnessed
Others he had had a severe attack of
smallpox after leaving the prison, which
kept him invalid for many months and
the scars of which he bore throughout
his life
Altogether, fate had swept him into
the strangest, most ruthless and heart