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Show Editorial Page . . . Needed: Boys Who Would Like To Work We feel that Police Chief Skou-sen Skou-sen is one hundred percent correct on his theory that juvenile problems prob-lems would be eliminated considerably consider-ably if the boys between the ages of 14 and 16 could have part time jobs. A startling realization of the same condition confronted us the past week. A Boy Scout troop approached a certain business firm for a sponsor at $20 a head for basketball jackets. Feeling it was much more necessary for the boys (14 to 16 year age group) to earn their own they were offered a job whereby the some 30 of them could earn $350 very easily and quickly at least half of the cost of the jackets and the firm then would sponsor one as a bonus to the troop. "Wonderful proposition," the delegate del-egate from the troop said. Four days later he was back, "We're sorry the boys didn't want to do it and we're all sponsored." It is much easier to hold out the silver platter, to match the silver spoon in their mouths, and have the businessmen slap the money in than to be independent and ambitious am-bitious enough to get out and earn it themselves. "We're sorry we couldn't help you," he said. The man had not asked for their help; he had arranged it so they could "earn" and be proud of their jackets. "I'm sorry we couldn't after day on things that are of no worth to anyone not to his mind, his body, his loved ones or the society in which he lives. Nevertheless Never-theless we take it in stride as a part of man's privilege to live as he desires whether he hurts himself, him-self, society, or not. But here's a kind of spending that, generally speaking, hurts no one. It engenders generosity, thoughtfulness, and happiness in the giver and gratitude in the receiver. The abuses of the season are swallowed up in the victory of remembering and giving. Surely there can be nothing wrong with that. It is impossible to escape, sometime some-time during the Christmastide, the true thought behind it all. The 2,000 year old tradition of Wise Men bringing their gifts to the infant Jesus. From there it is but another step or two and we are engulfed by the majesty of the whole life of the Master with its rich meaning and far-reaching all-inclusive all-inclusive gift to us. And in these days if the mind takes time at all to dwell on fundamentals, funda-mentals, no matter how circuitous the route which takes it there, much has been accomplished. So let's enjoy it all, every phase of it: the decorations, the music, the spending, the giving, the receiving. re-ceiving. Let's make this the biggest, big-gest, finest, happiest and most enjoyable en-joyable Christmas season we've ever had. And on Christmas day itself let's take some time to think of Him. help you . . . for you haven't been helped," was his answer to the boy. Parents what are we. doing to our children? They are becoming a group of dependents on a prosperous pros-perous country for their every need and they give the definite impression impres-sion they like it and want it that way. This experience is just a recent one of many similar ones in the past months. We personally feel that Chief of Police Cleon W. Skousen is on the right path but he has a problem that cannot be answered alone, "the youth problem." There will be 98 percent of it relying on the cooperation of parents. Parents do you want your children to accept ac-cept responsibility? Leaders of boys "don't put your clubs on the "dole" for every project. There are jobs; let them earn their way part of the time. Support Chief Skousen. |