The finding of valuable articles and turning them over to the
president, with a request to find the owner, is not a rule of the
association.
All these little acts have a tendency to cultivate a desire to assist
others and many times violations of the rules are corrected by members
who are not officers.
At almost any time of the day can be seen a man with a two-wheeled
cart, slowly circulating around newspaper offices, especially about
the time the dailies are out. The newsies purchase a penny’s worth
of ice cream, or cheap candies, and often these old men become quite
confidential friends of certain boys—particularly the shiners, who are
on the street almost constantly. One time a new member, a bootblack,
a boy about fourteen years of age, before he understood the secret
workings of the association, had a dispute with a vendor of ice cream
and peanuts, about the loss of several sacks of peanuts. The boy was
accused of stealing the peanuts. “Yes, you didn’t see me steal ’em,”
said the shiner, “an if you don’t catch a feller, how youse goin’ to
prove it?”
The boy was about to leave the wagon, when several sellers came to him.
“Say, Muddy Water,” cried one of the boys, “we seed you steal the
peanuts. You must settle wid de ole man.”
The boy came back, but pleaded that he did not have any money.
“All right, we’ll chip in an’ pay de debt.”
The money was raised, and the boy was required to pay for the stolen
peanuts and make an apology.
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t know it was again’ the rules of the
association,” he said.
“Of course it’s again the rules, an’ it’s our business to give all new
members warning when they do things like that. Don’t do it any more.”
This was a warning well heeded as after events proved.
One of the greatest benefits gained by the newsboys in belonging to the
association is the securing of suitable positions; for boys, as they
grow older, naturally leave the street work.
Wholesale as well as retail men, frequently ask for good, honest boys.
During the twelve years existence of Boyville it has been the delight
of the president to secure some two hundred places for newsboys. With
all this great number it is a pleasure to state that not one in fifty
proved unworthy of the positions, or unfitted for the kind of work. The
majority of boys for whom positions were secured were from very poor
parents, mostly widowed mothers, needing their assistance.
Unless a person is familiar with street boys, no conception can be
formed of their energy and determination in following up anything they
want.
A young man, who had outgrown newsboy’s work called upon the president
and wanted a position as brakeman on one of the railroads.
He was kindly informed by the president that he knew the superintendent
of the road he wished to work for had already over five hundred
applications from young men wanting to be brakemen. Instead of asking
the president to see the superintendent, as is generally done, he said:
“Please give me the name of the man who does the employing of brakemen.
I want to see him. I think I can show him he wants me.”
“I am afraid it won’t be of any use, but I like your pluck. Here is a
note to him.”
This note simply said the bearer was an honest young man.
A few days later the young man called.
“Well, I got a job. I’m brakeman on one of the fast trains.”
This he secured through his own tact, for this certainly was necessary.
His street experience taught him to hustle for himself, and it became
part of his nature as he grew older. He did not sit down and wait for
something to come his way, for something to turn up. He turned up
something for himself.
His frank and honorable method of working the superintendent, his
earnest but manly appeal, his push, his politeness, his tact, secured
for him what five hundred young men were “waiting to receive by
letter.” When the matter was referred to the superintendent he said:
“His every action showed he was a willing worker and not afraid to work
overtime if necessary. He works as though he owned the entire road.”