Morning journal and courier., 1890-02-08
OUR BOYS.

what to do with Them-The Question
That II Interesting the Christian
Workers - Rapid Growth and
Much Good Accomplished - Great
Promises for the Future.
About two years ago Rev. John O. Collins,
secretary of the Christian Workers OF the
United States and Canada, proposed to the
executive committee of that society that they
organize department Of work among the
boys of the two countries, the principal fea-
ture Of which should be modelled after the
plan Of the boys club work which he had
been interested In for a number OF years.
Tho chief plan of this method was the estab-
Itching of pleasant club rooms in which the
wandering street Arabs might be accustomed
to gather and there entertained with books,
games, etc., free from all charge. There
would be young man appointed for the
position who would be in charge of the club
rooms during the evening and whose duty it
would be to spend his time during the day in
going about the homes of the boys to be-
come better acquainted and thereby gain an
additional influence, both with them and
their parents, and also to be on the lookout
II anyone brought into the police court to
use whatever influence may be brought to
bear. And, in fact, his duties were to be of
q general missionary character, helping In q
thousand ways the young boys running wild
about the streets into ways whereby they
might become good and useful men.
The proposition of Mr.. Collins was acted
upon al once by the society, and the FIRST
state committee was formed In Connecticut
about two years ago, the members of which
were Mr.. Rodney Dennis of Hartford, secre-
tary of the Travellers Insurance company,
Mr.. F. J. KiDgsbury, Waterbury, Exon
gresham Charles L. Mitchell of New Haven.
Mr.. Collins became the general superintend-
emit and Mr.. John g. Eastman of New Haven
was appointed secretary for the state. It
was only short time afterwards that state
committee for this work was appointed in
Massachusetts,, composed OF such prom
inent men as Edward Everett Hale, CHAIR
man, Lieutenant Governor William FL. Esle,
and others. ...
The work has acquired since then a ma
tionai character by the formation of ma
tional committee, of which franklin Carter,
president of Williams college, IL the chair
treasurer, and among the other members are
John B. Farwell, the Chicago merchant
prince, United States Senator Joseph r.
Hawley, Eli Whitney of New Haven, @. B.
Knsvals. The headquarters for this boys
work il located in New Haven and work has
been organized in every city of Importance in
the state.
Five of the leading cities of Massachusetts,.
have already fourishtng clubs In existsnce
and every promise of healthy rapid growth
through The entire state. These are at press
emit the only two states of this country
where the work has been carried to any ex-
tent on systematic scale, but the scheme is
yet in it's infancy and the prayers made in
the short period of its existence Is wonder
full. Isolated clubs are springing up here
and there, one in Duluth, Java, in New Jer-
sey, st. Louis, and reports come in every
day of some new organizations formed.
These in turn are q center from which the
work spreads out on all sides. ...-.
Mr.. Collins has received applications from
Hamilton and other cities of Canada
to come there and start these clubs in those
places. The total number of boys at present
with the clubs is 5000. The club
rooms are made as pleasant and cheerful as
possible, everything done to attract and
hold those who otherwise would be running
wild on the streets. The walls are covered
ethics. Each club is supplied with library
Of we'll selected books, and also an assert.
ment of games. One club, that of Worcester,
Mass, has, additional to all these, added
what they call trade classes, where the diff
ferent mechanical trades taught. This 10
Dne Of the most flourishing clubs in the
with membership of over 700 and
only In existence one year. Their rooms are
pleasant and well equipped,
and great interest Is taken In the organiza-
ton by leading people of the place.
At present there are in Connecticut twelve
clubs, the largest of which is one in Bridge
port, with membership of !, 489 boys. The
average attendance at the club rooms during
the past week was 23S, out of which number
10 were reading.
The average attendance for the past week
of all the clubs In the state was 75O, with BIT
busy reading.
But there is more yet that this society
aims to do, namely, to instil among these
adopting the scheme Of penny savings banks.
This was an original idea of Mr.. Collins,
which he started some ten years ago when he
had class of boys In English hall.
This scheme for penny savings 10 now be-
ing generally adopted throughout the order
and is attended with Aattering signs of sue
cess. The boys are beginning to discover the
magic way that the pennies have of
of growing into dollars and also somsthing
about drawing interest. This IL an outline
sketch Of the history and purposes of this
department. of the Christian workers and II
some Of the little urchins attracted from the
streets into these rooms, receive influences
there by which they can more clearly under.
stand the importance of certain questions,
then the work IL we'll rewarded.
The clubs are entirely non-sectarian apd
the only religious influence that Is brought
to bear 10 to urge strict attendance to the re-
ligious beliefs of the parents.
In the short time of its life tho society has
more than doubled it's members, and its we'll
wishers hope most sincerely that this rate Of
gain may not decrease and that the good re-
suits which have already been accomplished
may continue.