The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-03

If you want to spend a pleasant
| evening you should visit the II. I. a..
largely located in the basement of st.
Luke's parish house. Every night this
department is filled with youngsters of
| assorted ages, sizes and colors. one
of the Owners of the establishment.
for they early assume proprietorshlp.
| expressed the general sentiment of the
youthful patrons whcl he succinctly
| remarked the other evening: Il Just
tell yer what. it's more fun thin =
goat" 1T" meaning the entire in
sttution. games, club government.
work and all.
There are $50 boys enrolled in the
Boys Industrial association of Scran-
ton. This is a great record for four
months existence Of an organization
of which probably not f1ve of tho pres
ent members had ever heard at the
time of It's opening. Eligibility Is in
cluded between the ages Of 9 and 1i.
They regard the association entirely
in the light Of a club, and insist upon
paying dues. which was not anticipat.
ed by the projectors. They each pay
the sum of five cents month ami
their dues are as carefully kept up and
recorded as by the members of the
Scranton club in their own organiza =.
ticn.
The club is governed after the FASH
lon of the United States government.
There is president who IS elected for
term of two months. There are also
{. vice-presiJent and n cabinet The
desks of each cabinet officer il ap-
propriately designated in the cabinet
chamber" with the imposing titles Of
secretary of state. secretary of the
interior secretary Of the treasury and
Secretary Of public works" There
Is also bench" fer the chief JUS
tice."
DUTIES TO CORRl.SpCND.
iicials have duties corresponding to
their august titles. The secretary OF
state is in charge of the rolls, etc,
the secretary Of the treasury. records,
the collection Of dues. and keeps the
funds: the secretary of the interior
Is in charge Of the games. The chief
justice conducts cour. and decides
upon points of law anG order. and ir-
cidentally imposes penalties on Offend
erS
There is also a senate and other Off
GERS who are promoted according 20
the civil service regulations. Thera
are captains Of groups of tens.
1t is all very amusing to the visitor
to observe the vast formaiity which
attends the methods, but it will be
seen that the boys take themselves and
the association most seriously and
that it is practical by "a self governing
institution. a republic on a small scale.
as complete as the George Jr. Repub-
lie" The lads are definitely learning
the use Of law, the benefit Of It's sys-
tematic application and the value Of
good citizenship.
1t is an edifying sight to witness
a trial under the CHIEF justice who
makes the punishment fit the crime
to marked degree. Sometimes Mr.. l..
T.. Brown. under whose eye this repub-
lie Is conducted, has to interfere in the
interest Of humanity least the culprit
be punished to an extreme extent. The
penalties are never corporeal in char
acter neither is Imprisonment EN-
ployed. Suspension for a night or two
from the privileges of the club. or for
a whole week. if the case is very fla
is invariably effective.
A system of credits forms the basis
of promotions for officers under the
civil service rules. These arc for good
conduct. cleanliness. etc.
WHAT THE BOys DO.
What do the boys do: Well there
are three divisions nightly. The room
devoted to games, the work rooms, and
the gymnasium. A system is employed
whereby those members who are in
the play room one night pass on to the
work rooms the next and from thence
to gymnasium. They are privileged
to come for three nights each week
and part of the duty of certain orii-
cials is to keep a record of attendance
and Gdjus, the division. Passes to
y limited number are issued 10 ad-
nit members from one department To
another Otherwise there would be a
crush in the work rooms.
Here you will find n number of boys
in one room putting cane bottoms into
chairs. All available space Is filed
with detected looking pieces OF furni-
ture which emerge as self respecting
rockers and straight-ba cked chaira
One little fellow said the other night
that he had been five nights working
on the chair at which he was occu-
pied. This meant infinite patience
for the small clumsy fingers accus-
toned only to picking coal in the
breaker and much WEAKNESS of the
STOPPING shoulders. but lit is mothers
favorite chair" and thus the toll was
sweet. Mr.. Knapp directs the work.
The carpenter shop under Mr.. Perks
is IA busy and interesting place.
Across the corridor - The printing
shop where a number Of youngsters
are learning to set type under the di.
rcction of practical printer. They
are able to do clever work already as
the following selections from 1.-THE Red
Ribbon" plainly demonstrates. John
j. Il. York is in charge of this depart
ment. "The Red Ribbon" like the
"Phlistine," is published every little
while.
WHAT A REPORTER SAW.
A few boys who are novel struck.
\ certain fellow acting as il he were
insane.
A certain boy scuhling. lie was or
dered out by the Chief Justice. Beware,
boys!
4 boy who thought he was dude.
A boy who was trying to play a mouth
organ.
4 boy who was pulling another boys
ear
The boys of the club are having an
excellent time I'm the gymnasium. They
have three mats, trapeze, and a climb
ing pole.
The club rooms are decorated with
fine pictures, of which the boys are very