07.02.02. Away To School

2. AWAY TO SCHOOL When he was about fourteen years of age his mother began to take a religious paper, in which was carried each week an announcement of a religious school in another state. As the mother read and talked to him about the school Todd’s ambitions to make something of himself were aroused and he began to beg his father to let him go away to school. His mother interceded for him and though his father was poor, with the assistance of one of Todd’s brothers, when the school opened in September Todd was there ready to enter and with a determination to make good at any cost.

It was against the rules of this school to use tobacco and having promised his mother he would quit smoking and obey the rules, before he reached his destination he threw away his cigarettes with no thought of ever taking them up again.

Naturally the first thing a young man would do in a strange place would be to look around for companionship, but instead of the Christian young men of that school coming forward and giving him a cordial reception and welcoming him into their ranks, they waited to see what kind of boy he was and where he would land;. a mistake too often made by Christian people, which has meant the ruination of souls. The worldly crowd, however, did differently. They met him smiling and with hearty hand shakes saying, "Come on, Todd, we’ll show you a good time, and not let you get homesick." And being hungry for companionship, he accepted their advances and in a few days was established in their graces and counted "one of the bunch."