HE DESCENDED THE SLOPE

COPYRIGHT
1916 BY
THE PENN
PUBLISHING
COMPANY

The Safety First Club

The Safety First idea, along with someother sound rules of conduct which have beenhammered out by hard experience of the race,is often easier to put into words than intopractice. Like other brakes on machines ormen it sometimes seems to cause too muchfriction, with resulting protest, especially fromyoungsters impatient of warnings of dangerspossible rather than presently pressing.

The fact is, however, that these objectorsfail to recognize the true spirit of the rule.Nobody expects active boys and girls to bewrapped in cotton wool and stored away outof all harm’s reach. They have their work todo in the world, and in doing it must takecertain risks as the rest of us do. But thereare unnecessary risks, just as there are otherrisks which are not to be avoided; and it isin shunning these unnecessary risks, in learningthat reasonable caution is not cowardice,that recklessness is no proof of bravery, and[6]that the way to redeem a mistake is not torepeat it, that the rule is to be truly honored.

In “The Safety First Club” and the volumeswhich are to follow it are set forth certainadventures of boys who have to deal withproblems such as confront healthy youngAmericans, boys well intentioned but notwise beyond their years, fond of the open,restive under restraint. It is the author’shope that in their haps and mishaps theymay be found likably human.