--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hewlett, Frank J. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 11 number: 7 published: 1908-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Frank J. Hewlett, "What of the Boy in Summer Time?," *Improvement Era* 11, no. 7 (May 1908): 531–534.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1107unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1107unse start_page: 531 end_page: 534 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1908-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1107unse publication_year: 1908 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1908, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # What of the Boy in Summer Time? "WHAT OF THE BOY IN SUMMER TIME? BY HON. FRANK J. HEWLETT. [The author was formerly president of the Salt Lake City council, and is a successful Utah business man and manufacturer.— Editors.] Winter has passed away; no more for a time will we see the boy with his skates in hand hurrying to the ice pond. What a re- lief to his mind, after the studies for the day are over, to enjoj^ the healthy sport and return home, his rosy cheeks glowing with animation, ready to take up his work again. Spring has come. Earth again awakens from her slumber. For months the soil, the plants, the insects, and even a part of the animal creation have been enjoying a vacation. But as the warmth of the sun makes itself felt, and the gentle breezes sweep over the land, a mysterious movement begins in all departments of nature's vast realm. Sweet sounds from the throats of birds are heard in the air, the buzz of tiny wings, and the chirp of insects come familiarly on the ear, like a faint echo of the past. Even the trees, in som'> strange way, take on a greenish tinge just before their leaves ap- pear, and lo! here and there a forward blade of grass or an early flower gladdens the eye; it is a delightful change, after the mantle of snow has melted away, that covered hill and plain. It also states to the workers, in the noble cause of Mutual Improvement, that our season is drawing to a close. It may be nearing the end so far as our lessons are concerned; but never, in watching the welfare of our boys. To make a success in life, to develop both mind and body, our boys must have plenty to do. Their interests should be looked after in the summer time. They should be watched by the teachers to see if there are any symptoms 532 IMPROVEMENT ERA. appearing that may lead them away from the teachings received during the winter. A word of advice given with tact, at the proper time, will cause the boy to reflect, and in his own way he will cheer- fully obey counsel given. He should be encouraged in his work, and remunerated for what he does. A friend of mine said to me the other day: "What do you think! my two boys are eagerly looking for- ward to the time when the dandelions will appear in the lawn." I asked him why. The answer was "I measure off a piece each week and promise them as a re- ward for clearing it, some good book they may desire, or some spending money. By encouraging them to earn what they receive, they enjoy the work so much better. They also take care of the chickens, and I give them a percentage of the increase. They like the work, it also keeps them off the streets." A few days ago, while conversing with the superintendent of a school in one of our mining towns, he told me the boys had stud- ied hard and become proficient in their exercises, in fact were nearly perfect. "One of the causes is that we have organized a juvenile band of twenty pieces. They are doing splendid work, and we have promised them, also the other boys that desire to go, to take them next summer on a trip to some of our settlements, where they have never been blessed with a band of their own, and give some concerts. We will travel by team, camp out at night, eat our meals around the brush fire, and have a jolly good time. We hope to pay expenses by our concerts; if not, we have a quiet understanding with the teachers and parents to meet the defi- ciency. All are working hard, anticipations run high. There is no doubt in our minds but what we will all have a good, profitable time." Our boy, whether it is in the winter or the summertime, should always strive to advance, both financially and intellectually. A boy resided in this locality many years ago. His parents were very poor. One day he saw five beautiful white ducks offered for sale. His heart leaped with joy at the thought of becoming the proud owner of them— but how to earn the money was the next question. He saw a sign which read, "Carpet Rags Wanted." He went to work; old clothing was torn into strips, sewed together, ''WHAT OF THE BOY IN SUMMER TIMEr 533 rolled into balls. Day and most of the night the lad worked until he had two large sacks full. The carpet weaver gladly paid the price. The ducks were purchased with the money earned. The boy displayed the same energy through life, always relying on his own resources. He is now president of a large business institution, besides being a director in several others. It is our duty to en- courage the boy to have ideas of his own, then develop and work them out. The parents should accompany them to the different pleasure resorts, watch over them, and see that they have a good time. And always notice closely their associates, what their habits are, and learn if they are fit companions for them. It is at these places where the teachings of the winter are apt to be forgotten: — where one false step, like a drop of ink in a glass of pure water, clouds the character. So will our boy's future happiness become marred, and he be led away from the path of righteousness. There is an old saying: "As the twig is bent, the tree is inclined." It is an interesting as well as instructive practice for a person of mature years to recall the acquaintances of his youth, trace their history, and note what they have turned out to be in the years. A leading U. S. senator gives the result of such a study made by himself, which shows some facts that are worthy of serious consideration. He says: "Twenty-five years ago I knew every man, woman an^ child in Peekskili, New York. And it has been a study with me to mark boys who started in every grade of life with myself to see what became of them. I was up last fall and began to count them over, and it was an instructive exhibit. Some of them be- came clerks, merchants, manufacturers, lawyers and doctors. It is remarkable that every one of these that "drank" is dead, not one living of my age. Barring of few who were taken by sickness, every one proved a wreck, and wrecked his family, and did it from strong drink and no other cause. Of those who were church-going people, who were steady, who were frugal and thrifty, every single one of them, without an exception, owns the house in which he lives, and has something laid by, the interest of which, with his house would carry him through many a day." If the results of the studies made in this line by other persons were given, they would be found to corroborate .in a marked degree those of this senator. Let any man reflect for a few moments upon 534 IMPROVEMENT ERA. the careers of his life-time acquaintances and he will discover that the character of their early life has had its influence upon their future course. Young men, think of these facts, and strive to make a start on the proper course and keep it. Were it possible to send our boys on a farm a part of the summer, it would result to their advantage, both physically and morally. During their spare moments, they could study nature in the mountains, streams and valleys. They could study the flowers, birds and insects in their native environments. There is no young man that is so busy but he can devote a few minutes each day to the study of a book, and absorb every point that is for his intellectual benefit. Let us hope that our boys during the summer time, whether in the gymnasium, on a fishing trip, working in a factory, follow- ing the plow, will devote a few moments of thought to the exer- cises they enjoyed at our association meetings during the winter. An occasional reading of some of the lessons in our manual that have proved so interesting, such as "How Knowledge Comes," "The Meaning of Prayer," "Counsel," "Chastity," "The Effect of Chastity," and other equally interesting ones, will be time well spent. Let us in the summer time give the boys a gentle reminder of these things, that are as beautiful as the light, and to him will prove "pearls of great price." Salt Lake City, Utah. KEEP GOOD NATURED. ' No matter how disagreeable your work, or how much trouble you may have, resolve that whatever comes to you or does not come to you, you will keep sweet, that you will not allow your dis- position to sour, that you will face the sunlight, no matter how deep the shadows. You can make poetry out of the prosiest life, and bring sunshine into the darkest home; you can develop beauty and grace amid the ugliest surroundings. It is not circumstances, so much as attitude of mind, that gives happiness. Selected.