instead of in that of mischief. He reminds us that nearly one-third of the
inhabitants of America are adolescents, that 3,000,000 are boys between twelve
and sixteen, "that the do-called heathen people are, whatever their age, all in the
adolescent stage of life."
A few American societies of this class we may briefly characterize as follows:
(a) Typical of a large class of local juvenile clubs is the "Captains of Ten,"
originally for boys of from eight to fourteen, and with a later graduate squad of
those over fifteen. The "Ten" are the fingers; and whittling, scrap-book making,
mat-weaving, etc., are taught. The motto is, "The hand of the diligent shall bear
rule"; its watchword is "Loyalty"; and the prime objects are "to promote a spirit
of loyalty to Christ among the boys of the club," and to learn about and work for
Christ's kingdom. The members wear a silver badge; have an annual photograph;
elect their leaders; vote their money to missions (on which topic they hold
meetings); act Bible stories in costume; hear stories and see scientific
experiments; enact a Chinese school; write articles for the children's department
of religious journals; develop comradeship, and "have a good time."
(b) The Agassiz Association, founded in 1875 "to encourage personal work in
natural science," now numbers some 25,000 members, with chapters distributed
all over the country, and was said by the late Professor Hyatt to include "the
largest number of persons ever bound together for the purpose of mutual help in
the study of nature." It furnishes practical courses of study in the sciences; has
local chapters in thousands of towns and cities in this and other countries;
publishes a monthly organ, The Swiss Cross, to facilitate correspondence and
exchange of specimens; has a small endowment, a badge, is incorporated, and is
animated by a spirit akin to that of University Extension; and, although not
exclusively for young people, is chiefly sustained by them.
(c) The Catholic Total Abstinence Union is a strong, well-organized, and widely
extended society, mostly composed of young men. The pledge required of all
members explains its object: "I promise with the Divine assistance and in honor
of the Sacred Thirst and the Agony of our Saviour, to abstain from all
intoxicating drinks and to prevent as much as possible by advice and example
the sin of intemperance in others and to discountenance the drinking customs of
society." A general convention of the Union has been held annually since 1877.