Stones in a life

Preface

It is a well known fact that younger folk, especially the young men, are not giving the ordinary problems of life due consideration. I am led by my own experiences, as well as by close observation of my young associates, to believe that, if the more common mistakes of life were brought into closer communication with practical life, they would be more readily observed. With this idea in view, I have used the incidents of the two years of my school life prior to the preparation of this work, with which to present my experiences with a view of the more common stones that beset the pathway of young men.

The stories, incidents and conversations recorded in the following pages are from real life and tell of my experiences during two years of striving to climb a few steps higher up the stairway of knowledge and success. The object of this little volume, "Stones In a Life," is not only to incite the younger readers to proper living, but also to encourage the more advanced in life to extend a helping hand to the young men and women in need of assistance.

I do not claim any special literary merit for this work, for such could not be expected of a writer of my age and experience in English work. What I hope is that the volume may be the means by which some other girl or boy will be helped to a higher and nobler life ; will be brought to a realization of their errors, and strive to make of themselves manly men and womenly women.

For assistance in bringing this work into being I am under obligations to President W. P. Dearing of Oakland City College for his valued article on "Education ;" A. Flanigan & Co. for the use of the chapter on "Conduct Toward Women;" the Eev. I. A. Humberd for his assistance in the solution of the tobacco problem, my father and others. W. M. G.

Contents

CHAPTER. PAGE.

I. A BUSINESS MISTAKE 9

II. CHOOSING AN OCCUPATION 15

Chapter I. A Business Mistake

My father, a minister and a successful farmer, lived on a farm one and a half miles north of St. Francis, on the river which bears this name. He was pastor of two churches, one in St. Francis and the other in a neighboringvillage. For five or six years he had spent his spare time in beautifying the farm, until he had made it the most beautiful country home in that part of the State.

It was at this home that two lads first began to receive a little knowledge from the farm and the first reader. One of the twain was myself. Our work was not necessary towards supporting the family, but my father never was a believer in idleness, and so we had to do our share of the manual labor. Life on the farm was not the most agreeable thing at times, for we had a mile and a half walk to and from school, and that being in a low lying country the roads became so muddy during the rainy seasons that they were almost impassable, so that it became necessary at times for us to go on horseback. Very often the farm work would be so far behind that all the horses were needed, and at such times we were compelled to remain at home.

Our parents saw that it would be next to impossible to give us an education in the face of these disadvantages, so it was that they decided to move into the village, where we would be close to the school. Father bought a small home in the town, where he planned to live during the winter months when school was in session and return to the farm in spring, and so it came about that we moved to town.

Here it was that father began investing. He carried these investments to such a length that a financial crash resulted. He had added several acres to his already large farm, which he endeavored to oversee himself. Then, in company with another, he bought a drug store in the town. Later they increased their capital stock and established two drug stores in other towns, placing them under the management of non-interested persons. Father's partner died shortly afterwards and all three of the stores came under his control.

In the meantime, in company with another, he established a saw mill and implement store, and so it came about that my parent found himself a minister of two churches, proprietor of three drug stores and a farm, a half interest in a saw mill and implement store, not to mention smaller interests such as a wheat thresher and a cattle ranch, which fell to his control. This was more than any one

A BUSINESS MISTAKE 11

man could attend to properly, and he began to realize the truth of the old adage, "If you place too many irons in the fire, one or more will surely burn. ' ' He had too many irons in the fire, and saw that something would have to be done at once or all would be lost.

He closed out two of his drug stores at less than invoice price and placed his partner in control of the saw mill and implement store. Then, feeling that all was safe, he decided to give more of his time to his church work and his farm, but it was too late. The tide of prosperity was turning back. For the first time the farm did not bring forth an abundance of fruit, wheat and corn. The granary was empty, and the fruit house depleted. Many of the cattle died for lack of attention and others disappeared from the ranch.

While financial affairs were taking up the greater part of father's time, the churches were being neglected, they began to decline and the minister's salary was unpaid.

Father thought the financial condition of the saw mill and implement store was good, and that the profit from them would bring things around all right, but he found that he was deceiving himself. They, too, were losing money every day they were in operation.

The crisis had come at last. One morning father went down to the mill and found bills posted on every article and stack of lumber. Examining them more closely and on making inquiries he found that his debtors, becoming excited, and fearing that they would lose what the company owed them, had served an attachment suit on all the property, and then to cap it all he found that his partner had departed with his family to parts unknown. Even the books of the company, containing thousands of dollars worth of open accounts, were not to be found. All was gone. When the debts and assets were listed, it was found that the former were much greater than the latter.

For a time father felt hopeless ; he felt that his courage was ebbing away, but he asserted himself and began to plan a new start in life. A few days after the crash he and mother were discussing the outlook. Father said everything had been swept away by the hand of the law with the exception of the old homestead, which the creditors were now preparing to serve attachment papers upon.

"We can save it only by moving back and calling it our permanent home," said father. "No," replied mother, "it would not be our home in truth for it rightly belongs to our debtors. Although it shows years of hard labor by our own hands and is the prize of our life, we cannot keep it It must go towards satisfying the large debt. We will begin at the bottom as we did once before, but with much more experience. We have learned a lesson from this downfall that will last us a life time. Heretofore we have been living more for the wealth of this earth and the almighty dollar than for the betterment of

A BUSINESS MISTAKE 13

others. We have made a mistake, let us realize it. From this time forth let us live not for the dollars, but,

" 'Let us live for those who love us, Whose hearts are kind and true;

For the heavens that smile above us, And await our spirits, too.' '

"Yes, wife," said father, "these are true thoughts and worthy of deep consideration. We must live for others, but more especially for our children. We must give these two boys a better opportunity to make aseful men of themselves, but the most difficult problem of all is that we cannot remain at this place, for we could not invest in anything here. The law would take away everything we could accumulate, so that a fresh start at this place would be impossible.

"We must select a good place having a high school, move there, educate our boys and live for those around us. My only ambition for money from this time until death, will be to get enough to pay our debts and furnish us a living.

"I will give all my time to study and try to make my church work a greater success than ever before, for I can now clearly see tin cause of our failure. My failure was brought about by my having too many things to look after, and not doing any of them justice. It has taught me a wonderful lesson.

' ' It has shown me that no matter what kind of an occupation a man has, he must give his full attention to it if he wishes to make a success. He must not place his business in other men's hands, especially if they have not had as much experience as the owner himself, for more men lose their estates in this way than in any other. If a man wants a thing done well, he must do it himself. If I had only realized this fact two years ago when we moved to town and carried out my plans, putting my whole time to my work and attending to the farm, we would now all be happy and well fixed financially, while as it now is we are almost paupers, not knowing where our next home will be."

Father and mother then decided that our future home would be at Campbell, a small town, not many miles away, but in another State. Here was located one of the churches in father's charge. After the farm, and, in fact, everything except the household goods and a team of horses, had been sold and paid on. the debts, we moved to our new field of battle, where I was placed in a good school.

The next five years of my life, which were spent in the Campbell public schools, were the most happy in my career. During the winter months I attended school, and during the summer and on Saturdays I found employment at the mills and the stores.

Chapter II

Five times Mother Earth had frozen since we came to our new home, and I was still in school. One cold winter night I was confronted by my first problem in real life. I was in my room busy with my books, when my brother came in and said father wished to see me. When I entered the room I found my father and mother had been discussing my future.

"Son, you have been in school here for the past four or five years, almost paying your expenses by working, and I have never heard you speak of what occupation you would choose to follow," said my father. "Have you ever considered this question?"

His words aroused me and I found myself in a quandary as to what to reply. I had been thinking about my work for the next year, but had given no consideration to my life's work.

"Father," I replied, "I have been thinking a little about my work for the coming year, but have given but little consideration to my life's occupation. I hardly thought I was old enough to bother my mind yet about that, for I am not yet eighteen. I do not feel that it is right for me to go to school for it is a burden to you and mother, who have been so kind to me.

"I remember that you and mother moved from the farm to town for the purpose of giving us boys a better opportunity. I recall your conversation with mother after your failure when you told her we were ruined financially, but despite this there was one thing that you would not neglect and that was aiding us boys to become useful men. Although I was but a small lad, I was impressed with your words. You and mother did as you said you would, placed me in school and paid all of my expenses with exception of the small amount I earned during vacations.

"If you should figure up my account it would be so large that I could never repay it, if I should withdraw from school now. So feeling that this expense is not only a burden to you and mother but an injustice to the smaller children, I think I shall stop school after this year and secure a position as laborer at one of the mills and try to repay you to some extent, as I can earn $1.25 per day."

"Such a step would not pay you, my son," replied my father, "for the simple reason that you lack only one year of finishing at the high school. If you drop out and work for a year, it is not likely that you would ever enter again, and so your education would be stopped forever. If you were to drop out of school and go to work, it would not be necessary for you to let the choosing of an occupation worry your mind, for you would become and remain a laborer. If you should do this and not become a useful man, wherein would I be repaid for my efforts in your behalf? You probably would more than repay me with money, but that is not what I wish."

"Father," said I, "you should not look at the matter in that way. There is no danger of my dropping my ambition to attain a higher education, for I am determined to do so and wish to make a useful man of myself. I will work a year and by that time your financial condition will be better, then I can finish my high school work, and if possible take a year at college."

Father appeared to be satisfied with this, and there the matter ended. The school days passed very quickly and though I often thought with regret of giving up my school work, the days were a source of pleasure to me, and I often wondered if there was any danger of my not returning to school, as father said might happen, if I were to withdraw for a year.

Some times I thought I could not stick to my resolution and that things would turn out as he had stated.

The last week of school had arrived and I had neglected to speak to the superintendent of my plans. This was worrying me, for I knew it would be a surprise to him, for he had taken a liking and had placed much confidence in me. Very often he had placed me in the grades as a substitute during the absence of some of the assistants. The morning of the last day I decided to have the matter out with him. As I walked towards the school building for the last time, I thought the whole world, except myself, appeared to be at the highest stage of joyfulness.

I could fancy the old school bell tolling out "Mid pleasures and palaces, there's no place like home." I felt that the old school had been a sweet home for me for a long time. At last I reached the superintendent's office and found him buried in thought. I made an appointment with him to talk my case over after school closed for the day. Though the day seemed to be the happiest of all the term for the other pupils, it was the saddest for me. My classmates were making plans for their senior year, while the juniors were preparing to take our places. I took no part in the great preparations, and more than once I was asked if I were in trouble or if I was not well.

The gong at last sounded the closing of the school and I went into the superintendent's office. Before I could speak, he said:

"Willie, I have been noticing you all day and it appears to me that you are in trouble. If so, tell me the whole matter and if it be in my power to aid you, I will do so."

"Professor," said I, '"I have been in school ever since

I have been old enough to attend, and father has paid all the expenses except a little I could earn during vacation. This I do not feel to be exactly fair, and so I have decided to drop out of school for a year, at the end of which I intend to return, finish up with high school and take a year at college, at the conclusion of which I can begin my life work. ' '

"My dear boy, you must not talk that way," replied the superintendent, "I know your father's financial state, but if you work during the summer he will be able to, and I believe, perfectly willing that you go on with your school work. If the matter of your working is already settled, there is no use of my arguing the point, but I wish it were possible for you to be with us next year.

"As to your choosing a life's occupation, I do not see why you intend doing this after you have finished a year or two in college. Herein make up your mind now. You believe that a young man should not consider this until he is in his twenties, but this is a mistake. In order to make a success in any line of work or in school, a definite end should be in view.

"If you sit down to read a book or study a lesson and do not have something planned out that you hope to accomplish, your reading or your studying will be of no avail. I have noticed your work for the past two years, and I have noticed something lacking when I began to look for the end you were striving for. You think it soon enough to choose your life 's work four or five years hence. I believe it would have been to your advantage had you done this two years ago.

"This same problem has been the cause of hundreds of men not making the success in life that they should. They go through school and college without knowing what special line they wish to follow, and, therefore, possibly neglect in school the thing most needed in life. There are many men who drop one line of work to take up another, fail in it and try still another. This is caused by their not being definitely determined in early life as to what they wish to follow.

"I once knew a man who had the same opinion about this matter that you have. He kept saying within a year or two he would decide what he would do. When he finished college at the age of twenty-two he came home and got a good position in an office, but with the understanding that he was not going to be an office man. He worked at that for some time and then decided to try real estate until he could find something better. He changed his pursuits every two or three years until he was past thirty. By that time the best position he could hold was sub-clerk in a grocery store. Thus you see the fallacy of a college education for this man, who did not have an object in view

"On the other hand I recall a large, awkward country boy, who was in my school from the sixth grade to the high school. He had not been in the school for more than a week before he became known to the other boys as Doctor Ben, for he let it be known that he was going to be a physician. I hardly thought that he would stick to his resolution, being then but in the sixth grade. However, I noticed that he led his class in physiology, while he was a little dull in other studies, and this attracted my attention.

"I began to watch Dr. Ben, especially after he entered high school. The awkward fellow soon developed into a neat looking young man and during his attendance in my school he led every science class, and kept me busy looking up questions that were more in keeping with a medical college than a high school. He was a real doctor even before he left us.

' i Some years later I received a letter from Dr. Ben, who is now practicing in a large city. He stated that he had finished his medical education in about half the time it was supposed to take, explaining this by saying that it was due to the fact that he had gathered so much material along his line while in the public schools.

"Can you not see from these illustrations that it would be the best thing for you to decide now what you wish to make of yourself?"

I acknowledged that the professor was correct, but stated that I was unable to make a choice inasmuch as I had not the least idea what career I wished to follow.

"This is a question every man should decide for himself," replied the Professor, "and should take time to consider it, but it is also true that some men know more about what the other is fit for than he knows himself. I have been with you so much that I believe I can tell you what you are cut out for. I have watched you while you were substituting in the grades, and found that you not only made a success at teaching, but it appeared to be a pleasure to you. I believe you would make a successful teacher. Did you ever think of that?"

I acknowledged that I enjoyed substituting work in the grades and that I had considered being a teacher, but had decided to drop the matter, fearing that I was incompetent to take charge of a school. I further stated that there would be great difficulty in my securing a position, and if I did get a place I would not know much about conducting the work, as I had not studied the methods of the teachers, and that if I had considered being- a teacher I might have gathered much useful information by observation while in the high school.

The Professor brightened when I began to speak this way.

"I will admit," said he, "that it is not a good plan for a teacher or anyone else to begin a work until they are amply qualified to do so. This is the ruin of many businesses, but I imagine I have more confidence in you than you have in yourself and I believe you are competent to teach. All you lack is methods. Had you known two years ago that you wished to be a teacher and had observed the methods used, you would now be prepared to take a school, but my advice to you now is to go right ahead, put in an application for a position in the grades of this school, and I will do all in my power to influence the Board to give you a place. Election day is but a month away. ' '

The plan suited me well enough, but I was doubtful as to the outcome, for I hardly believed it possible for the Board to employ me, young as I was, when they could get experienced teachers ; still, I was resolved to try. The next four weeks were long ones for me. I was constantly thinking about my work and wondering whether or not I would be successful in getting the coveted position.

The morning after the election of teachers I received a note from the Secretary of the Board informing me that I had been elected a teacher of the seventh and eighth grades for the ensuing year. Thus the following September I was to begin my life's work.

CHAPTEK III.

THE FIRST SCHOOL

I spent all my leisure time during the summer months planning for my school work. All day I thought of the future and at night I dreamed of my charge to come. I wanted to make a good start, for I knew that my life's success would depend on the first effort. I rather feared beginning work, for I knew that many of the boys who would be under my tutelage were former associates and many of them as old as I. The great problem that confronted me was how I was to wield the proper influence over a class of boys as old as myself and with whom I had been associated as an equal for some time. I felt, however, that I had laid aside my boyish ways and was being transformed into a man.

The summer months rapidly passed, and the second Monday in September, the day I was to begin my career as a teacher, came around. I went to the school house at an early hour and made the necessary arrangements in the class room before the pupils began to assemble. As the smaller boys came in I began to feel that the job would not be so hard after all, bnt when I saw the bigger ones coming I began to anticipate trouble. It appeared from the attitude of the class, that the larger youths were going to make trouble for the "kid" teacher within a short time. I got an inkling of this by the greetings given me by some of my boy friends.

The first of these greetings came from Harry, who greeted me with a hearty "Good morning Bill." I acknowledged the salutation pleasantly. Then came a number of other youngsters, and last of all John and Will, dragging their feet as though weighted with iron. Both of these greeted me with "Hi Red." This was the title I had received when I first entered school at that place, on account of my complexion and hair. The salutations from the girls were more pleasing, however, most of whom addressed me with a giggle as "Billy," others went so far as to term me "Goldy." It was hard for dignity, but I tried to be as courteous as possible.

At length the Superintendent gave the signal for class work to begin, and I saw to it that my door was closed so that the high school pupils passing my way could not witness the commotion going on in my class room. I found myself facing a rather difficult problem, and was at a loss what to do when the Superintendent entered the room, and instantly the turmoil was silenced. He gave the pupils a good talk on good conduct and respect due the

THE FIRST SCHOOL 27

teacher, telling them that I should be addressed as Mr. Goldsmith, not as "Billy," "Goldy," or "Red." When he had retired the disturbance was renewed.

Frank nudged Henry and Henry nudged John, and so went the girls tittering and the smaller boys throwing paper balls. I saw that the crucial moment had arrived and so walked around to the front and stood calmly by my desk.

"Betcher we're going to catch it now," whispered John in audible voice, "for making so much fuss, but if you fellows will stand with me, we will show them how to make a kid the boss of us." A few of the pupils, however, had begun to show signs of paying attention, and so I waited patiently.

"I wonder if Bill will be a goody, goody, or a saucy kind of a teacher?" Henry said to John. "If he is the goody, goody kind he will begin by saying: "Boys and girls you are all too large to give me trouble, you are not children, but young ladies and gentlemen, therefore you will not deceive me, but will act like young ladies and gentlemen. " If he is the saucy kind he will say : "Boys and girls, I want you to understand that I am the boss of this room and I will have order if I have to die for it. If I cannot handle you I will send you to the Professor. ' '

About this time John burst into laughter and then silence fell upon the room. I took this opportunity to begin and announced that we would begin the class by singing, and called upon some of the larger girls to lead the first song, and the next moment the thrilling notes of "America" were filling the room. It seemed as if all the pupils had gotten the spirit of the thing, and after two other songs had been sung I called upon them to join me in repeating the Lord's prayer. The dropping of a pin could have been heard during this part of the service. At the conclusion of the prayer, however, the disturbance was renewed.

When I had succeeded in quieting them I began with the class work.