The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-07-18

The moon and the stars are common
place things,
And the flower that blooms and the bird
that sings;
Yet dark were the world and sad our
lot
II the flowers failed or the sun shone
not.
Our God who studies each separate soul
Out of commonplace lives makes his
beautiful whole
These lines were brought to mind by a
recent tour OF several OF the charitable
and other institutions OF this city. where
day by day the character of hundreds OF
souls which, to some. may seem com
monplace, is being moulded for time and
eternity.
The Working Boys Home on Park
street established in 1897, through the
efforts of Bishop HarKins, furnishes an
excellent illustration of place where
the development Of the commonplace lives
OF scores OF homeless and friendless BOYS
goes on year after year under the wise
guidance of the house committee, Rev.
j. t. Ward. John j. Hoey and James
j. Nolan. II is Father Ward. however,
who devotes heart and soul to the work
and he is ably seconded in his labor OF
love by the other members OF the COM
mittee and also by William J. Wallace,
the superintendent of the home, and Miss
Callahan, the matron.
In every sense of the word is the
Working Boys Home a real home and not
an institution, as many suppose.
The one aim of the house committee is
to create an atmosphere OF home and to
surround the boys with the most elevat-
ing influences.
To this end books and magazines of the
best character are always at hand and a
love OF good reading is there engendered.
Music, too is feature of the home life,
while the evenings OF Monday, Wednes-
day and Friday are devoted TO work in
the school room.
Language, stenography and spelling are
taught, the managers believing these
three branches 90 be the most useful and
necessary 10 the business life OF the aver
age working boy.
The home accommodates 40 boys. but
usually more than this number enjoy its
privileges Many OF these boys are en-
ployed i'm the Brown and Sharpe Manu-
featuring company and in various offices
I'm the city.
The average pay OF the boys is but 81
per week and-just at this point-the
necessity for and the ministration of the
home comes In.
For the sum OF 81 per week each boy is
most comfortably lodged fed and clothed
Not only are his material needs fully
satisfied but the intellectual and the
spiritual are not neglected.
The food is always abundant and ex-
cellent and 10 see them eat with such
hearty appetite and evident enjoyment
locker. and TO recall those lines OF
Whittier:
20, FOR boyhood's painless play,
Sleep that wakes in laughing day,
Health that mocks the doctors rules.
knowledge never learned OF schools"
Naturally the sum OF 50 cannot begin
to meet the expenses OF the home. espe-
pecially as often the boys are out or
work when no board is charged.
In consequence OF this most liberal and
generous policy toward the boys the home
is continually hampered for means and
unless financial aid Is forthcoming the
home must suffer materially.
IL Is believed. however. that the friends
of this noble work will not allow Il TO
suffer for want OF money
IL Is gratifying TO note the many com
forts which the boys enjoy In the home,
beds. shower baths and the best OF care,
not only In health. but In sickness.
The home IL open TO the boys between
the ages OF ~ and is
At is the managers believe that the
character OF the boy Is sufficiently devel-
oped for him 60 go forth into the world
and make for himself n home. Other
boys then nl the vacant places and thus
the good work goes on from year 20 year
tt is always the aim OF Father Ward 70
secure positions for the boys where ad-
yancement may be gained.
The discipline OF the home IL not In
any sense. autocratic. the boys being
placed upou their honor. and appeals 20
their manliness are not often disregarded
clipping from report OF the super
intendeut will give n clear idea OF what is
accomplished at the home.
In dwelling upon the carly work or the
home n saws:
"Trn of tho largest OF our first boys be-
came self-supportinE during our FIRST year
and are now holding good positions. with
wages from 81 90 Si2 per week and board
ing out
Some OF these saved from their weekly
earnings while at the home sums ranging
from s. 20 $50. which were deposited In
the savings bank
"of the As boys now In the home seven