Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-11-29
THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.
CHURCH NEWS AND NOTES GA
THERsO FROM ALL QUARTERS.

The Rev. J, c. Collins and His Great
Work Among Street Boys How He
First Came to Enter the Field His
Methods o. Work.
THE way to reform criminals is to
prevent them from becoming criminals
may sound somewhat paradoxical, but
it embodies great deal of good sense.
The Rev. John c. Collins, of New Haven,
has for years been successfully working
on this idea in his efforts TO civilize
neglected boys, saws The New York
Tribune. Mr.. Collins began this work,
for which he has a special aptitude, in a
very modest way, but he is now begin
ming TO attract the attention of philan-
thropists all over the country. His boys
clubs are certainly doing much TO solve
the problem that they set out to solve.
And they have resulted in the reclama-
ton of many who would otherwise have
grown up to be incorrigible criminals.
Thirteen years ago, when Mr.. Collins
was student in Yale college, he was
asked to become the superintendent of a
boys club. A hundred or more boys
met together in large room in the week
day evenings and engaged in reading or
playing games, His first evening was
rather discouraging. About 500 yelling
little imps," as the disgusted policeman
called them, surged into the hall and
proceeded to make pandemonium. Mr..
Collins opening speech, as reported by
him, was very suggestive of the diff
culties he encountered. Here it is:
Boys tremendous applause), we have
opened the club tonight (cries of 'Goodr
! Good! You don't say sor Two boys are
put out for getting into fight and we in
tend t, make it as pleasant as possible
I for you this winter. cob, cheese it,
misterp Small boy in the corner with
very dirty face goes wild with excite
ment.) But first of all, want to tell
you that you must behave. CShoot it,
old boyr and cries such as Hit him aginr
oh, you git out!O Next, no boy can
use tobacco in this room. Immense ex-
element, yells and whistles; several
/ boys fill their mouths with fresh tobacco;
one boy put out) Then you must wash
/ your faces and hands and comb your
hair every Terrific yells. Small boy
/ in the corner makes numerous contor-
| tions of face expressive of his opinion
about the speaker) night before coming
to the room (subdued applause); and you
must not gather in the street before half
| past Z, and now let me tell you again
/ that you must behave (cries of %, cork
up, misterr Give us a restl) and no
boy will be allowed in the room who
! does not conduct himself as he should
| Now we will give out tickets" Great
applause; several fights one boy put
! out; great rush to the desk for tickets
Il never have a religious service in
! connection with my work" says Mr..
! Collins, "but nevertheless there is lot
! of religion in it. 1t leads to an exact
knowledge of the religious condition of
| the children of the community, since by
| going to the homes of the boys we find
out about their sisters and all those who
may be effectively reached spiritually. 1t,
| therefore, is an open door to the Sunday
school and spiritual work. 1t is night
kindergarten for the boys of the street,
and may be made in many of our cities
and towns means of successfully resist
ing the almost overwhelming influence
for evil that surrounds many boys life
on the streets, and of lifting him into
life both honorable to himself and useful
to the state"