Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-16
LOOKING AFTER THE BOYS
The Work Undertaken by the Twentieth
Century Club
Providing q Place where Boys Can
spend Their Evenings on the
streets-Avenues of Activity.

An event OF considerable Importance "a
least to the members Of the Victor club
occurred last evening. when the closing ex-
ercises for the season were held. Perhans
everybody does not know, but the Victor
Siuo Is an association of gentlemen of a
rather tender age who through the kind
ess OF phfianthropic people are provided
WIN club house. where there is a read
ing room and games and other amuse-
ments, which are more fun than plavinr
out In the streets. and is not liable 10 end
IN the Police Court. The rules of the club
are simple. The members are REQUIRED 10
Keep their faces and hands clean. ana "a
evoid language which is legally termed loud
ara poisterous. With these slight excep
lions there Is no restriction on the liberty
OF me members OF the club. and they have
soco tme generally. The club rooms
$50 " street are open every night bur
ednesday evening is the club night ana
then Mr.. and Mrs. r. s. Fletcher are on
i nand to talk 70 the boys and help furnish
Last evening was the gala occasion of the
year, ana the boys were out in force and
there were number of visitors princip-
ally members of the Twentieth Century
Club under whose auspices the boys club
came into existence. Mr.. Fletcher had ar
ranged quite a program. which was car
ried out 10 the satisfaction of all present
The boys Themselves furnished a good mart
OF the program by their recitations and
singing. Then there was a banjo club who
kindly gave their services. Mr.. Leonard
Chew sang. and Miss Blount gave a reclta-
ton. After IL was all over, Mr.. Fletcher
awarded some prizes to the boys whose
conduct had been specially meritorfous dur
ing the year. He did this with more satis-
faction when he recalled his early exper-
fence with the club before the boys had
learned to behave as well as they do now.
Prizes were awarded 70 the following IN
the order named: Fred Luders Lester
AlnIr tor int ~rwr1 L..
evening closed with the serving of ice
cream and cake
Devoted 20 Good Works.
The work which is represented by this
club forms but a part OF the effort which
Is put forth by the Twentieth Century Club.
This club was organized by the ladies
Of the All Souls Unitarian Church In the
spring OF 1890. Among the women of the
church were many OF enlightened views
who desired TO undertake phflanthropic
work and whose aim was TO supply the
deficiencies that already existed or perhaps
create new opportunities for charitable
work. In organizing the club IL was decid-
ed that membership should not be limited
10 the church, but that welcome should
be extended to all women In sympathy with
Its broad and liberal views and its philan-
throp!c work. One of the first objects TO
which the club turned its attention was the
long-delayed project for a reform school
Ices TO those unwearied workers who had
been striving in this cause for nearly twsn-
" years, and through the united efforts q
It's old friends and its new ones the re-
form school received the necessary appro-
priation from Congress. the buildings have
been erected and the school Is now in fun
operation.
From this club came the first efforts 20
introduce the free kindergarten system
into our public schools. The ladies an
prSied incessantiy TO members Of Congress
and 70 the superintendent of public schools
and9to all broad-ninded citizens for aid,
anq from their first efforts has grown The
Columbia Kindergarten Association. wli-n
has been so ably established by the ZEN
erous gifts OF friends outside OF the club.
Center of Activity.
Various free kindergartens established I'm
different parts Of the city originated with
the club. A free reading room has also
been in successful operation for two win
tiers. The ladies secured the house 1895 V
street and under the care Of a janitor the
rooms are warmed end lighted and opened
every evening for boys club. Quite a
library has been collected, the books being
donated by interested friends. commit
tee OF ladies Is IN attendance on the Gif-
ferent evenings. whose effort has been to
Improve and instruct as well as entertain
the boys They endeavor to Impress upon
them the virtues OF truthfulness and neat
ness. not forgetting humanity to animals
Under the care Of these ladies q free cook
ing school was also established and a course
of lessons given for the benefit Of the poor.
needle work guilo was also started on
the usual plan.
But while many OF the members are thus
engaged in, charity work another section
OF the club -deyotes itself TO thought and
study and has been engaged In the investi-
CATION of social questions. devoting also
mitch time TO the study of philosophy and
psychology. The meetings are held once a
month. and after the various committees
have reported their work some essay is
read by a member Of the club or by some
one In sympathy with the philanthropic
work that engages The interest and at
tention of all
The first president OF the club as well
one of the earliest originators OF the whole
movement was Mrs. Totten, who for two
yesrs presided with grace and tact. She
has been ably succeeded by Mrs. John q.
Walker.