“We have done the town, been all through the public buildings and we’re ready to go. We were treated like reporters.”
In Washington thirty minutes after their arrival at headquarters, the president called a dozen boys to him and tried to tell them how to find their hotel(?) from a given point.
NEWSBOYS’ BAND AND CADETS—READY TO START FOR WASHINGTON, D. C., TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INAUGURAL PARADE OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, MARCH 4, 1905.
See Page [55]
“Aw, what you trying to give us. We ain’t asleep. We’ve been round the square, and say, president, we found a first-class eating place. It’s out o’ sight.”
Two hours after the boys were settled, a majority of them had been through and around nearly all of the public buildings, and were ready “to do the White House.” When requested to report at a stated hour and place, every boy was there on time and to the minute.
One of the greatest lessons the president learned from the trip, from these newsboys, was the perfect control they have of themselves.
They were always happy. Always contented and satisfied with conditions. Never complaining or borrowing trouble showing that worry is a thing unknown to newsboys. The loss of a hat, of a piece of baggage, an order changing contemplated plans, all were received with the same wonderful patience and good cheer, which seem part of the nature of a newsboy. The boy without a cent in his pocket was happier than the boy whose parents supplied him with more money than he needed. Wherever these boys appeared on the streets of Washington they were little gentlemen, an honor to the city who sent them, an honor to themselves and, an honor to the great country they represent. On the train en route Governor Myron T. Herrick, in his address to the boys said: “I consider it a very great honor to the state of Ohio to send from its commonwealth such a bright lot of boys, and boys who represent our little street merchants, boys who are destined to be the good men of the future.”