The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-25
THE BOYS CLUB PRESENT
FINE NEW HOME TURNED OVER TO
1T ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
An Entertainment for the Youngsters
in the Evening-MemOry of
John Maurice Butler.


John Maurice Butler. The boys of the club
met last night at the old clubrooms on
East Court street, where they were re-
ceived by the superintendent Miss Alice
Graydon, and not till then did they know
that the old quarters were to be forsaken
and that they were to go with her to their
new club home,g3
The building is at the intersection of
South Meridian street and Madison avenue
a square below the Union Station AT the
point it is twenty feet and at the broad
end it is fifty-fiHe feet wide. On Meridian
street it is sixty-nine feet deep and on
Madison avenue seventy-two feet and seven
inches. 1t is a two-story BRICK, with q base
ment, amply lighted from the sides and
front. The donors had the building remod-
eled and put in perfect order for the club
The entrance isavon Meridian street, near
the south end. This door leads into a hall
AT the right is the staircase leading to the
upper floor, and facing the door is the SUI
perintendent's room. All the remainder of
the first floor is an assembly room. At the
landing of the stairs, about half way up
is a small room which will be used for
storage. Over the assembly room is the
gymnasium and back of it are two small
rooms, one. for Il wood carving class, the
other for gymnastic or other purposes
The gymnasium is completely fitted with
apparatus, there being a ladder, hose, hor-
izontal bar, buck, punching bag and swing
ing poles The wall is wainscoted for five
feet, and above it is painted a deep fawn
color, as are all of the walls in the build
ing. The wood work is all of oak, simple
in design and durable. The staircase is
plain and has two landings In the base
ment there is a coat room and a lavatory
with six basins, supply of soap, towels
brushes and combs and mirrors. There is
furnace and store room on the east side
and on the west side are clothes, a bath
room with a large tub and a room for
shower bath. Warm water is supplied by
large tank. In the shower bath room is a
shelf with hooks for the clothes and Il
rubber curtain which falls to the floor to
protect them. In the superintendent room
there is simple furniture and q desk lat
one side IS iaYatory and at the other
large closet The partition between the
hall and the assembly room is glass above
the four-fOOt WainscOting In the assembly
room side there are rows of shelves for
DOCKS. There are chandeliers and side
lights. and illumination is furnished by
electricity or gas. There are long tables
to be set under the side lights where the
boys can read or play games AT the point
end of the room is a low platform, to he
used for entertainments or anything of the
clean and in order, with every furnishing
supplied. The only article brought from the
Old rooms is the upright piano and it has
a large share in the, attractions of the club
On the wall of the room is a fine. oil por-
trait of the one in whose memory the club
will stand, painted by Mr. r. c. Steele. On
gilt plate below in black letters. is the
name John Maurice Butler. The portrait
is one of the best ever made by Mr. Steele
and 1t is an admirable likeness. The cost
or the building, street improvements and
furnishing was $500, and the donors pre-
scented the insurance for one year
HIsTORYaoF THE CLUB.
For many years there was an effort to
create newsboys home. The Flower
Mission tried it and failed, individuals and
charities tried and failed. Later one was
started by Mr. nv. McGiliard and a few
others who Wefei Interested. A neWsboys'
home was not necessity. There were not
enough homeless boys in the city. and it
was given up. Finally, Miss Dixon started
what is now the Boys Club and Mr. Me-
Gilliard assisted, Miss Dixon and her
brother had 1t for two years, 1893 and 1894
in y small room ON Court street The room
would only aeeon1fne date twenty boys and
larger quarters were obtained at 81 East
Court street, the room from which the BOYS
marched last night. The work increased
and Miss Dixon's health failed. Mrs Day
was secured, and continued the work for
two months. and then the rooms We're
en COULD Be sS found m h
was asked to take the work. She accept
ed, and has proven herself the right one
in the right place., and she gives her entire
ruary, 1896 Her enrolment book shows
four hundred names, but many of the boys
whose names are there were simply visit
ors, and never came more than once. Last
September she start ed a plan for member
ship and issued membership tickets for 10
cents each There are now 100 boys who are
regular members. They are required to at
tend the club fafthfully-that is all.
The object of the club is to keep the boys
off the street at night and away from the
theaters and give them an idea of pleas
ant, happy home time, with good books.
games, music. and to have some one to
greet them They are expected to have
their hands and faces clean when they en-
ter the clubroom. and they always salute
the flag when they, enter. Three nights of
the week the club is open for club pur-
poses and three nights for classes. Miss
Barber q teacher furnished by the School
Board, is always in attendance and gives
instruction in the elementary branches.
There IS no compulsion about attendance,
but the boys are urged to be present. News
boys, bootblacks and those employed dur
ing the lay take advantage of the club
and its benefits Many boys live in blocks
and have no plaace but the street to go.
In addition to what is done for the boys,
there is another Branch of the work that is
done for the mothers of the boys There
is "a meeting for them once a month. when
they are entertained and given a pleasant
time and encouragement.
IN TOUCH WITH MOTHERS.
They confer with the superintendent and
the questions of discipline, the require
ments for a happy home and the RESPONSE
bility of the father and mother are con-
sidered together. The superintendent de-
votes her mornings to visiting the homes
Of the boys. She urges the mothers to help
in the work by keeping the boys i'm school,
she hears their troubles and gives of her
sympathy and advice, helping the mother
in many ways cot}
On Sunday afternoon there is Sunday
school, with voIupteer teachers Mrs. W.
A Krag Mrs. NJ. V. McGilliard Mr. Clar-
ence Zener Miss Blanche Grant Miss Flor
ence Day and Mr.. Charles Ingraham teach
and Miss Bernice Smith is the pianist
Visitors to the school invariably speak of
the good department of the boys. There
are always speakers from the city churches
intendent meets with the Charity Organiza-
ton and confers with the truant officer.
The work is also carried on, with Judge
McCray, at the jail and workhouse, pro-
tecting the boys and saving them when
possible. Material aid is often given to the
boys who are not clothed or are hungry
or need assistance in various ways. Each
time the boys receive articles they are eX-
pected to pay something do something
to help pay for them and the boys in this
Mrs. John l.. Griffiths has taken a class
of five boys, and teaches them wood
ing one night each week. A number of
pretty articles have been made and sold:
the articles They take great interest in
the work and are painstaking and care
full to obey directions. In turnthey entertain
their instructor with their remarks and