Men of Boys Town Page #3

He's had terrible things done to him.

He has no faith in anybody

and I don't blame him.

That's tough.

He won't laugh, he won't smile.

That's where you come in.

Anything you want, Father,

but what do you think I can do?

Help make him believe in people again.

Try to get him to smile.

If you can get him to smile,

maybe I can do him some good.

If that's the job, I'll get the gang together

and we'll make him smile, all right.

It's not gonna be an easy job.

Father, we'll have him laughing

out loud in no time.

- Just a smile will be all right.

- All right. Goodbye, Father.

- Goodbye, Mr. Morris.

- Goodbye, Whitey.

Pee Wee!

How many days was I away?

Pee Wee.

Hold out your hands.

Thank you!

- Eddie, you really think Whitey can help?

- I hope so.

At least he may make Ted feel

that he's part of a community.

That he belongs with other boys.

And it won't hurt Whitey any to realize

he's doing a little job of reclamation.

Doing some good for somebody else

will help build his character.

- Ted's a tough problem.

- I'm not worried.

There's no problem you can't solve,

except financial.

Yeah, I know.

The real problem is the reform school

like the one at Marysport.

That place neither reforms nor schools.

It maims and destroys.

Look at that boy, Ted.

His idea of society is that it's a monster

which lashes boys with a whip.

Beats them into submission.

He's a terrible example

of places like Marysport.

And those places have got to be

cleaned out.

If there were 250 Boys Towns...

I don't mean Catholic Boys Towns,

or Jewish Boys Towns...

or Protestant Boys Towns,

just places run by men of good will.

We could stop that factory-made

output of criminals...

and make good, useful,

self-respecting citizens instead.

Two hundred and fifty Boys Towns

he wants. Listen to him.

Outside are five new buildings,

not even all finished yet.

$200,000 we need

before we can open them up.

Right here we have enough worries

to take 10 years off your life and mine.

And 250 Boys Towns you want.

Youth is the greatest natural resource

of the country.

Whatever it costs to preserve it,

it's worth it.

Eddie, Boys Town was Boys Town

when it was only a shack.

It isn't buildings makes a place like this.

It's a man.

You show me 250 Father Flanagans

and I'll get you 250 Boys Towns.

Don't forget, the grand prize

for the winner is $5,000.

Wouldn't you like to have a check

for $5,000?

Of course you would. Well, it's simple.

All you've got to do is write

the best letter of 50 words telling why...

Gossamer Soapies are kindest

to your dainty undies...

and win $5,000.

This ought to win the contest, all right.

- Are you going into the contest, too?

- Sure.

This is the best job of typography

of any school paper in the state.

- We're a cinch to win this year's award.

- Oh, that contest!

I'm going to win $5,000 in a radio contest.

You are? And what are you

going to do with all that coin?

I thought we could give it

to Father Flanagan.

And he could maybe

buy something to help Ted with.

You know... like something.

Yeah, I guess something

would help at that.

Would you set my letter up

on the Linotype? Would you?

- It'll look better that way.

- You let me hear it first, huh?

"Dear Gossamer Soapies,

in reply to yours of even date"...

Wait a minute. Where'd you learn that?

I saw it on a letter

in Father Flanagan's office.

You did? Was the letter addressed to you?

No, to Father Flanagan.

Well, go ahead.

"Would state as follows:

"My dainty undies always itched

and scratched when worn...

"and especially the long woolly ones

in winter.

"Since washing them

in Gossamer Soapies...

"they don't itch me at all. Only

when I run around a lot and get sweaty. "

Do you think maybe I'd better say

"Perspirey"? It's more elegant-like.

I'll make it "perspirey,"

if you can spell it.

Better leave it "sweaty. "

Go put it on the Linotype.

- Hello, Whitey.

- Look, everybody, sit down.

We're going to have

an informal council meeting.

No parliamentary procedures.

And look, Slim, no yelling this time.

I can't. I got a cold.

I've been waiting for you guys

to pop up with a suggestion...

about going to work on Ted Martley,

and not a peep.

Now, I'm giving you one more chance...

before I take the whole situation

into my own hands.

Well, who's got an idea?

- Yes, Pee Wee?

- What about a broadcast?

I fixed him a radio extension, and he

won't even laugh at Charlie McCarthy.

Yes, Pee Wee?

I mean, we can make up a fake broadcast,

you know, and you be the announcement.

- I think Pee Wee's got something there.

- He has at that.

- You bet he has.

- That's it, Pee Wee.

You're a genius!

Mo.

Our last hope is to do the slow motion

rassling match, so, we'll get ready.

- Frank.

- All right.

Ladies and gentlemen,

this is the main event of the evening.

A wrestling match for the

catchweight championship of the ashcan.

In this corner, the Maston Mopper!

Weighing two tons, four ounces!

Introducing at this time, the titleholder:

The Mosquito Menace!

Weighing four ounces, two tons!

All right, boys, right here. Now, look!

I want no fair wrestling in this match.

Biting, butting, gouging, everything goes.

And may the worst man win.

All right, boys, go to your corners

and come out fainting.

Say, who do you think you are, anyway?

Don't you realize we went

to all that trouble for you...

- rehearsing and everything?

- Nobody asked you to.

I know, but you didn't even give us

a tumble, not even a snicker.

And some of the stuff

was pretty good, too.

Now you sent all of them out of here

down at the mouth.

As far as I'm concerned,

you're all washed up with me.

And if you never laugh, it'll be too soon.

- Big car.

- Yeah.

It ain't so hot. I seen better.

Be swell to take Ted out

driving in that bus.

Stay where you are, Brian Boru.

Don't you go looking for any lions

to fight while we're away.

Mr. and Mrs. Maitland

to see Father Flanagan.

All right.

Nice pup. Good dog.

Say, you're a swell guy, doggie.

You've got plenty of what it takes.

You'd make friends with anybody.

That tickles!

Say, it might work at that.

Come on, we'll try it.

Gee, he sure likes you.

- You think he does?

- Sure.

- You like him?

- Yeah. He's friendly.

Like to have him?

- Could I?

- He's yours.

Really mine?

Thanks!

Why, you, you're...

Nice pup.

- He likes you.

- I like him.

- I like you, too.

- Whitey's a good guy.

You got to like him, too.

- He bawled me out the other night.

- He's my pal.

Do you think he'd be my pal, too?

Sure he will. I'll lend him to you.

- He smiled, Father! He smiled.

- Ted.

Sure he smiled, and he talked to me, too.

He said, "Thanks. "

It's Ted Martley.

You'll have to excuse me.

I guess we're on our way at last.

- Pee Wee's a great lad, isn't he?

- Yeah, swell.

How about Whitey?

How do you get along with him?

He gave me this pup.

- Looks like a great pup.

- He is. Ain't you, fella?

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