The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-11-21
irving them personally where it is pos
Reading Room.


The Christmas season, though it
brings some warmth and light to the
poorest homes, is soon over and the long
months of winter are yet to come.
Where shall the boys who call these
dismal places "home" spend their even
ings?
In some of the churches the quarters
are 30 ample and the conveniences so
great, that without great expense read
ing rooms could be opened for the win
ter, to which might be attracted these
rowing boys. Magazines are now so
cheap and plentiful that piles of them
are every year relegated to attics, which
would gladly be given to supply reading
matter.
Games would also be in order. The
collecting of these would at first require
considerable time, but after the plan
was fairly established, it could be di.
vided between the boys and girls of the
schools so as to be no great burden on
any one.
Children in BrideweIl.
One of the saddest blots on our 10Th
century civilization is the treatment of
boys. from six years of age upward. ar
rested for transgressions of the law,
sometimes amounting to the serious
charges Of larceny, or willful mischief,
but quite as often for noisy conduct on
the streets, or even for sleeping in bar
rels. or under sidewalks. perhaps because
they have no other place, or possibly to
escape the brutality of drunken parents.
These boys. in default of fines paid by
parents or guardians, are committed to
the Bridewell to stay fixed length of
time determined by the amount of the
fine. Instead of being kept away from
evil influences, they are, for lack Of &C.
commodation. often placed in cells al.
ready occupied by older and often
thoroughly hardened criminals, who
while away the tedium of prison life by
pouring into the ears of these compare.
lively innocent boys stories of their
vile lives.
This is in no degree the fault of the
superintendent of this huge factory for
the making of criminals, the PRESENT. in
cumbent, Mr.. Mark Crawford, having
labored necessarily during his term of
office to secure the building of separ-
ate dormitory for the boys, but without
success. The city council could not be
induced to appropriate funds for the
purpose.
A teacher in one of our Sunday.
schools talked of the meetings which
were being held, to her class of boys
from 10 to II years of age, and asked
them to help. They agreed to try
formed themselves into committee, anc
chose a chairman. A petition was
drafted. addressed to the Mayor anc
Council of Chicago, asking for the cree.
ton OF aseparate dormitory for so-callec
criminal children.
A number of copies were made ano
the boys canvassed their home district
and some of the downtown offices, sc
curing in less than two weeks 75O sigma
lures to the petition, which was then
presented and read at meeting of the
Council. No one who knows anything
about that honorable body will imagine
that it was acted upon promptly, but a
least drop was added to the bucket o.
public opinion which is a force tina
eventually. must make itself felt.
1t was designed at the time to ash
the cooperation of other Sunday.
schools, but immediate action had to bt
taken. The dormitory is not yet built
and concerted effort might again be
made. Such work is good for the boys
giving them a sense of their responsible
ity as future citizens and an object les
son in philanthropy.