The Mirror

Sound Warnings.
Shake yourself! Come to your senses and to a realization of what life is worth? Why? Some of you think that being in an industrial or reform school is a hindrance in your life, but it isn't. You must think of it as a period for thought, study, work, and as a guiding star to your success.

Some of you idle away your time as though you have already aspired to the highest things in life, when in fact you haven't begun, so reform and get started.

Some pose as particular favorites by calling to their presence a number of other boys and vomiting forth some vile language which is so degraded, corrupt and rotten that it would make our Saviour blush scarlet with shame if he could be here to listen. Break yourself of this worthless brain thinking or you can never hope to be anything more than what you are now.

And some stand before the mirror caressing their pompadour, brushing the dust from their overall suit, and practicing the goo goo flirtation, when they ought to be about oiling the old engine that is to carry them over life's mountainous way, for they will find that a few minutes delay has caused them to be hours late upon arriving at headquarters, success.

And there are others who devote their time trying to compete with Charley Chaplin by telling funny things that cause laughter, yet they are so ignorant they don't know A from Z in the English alphabet. Do away with your tommyrot, devote your time to study while you are yet young.

And there is another fellow who wants to play all the time, and to whom if you mention work his face becomes a thunder cloud. And he is so triflin' and lazy that he would rather walk backward the remainder of his life than to take upon himself the duties and responsibilities of work. Give up play if it effect your work, for you must learn that work should be the greatest domineering habit of life.

Yes, there is the boy who sits in the self chosen place making sport of the women. You thoughtless creature, is it possible that you have forgotten your mother was at one not far distant time a fair maiden and is still a loving woman. You had better cease to even harbor such evil thoughts, or your doom is fixed behind prison walls and when your lifeless body is carried there from the inscription on the casket will be:
"He had no respect for his mother."

There are boys who say, I will while away the time by killing pills. Some say they do it for fun, some say from force of habit, while some do it because others do it, Don't do it what ever the cause, for while you are devouring in smoke the little cigarette, commonly called pill, it is slowly but surely killing you.

Another kind of boy is noticeable and distinguished for his petty thievery. It seems as though he labors under the delusion that he was put in these schools to graduate a professional crook instead of a reformed character. Quit that sort of wrong doing, for it will lead to adventure and endanger your life.

Boys let's get busy and fight the great battle of life and when we have conquered our enemies by name, as it were: Work, prayer, honesty, kindness, truth, loyalty, cheerfulness, study, love and politeness, we will have attained to the height of our ambition, success.-Nathan Denney.