The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-04-25
THE BOYS CLUB.
How 1t Is Carried on, and tho Good
limo 1t Affords Its Members.

HOW 1t Is carried on, ana the Goou
Time IT Affords Its Members.
The Boys Club is not school nor a
lecture room, nor any kind Of meet
ing, 1t is only a club for the East-side
boys, where every fellow can read, or
pay games, or talk, or tell stories, or
do anything that is regular out-and-out
fun, and not mischief
The Superint ndcnt has one or two
boys to help him one to look after the
hats and caps, another to keep an eye
on the wa>h-room, and another to take
| charge of the drawing materials used by
| the boys who are busted with the study
of drawing. These officers, if you have
a mind to call them so, take turns, so
that every young member of the Boys
| Club has chance to make himself uSe-
full, AMI may be promoted to the high
est position if he shows himself fit for
that honor.
Every night at half-past seven, except
| ing on Sundays the doors are opened
and the boys file in, down the stairs to
the big basement where the club holds
its jolly meetings. Show your ticket at
the door, give up your hat to the gen
! tlemanly usher, aged nine, and take a
check for it. VIII YOU read the picture
papers, s;T, or play checkers? Will
you read a sto1y-book or indulge in
"Go-Barg?" A game, Ell? all right;
SHOW your ticket to the librarian. He
takes it, punches hole in it, and keeps
it while you have yCur game. Here are
a table and five chairs.
On the walls of the room are posted
the catalogues of the books in the
library. Half dozen little fellows are
reading the enticing lists, and off they
60 to TIE librarian, and present their
cards for their books. Here's a good,
| quiet place in corner. where. a fellow
can read in peace. There is great
CHATTER of voices, with every one talking
AS fast as he can; but your city boy can
read anywhere.
Every boy can talk and laugh as
freely as in his own home. Make all
the noise you like, within rea 5onable
bounds. 1t is good for the lungs. Who
ever heard of boy who cou fold his
arms and be truly good all the time. In
the Boys Club every fellow can be as
| lively as he pleases, provided he does
not interfere with any other boys fun.
Only house fun is in ORDER and. if any
boy feels that he must race about the
room, the fatherly policeman suddenly
wakes up and Mr.. Race-horse is invited
into the street, where he can run to his
hearts content. He can not come
again to the club till he learns how
young gentlemen behave in the house.
OF course there are rules of some
kind. To enter the club, the boy must
apply for ticket, and this ticket is only
good for a month. If, during the
month, boy behaves badly in the club
room. he will lose his ticket, and, per
haps, not get another for a long time
All the boys who show that they wish to
do the right thing, and treat the club
and each other properly, have their
tickets renewed every month. You see
from this that, really, the club is prac-
tically free to any little East-side fellow
who wishes to escape from the dismal
streets, and is willing to behave him
self for sake of the good time the club
affords him.-ChdrleS barnard, in ST
| Nicholas.