St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-08
HOME FOR STREET ARABS.

There is so much of this worlds charity
wasted in impracticable endeavors that ~
does the heart good to see a charltaOle
movement inaugurated which appeals so
forcibly to the practical good sense an"
charitable instincts of people as does tue
nronositjOn to establish in this city nome
for onr street arabs 1t is one OF the most
practical charities that has yet been sug-
gested. and those of our philanthroplc clti-
zens who wish to learn the luxury OF DONG
good are invited to meet at the rooms OF
the Young Mems Christian association on
Wabasha street tomorrow afternoon 10 alu
in giving the movement start. Being
practical charity it should be inaugurated
ON a practical basis. 1t should not De the
Durpose to make it a mere asylum OF
house of refuge for homeless urchlnS
who are cast upon the community. IL
should be home in its best sense, just as
the fathers hu' e is the home of his own
chiid-the place where he not only hndS
shelter and food. but receives instruction 10
oualifv him for the duties OF life. and
when the time comes to go out into the
world to make his own living to have as
sistance in obtaining suitable situation.
Such should be the character OF the lnstitu-
ton TO be established b re. In this city to-
dav there are several hundred urchins who
are homeless. There are the newsboys, the
bootblacks. the errand boys, and boys who
nick M a penny now and then at odd
end Jobs. who sleep in the open air during the
warm weather. and crawl into dry goods
box or hay loft on winter nights. They are
not only homeless but friendlesS. There is
not a more neglected class of humanity in
the world than these same arabs. They
are not only homeless and friendless. but
they are churchless, and that too, in city
full of churches. The bright fires that burn
in the CRATES of st. Paul homes these
wintrv nights do not blaze for them. The
tender words of kind instruction are
not spoken to them. The church bells
which peal out on the Sabbath morning,
calling mankind to the holy altar do mol
ring for them. There are no chairs FOL
them at the fireside and no pews for them
in the church or the Sunday school. And
vet there is as much human nature in these
bows as in other boys. They have souls
lust as our own children have. They have
hearts and consciences. energies and ambi-
tions. and all the germs of useful manhood,
if but some kind hand will develop them.
Their rough experience has already devel-
oped in them an independent, selt-rellan1
trait that is found in no other class of boys.
They have already acquired the funda-
mental principle of good business educa-
ton. 1t is a duty that every community
owes to itself to take these boys from the
cutters, where they are exposed to all the
most vicious influences. and to provide fo1
them home where the better instincts OF
child nature can be protected and developed
Leaving all charitable considerations en-
tirely out of view. and looking at it from
purely economical standpoint. it is cheape
for the community to make good citizens o
these urchins than to leave them to grow
I'D surrounded with conditions all favor
able for making criminals.