Year: 1873

WHAT SHALL WE DO
WITH OUR BOYS.
1t is as impossible to snake" a chem


ist, or an engineer, or a naturalist of


boy, if he has no SPECIAL taste or aptness


for these studies, as to make poet out


of Digger Indian. 1t is no usual cir


cumstances for parents who have boys
just entering upon manhood to come to


us desiring counsel in regard to placing
them in chemical laboratory, that they


may "learn the trade" as to their eyes


the business appears remunerative-


They have no special genius, no train
ing in preparatory studies, no decided


leaning toward chemical manipulation


or research, but the desire is to have


them "made" into chemists.


There is mistaken idea, common


with many parents, that their children


are as well adapted to one employment


as another, and that they only need op-


portunities to learn regarding this pur-


suit or that to become profcienrs and


rise to eminence. More than half the


sad failures so commonly observed are


due to being forced into the wrong road


in early life. Young men are forced in


to pulpits when they should be follow


ing the plow; forced into courts of law


when they should be driving the plane


in carpenters shop; forced into sick


rooms as physicians when they should


be guiding locomotive or heading an
exploring party in the Rocky Noun


tains; forced into industrial laborator-
les when they should be in the counting


room or shop.


1t is a wise provision of Providence
that nearly every boy born into the


world has some peculiar distinctive ca
pability, some aptness for a particular
calling or pursuit, and if he is driven
into channels contrary to his instincts
and tastes he is in antagonism with ma
ture, and the odds are against him. One
of the earliest and most anxious inquir-
les of parents should be direct to the
discovery of the lcarnings of their chill
dren, and if they find that their boy


who they earnestly desire shall adorn
the bar or the pulpit, is persistently en-
gagged in constructing toy ships, and
wading in every puddle of water to
test their sailing qualities; if he reads
books of voyages, and when in a sea-
port steals away 20 the wharves, to Wis
it ships and talk with sailors, it is GER
tain he was born for the sea. Fit him
out with sailors rig, put him in the
best possible position for rising to the
honorable post of shipmaster, and you
have discharged your duty.


1t, on the other hand, he is logical,
discriminating, keen, fond of argument,
let him enter the law; if he is fond of
whiting, planning, saving, construct
ing, and neglecss his studies, turn him
over to q good carpenter to learn the
trade. II he begins early to spend his
pennies for sulphur, nitre, oil of vitriol,
aquafortis, etc., if he is such persistent
that you fear he will kill
himself or set your building on fire; if
hispockets are full of abominable drugs
and his clothing SO charged with the
odor of stale eggs that you refuse to ad-
NIT him to the table at meal times, why
the chances are that he is "born"
chemist, and it will be safe to start him
off to some technical school for instruc-
ton.


The question is not, what we will
make of our boys, but what position
are they nanifestly designed to fill; in
what direction does nature point, as re-
spects avocations or pursuits in life,
which will be in harmony with their
and instincts? 1t is no use
for us 20 repine and find fault with the
supposed vulgar tastes of our boys. We
must remember that no industrial call
ing is vulgar; every kind of labor is
honorable, and 1t is far better to be dis
tinguised as first-class cobbler or ped
dler, than to live the contemplate life
of fifth-rate lawyer or clergyman.


There are thousands of boys born in
the world possessing scarcely trace of
ambition. Such do not care for distinc-
ton, or even for wealth. If they can
procure the humblest fare by constant
toll, the aspirations Of their boyhood,
and subsequently of their manhood, are
fully met. They are negative charac-
ters, happy with nothing, and suffer no
elation or depression, whether in sun
shine or under a cloud. These boys,
who often afford much modification to
ambitious parents, fill most important
niche in the world; in fact, the world
could not do without them. They con-
stitute the great army of men who build
our railroads, tunnel our mountains, load
and unload our ships, cut down our for
ests, and manipulate the red hot iron
masses which come from our blast fur
naces.


Scold and fret as we may, VIC cannot
alter the temperament or proclivities of
such boys. Nature is stronger than We
are, and it is well for us that it is so.
If our boys are born to live in subordi-
nate or humble positions, we can hard-
ly help it; we may hold them in false
position by the power of wealth, or
strong controlling Influences, bnt when
these fail they fall at once to their place
in obedience to law as irresistible rs
that which Newton discovered in the
fall Of the apple.


What shall we do with our boys?-
Study to learn what they are capable Of
doing fer themselves ;aid them; encour-
age them to do well whatever work is
suited to their natures. Regard every
calling as honorable, the labor of which
Is honerably performed, and thus insure
and prosperity to our offspring.
Boston Journal Of Chemistry.


San Francisco is represented to be in
. highly fiourishing condition. The
aiming and avrieulturul nrosnerts as