What we have a right to expect of the American boy is that he shall turn out to be a goodAmerican man. The boy can best become a good man bybeing a good boy -- not a goody-goody boy,but just a plain good boy. I do not mean that he must love only thenegative virtues; I mean that he must love thepositive virtues also. "Good," in the largestsense, should include whatever is fine,straightforward, clean, brave and manly. The best boys I know -- the best men Iknow -- are good at their studies or their business, fearless and stalwart, hated and fearedby all that is wicked and depraved, incapableof submitting to wrongdoing, and equallyincapable of being aught but tender to theweak and helpless. Of course the effect that a thoroughlymanly, thoroughly straight and upright boycan have upon the companions of his ownage, and upon those who are younger, is incalculable. If he is not thoroughly manly, then theywill not respect him, and his good qualitieswill count for but little; while, of course, if heis mean, cruel, or wicked, then his physicalstrength and force of mind merely make himso much the more objectionable a member ofsociety. He can not do good work if he is not strongand does not try with his whole heart and soulto count in any contest; and his strength willbe a curse to himself and to every one else ifhe does not have a thorough command overhimself and over his own evil passions, and ifhe does not use his strength on the side ofdecency, justice and fair dealing. In short, in life, as in a football game, theprinciple to follow is: Hit the line hard: don'tfoul and don't shirk, but hit the line hard.

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