The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-25
A MODEL WORKING CHURCH.


| From the Lancaster New Era.
| st. Luke's church, Scranton, in which the
| late diocesan convention held, is in some
| respects in the lead Of similar institutions in
| the state and fully abreast of them in all re-
| spects The parish has one OF the handsomest,
most commodous and best appointed church edi-
| fees in the diocese, but it is not Of that we
| propose to speak in this connection. 1t was the
Parish house and the facilities it affords for work
| among the boys and the poor of the parish and
the neighborhood that arrested our attention AMI
| cmmanded our admiration. II is an elegant
| threestory structure, with basement, the audi
! torium the main floor, where the business ses-
| sions of the convention were held, with its
| latest improved chairs, being ample to accommo-
date large asscmblage. In addition there are
rooms for various parish purposes, and club
| room on the third floor which is reached by an
elevator, beside commodious stairwsys
o.
| But the unique feature is the "Boys Industrial
| Association" 1t ha. enrolled over three hundred
| members, has an industrial department consist
| ing Of four trades-char Gaming, carpentering,
| printing and architectural drawing, each in
! charge Of an instructor and a room devoted to
social games which are presided over by men
and women OF the parish in turn each evening.
| There is also a complete gymnasium, in charge
| OF popular gymnast and it was interesting to
see the proficiency to which the little fellows
had attained in these heathiul exercises. There
is also a bath room in the industrial department,
| with dressing and toilet rooms, and three cold
| water and three water nozzles. The boys
enjoy the bath hugely, and they are thus taught
| that Cleanliness Is next to codliness." The
| toilet room contains four marble basins, with
dressing seats and plenty Of towels and soap, to
| help pay for which one cent a bath is charged.
! The best discipline is preserved, not more than
nve boys being allowed to take bath at one
| time.
The organization is calculated to maintain dis
cipline as we'll as to teach the principles Of gov
ernmcnt. 1t consist. Of president, vicepresident,
secretary OF state secretary OF the treasury, Sec
rctary Of the interior, secretary OF industry, Sec
retary OF public works and secretary Of gym.
nasium each Of whom have their respective and
appropriate duties assigned. They also have
their senate, and common and Supreme court,
and justices Of the peace, one for each night
| in the week, who sees that no sculling or quar-
| reling is indueed in, and those who enter into
| the gymnasium or industrial department without
a pass, which they must get from the secretary
OF state, brought before him and fined. He
| also summons any one accused Of slander
false accusation, and il he pleads not guilty, he
can employ lawyer, OF which there two,
| and appeal TO the Supreme court which consists
| OF two boys and two adults The senate consists
of fifteen members, including the other officers,
and meets every Saturday 10 transact the husi-
ne. OF the club and to make new rules This
business is transacted according to parliamentary
rules the clerk Of the senate keeping the record.
The social department consists Of twenty com.
| panies, lettered from A to 7, which meet on
| the nights respectively appointed for them, four
| companies to a night. There is a senator for
| each night whose work is to see that the boys
| who have just Joined are provided with games
| and are made to feel at home. Every night the
| tables for games full with boys playing
| croknole, etc., as are also the reading tables,
| which have all kinds OF papers containing whole
some reading The boys are fond OF reading and
some Of them are always at the tables The
work OF the architectural department is highly
| creditable, as is shown by the examples ex.
| hibition in the club rooms, as also the ex.
amples OF the boys printing, their "Red Ribbon"
and "Red Ribbon Leaflets" being written as
well as printed by the boys. These boys are
| mainly from the humber classes. many having
| been bad boys" before they were brought into
| the association, and the good accomplished no
one can properly estimate.
| In addition TO this great work for the boys,
| the parish owns and maintains an attractive re.
| treat on the mountains, where they send two
| hundred women and their children during the
sultry season, who otherwise would never get
| - ts..- N..rL afx