An Appeal to Boys

THE M. I. A. CONTESTS 221 your audience, or to arouse interest in the development of your theme. Then the central idea must be developed. Here also you must think hard. Be sure you are going on, and not merely marking time by repeating over and over again some one pet idea. Use incident and illustration where you can ; these always hold the attention and make clear. As for the conclusion, the main function of that is "to leave upon the listener the impression of completeness. He must feel that what was sought to be shown, impressed, or demonstrated, has been accomplished." The address, in the fourth place, should be written and rewritten till it is the best that you can do. And a word on this point. Don't try to get the oratorical tone. Don't see how many big words you can use. The oratorical tone is nothing but bombast, and only ignorant people like that sort of thing nowadays. Try rather to see how simple you can be — simple in the arrangement of your ideas and simple in your statement of them. Your judges will mark you down for any airs or mere frills you may put on. Simplicity, naturalness, sincerity — these are your keynotes. An Appeal to Boys James Dunn, editor of the Tooele Transcript, has written this sensible talk to boys. You will notice that he is not' chiding the parents, as is the case so often with advisers. He appeals to the boy himself. And he is right; for if a man is to be made of a boy, the man must be made by the boy himself. Parents can direct and help in countless ways, but in the end every boy is the architect of his own character. Boys, what about your home studies this winter? What part of your time do you devote to selfculture and the improvement of your mind? We know a few bright boys wlo are wasting their energy and money in pool rooms, and seldom snend a night at home. But the day is sure to come when they will be very sorry over their spent money and their wasted time. Boys, quit wasting your time and money, and start a reformation today, btop right now. Don't take another step that will lead you to the pool room or the saloon, no matter what the inducements are. Rather break with your companions and stand alone than spend another hour wasting your energy and force on the downward road. There is honor and a worthy reward for every boy who will make himself a man, no matter how humble the home of that boy might be. The greatest men in Utah and the nation have come from the log cabin, and were the lowly sons of toil, but they never spent their nights in the pool room and the saloon, nor their substance in smoke.