It is hoped that the preceding pages have given the reader some idea
of the workings of Boyville, of the self-governing plan carried on
successfully for many years. It has demonstrated the fact, to the
president and his faithful associates, the trustees, and the officers
of the auxiliaries, that boys can govern themselves, that they can
build up and carry on the work that has usually been done by older
persons. Corporal punishment is not necessary and no arbitrary
authority is needed. There is nothing compulsory about the entire work
of the association. The simplest methods are always adopted, keeping
in view the wishes of the boy. Not by advanced theories that reach
beyond the comprehension of the boy, but by gradually introducing good
principles that have a tendency to uplift the boy, and following as
nearly as possible the lines he is interested in.
Through the ever-willing assistance of the Humane officers, and later,
the splendid work of the Juvenile Court, the association has been able
to get behind the cause of much of the wrong-doing of the newsboys, by
reaching their parents. Any good physician, to cure a disease, will
make every effort possible to discover and cure the cause. There is an
old saying: “A stitch in time saves nine.” This is certainly true and
applicable to work among newsboys. We agree with the many good things
said and written by the late Samuel M. Jones, and this in particular:
“The only way to help people is to give them an opportunity to help
themselves.”
Our cities are full of boys growing up to manhood without advice,
without help. They are turned aside to do the best they can, to battle
with life with everything against them. The question to thinking men
today is, shall we permit these boys to continue on the certain road
to ruin, or shall we turn a few steps out of our way to lend a helping
hand? Shall we wait until they become confirmed criminals and are
serving sentences in prisons before we try to help them?
It is much easier to save a soul in a healthy and satisfied,
comfortable-feeling body, than in a body wasted by want and with a mind
diseased by injustice, cruelty and wrong.
The good accomplished by the members of The Boyville Newsboys’
Association, we hope, will go on forever, and that this generation may
prove the best and our people continue to be the most prosperous, and
our boys grow up to be God-fearing, honest men, is the prayer of every
man and woman of our land. But prayers will never be answered if we sit
with our hands folded waiting for someone to do the work.
In these hurrying days, when life is becoming complicated in so many
ways; when the love of money is greater than the love of mankind, you
wonder where can real happiness be found.
Let us kindly suggest a new work, a new field of labor; a field that
may test human goodness and human ability, but where you will reap more
than riches, more than fame.
Begin today, go out upon the streets, work among the newsboys, reach
down to those below, and offer a hand to lift them up. Throw around
them the proper protection and influence. In your own city, your own
town, at your own doors, are acres of diamonds only waiting for you to
help in the work of polishing.
[Illustration]
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:
—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.
—A Table of Contents for Chapters was not in the original work; one
has been produced and added by Transcriber.