New-York tribune., 1870-02-05
CHRISTIAN CLUB LIFE.
VILLAGE ART GALLERIES AND TECHNICAL
SCHOOLS IN MASsACHUSETTs-A RAILROAD
CIRCULATING LIBRARY-A CHRISTIAN CLUB
IN RHODE ISLAND.


the half-just and fully provoked reflection on I'VE
of the daily newspaper with which the Rev. Edward
L. Hale opens his Record Of Progress" in the month
old magazine old and Netcf The newspaper is unsat-
sfacory, he ntimates because its record of vices,
| great and small. is complete and detailed-queer
complaint from reader while its chronicle of the
series Of discoveries, inventions and social I'M
proyements systems Of personal training growth oil
! personal pety," which are quietly going forward
| and which represent the coming of the kingdomo
| God"-most indefinite though pous expression of
very positive dea!-is altogether omitted. l notice
it not to refute it-any issue of many Of our daily
papers will show that the charge is only partially
true-but simply as prelude 70 the remark that no.
where in America can we find many of the brighter
! and more encouraging evidences of progress in
New gland One Of these. described below, Old
! and Netu has called attention to; the others named
forced themselves my notebook some weeks ago,
when / was looking after cooperation matters in
! Massachusetts.
A VILLAGE ART GALLERY.
Worcester, Massachusetts. boasts a social organza-
! ton and an educational institution both so unique
and interesting in design that am surprised that
| they have only local celebrity. The first encour-
ages the study at least the appreciation OF art;
the second the study Of the arts mechanical One OF
the chief public halls of the city is called Mechanics
Hail. and to its decoration in the works OF art seVe
raj social organizations of the town contribute the
profits of various exhibitions lectures concerts balls,
&c. For instance each year the Bay State Boot and
Shoe Company gives ball to its several hundred
employees, the proceeds of which spent in buying
some painting. know nothing of the value or quail
ty of the works thus far secured but have been told
that the collection in both respects exceeds that OIL
| any county town of like Importance IN the New
| England States Each year adds at least one valu-
able picture to the collection. In time respectable
! gallery will be the result; in the meanwhile the
| people are being educated, imperceptbly, perhaps
but not the less surely to finer appreciation OF the
beauties of art 1t is not difficult to see how in time,
| Public Library and School of Design would be
naturally ingrafted on such an institution and be-
come part of it, and was not surprised TO hear that
the latter is already talked of.
CAI-INDUsTRnIischooI-
The School of Arts is the name of the educational
institution Mt Worcester At first it was solely a
technical college, for whose establishment Worcester
County subscribed bonds to the amount of 100000.
A few years ago. however Mr. Ichabod Washburn, a
wealthy manufacturer who had been in early life
mechanic, with the design of making it, in moro
perfect sense, an industrial school, built large ma
chine shop adjoining the school building, in which
the necessary machinery was put up. The two,
college and machine shop afford a complete edu-
cation in scientific and practical mechanics Both,
or rather the school, for college and machine shopare
one and the same institution. free to Worcester
! County boys as any other public school would be,
but in view of the fact that few similar schools exist
in the State children from other counties and other
States are admitted on the payment of tuition fees
A RAILWAY LIBRARY.
Another "evidence of progress" in Massachusetts,
to which my attention was called is the Boston and
4 II 1etn
| tion-house each machine-shop and round-house
| of this Company there is placarded in let
ters so large that the who runs on the swftest
lightning express train may read if he has mind to.
the announcement that at the main depot at Boston
the Company maintains, for the benefit of the Off
GERS and employees, free circulating and consulting
| library. BY application to Mr.. III. c. Bixby, libra
ran any employ6 any part of the line obtain,
without charge for use transportation and with
out the deposit of any sum security, any book in
the circulating department Of the library Dir. Blk
| by was good enough to show me into the library.
1t is large room in the Boston depot devoted by the
Company to the purpose named. The project is pet
one of the Superintendent, by whom most of the
volumes were contributed There are about 100
volumes in all Full sets of Dickens Bremen,
| Cooper Hawthorne. Irving, Muock and Scott,
| among the volumes of standard fiction; Smiles and
Parton are among the biographers Humboldt Lander,
Taylor among the travellers while the great historians
are fully represented and largely used. The selec
| ton of works OH railway construction and manage
| ment is very large and complete. L know of no
better directory to volumes railways than tine
printed catalogue of this library. The library is
largely used by the employees; nine-tenths of those
TO whom it is open make liberal use of the books.
The library is thus far voluntary contribution from
friends of the various officers of the road who have
interested themselves in the matter. Mr. Bixby tells
me that there are railway libraries some Of the
Western roads but the one / have noticed is the
only one at the East. The advantages Of such n Ii
brary thus conducted, as means of education. can
hardly be overestimated.
CHRISTIAN CLUB.
The most singular and interesting evidence of
progress which have is association in this
handsome little city. call it a Christian Club,
though have been sharply corrected for doing so
by some of the young lady members in whose ears
the word club is still of dubious and offensive mean
ing Still know of no better way to describe it.
The members call il Christian Union-or rather, to
give force to a chief idea in its organization, the
Union for Christian Work" 1t is really church,
"A school. free library a lyceum. q charity and
social club all in one. The aim of the members, to
use the language Of their articles of association is
Ito do good and grow better "-certainly broad
basis. Practically, the Unisn is a means of socia-
bity rather than of grace. at least 80 a good
Methodist would say II grew ont of religious exer-
cises and religious feeling, but sociality more than
religion is the motive power that gives it life. 1t is
not based the idea that man is miserable sinner.
for whose salvation the united prayers OF all his fe
| low sinners lis imperatively and instantly de-
manded. but on the more cheerful view that he is
sociable fellow with more good points than bad, and
that il is true practical religion to bring ont and there
by cultivate these better points of his nature The