St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-04
Y. w. G. T. q.
News-Boys and Boot-BIacks Club.

There was an interesting spectacle at the
hall of the Relief Society on Ninth street early
Wednesday evening it being the initia-
tory assembling of the boot-blacks and news
boys Of st. Paul by the Young Womens'
Christian Temperance Union, under the di-
rection and guidance of Mrs. Farr, of Min
neapolis, to form Boot-blaek and News
boys Savings bank.
Some forty of the little chaps responded
to the invitation of their lady friends and
conducted themselves with quietness and
decorum which did them honor. There
were many bright faces and sparkling eyes
among the number and as whole they dis
played much intelligence. After singing
several songs familiar to them they were
seated in four rows fronting their lecturer
and woman friend, Mrs Farr, who proceeded
to detail to them her success in one year
with similar society in Minneapolis, which
in that time had grown from ten to $50 mem
bers, and whose attendance upon the week
ly meetings was from fifty to seventy in
number. She recounted to them her expe-
rience with her first ten boys, who after a
little characterization have become nice, pro-
vident, prudent and clearly little men, and
one of whom is now the secretary of the
Minneapolis club. The boys listened to her
remarks with great attention and at the
close held up their hands to express their
wish to join a similar club here.
The lady then read the rules which gov
erned the Minneapolis Club which were I'M
animously adopted by her audience, she hav-
ing previously stated that the boot-blacks
were put first in the home as many of them
were without parents and friends while most
of the newsboys had theirs. Of these rules
were the following: No boy can join except
he be boot-black or newsboy or has been
one; an admission fee of ten cents is re-
quired and deposit of savings from money
thrown away in the purchase OF nick-nacks;
meetings every evening from to 10 for
games of checkers, dominoes, gymnastics,
readings and recitatons in charge of the
lady officers; no rough language and no dis
order to be INDUCED in in the Club room and
no tobacco to be used therein. The punish
ment for breaking any of these rules is sus-
pension IRON the Club ON the evening of the
occurrence Of the fault
Thirty-one of the boys then gave in their
names for forming the club and chose Miss
G. A. Holbrooke president Miss Emma Lulu
secretary, and Miss Ely treasurer, while Mrs.
Farr was elected an honorary member. The
treasurer will receive the savings of the boys
from penny upwards and pay them interest
thereon, and honor their calls on them for
money deposited when desiring clothes or
other necessities.
At the close of the business of the evening
the ladies served the members of the club
with delicious ice cream, and equally tooth
some cake, which was partalken of with thank
full relish and keen enjoyment, the utmost
good order prevailing until the close of the
feast, when the boys babe their lady friends
good night, and left the hall in couples and
with decorum that might serve as an exam
pie to many gatherings of the colder folks".
BY taking in gentlemen and ladies as hon
orary members on the condition of certain
sum it is hoped to sustain this worthy under
taking of helping to reclaim these boys from
lives of ignorance and vice. Contributions
of games and other means of amusement
will also be thankfully received from citi-
zens. The club will hold weekly meetings
for the summer and the next will be on Wed
nesday evening of next week at the same
hall.