The age-herald., 1902-05-13
They Expect Favorable Action
 from City Council
BOYS GREATLY INTERESTED
Prospect of Night School as We'll as Library-Mrs. Samuel Will John Says a Word for Home
 less Boys.

of free public library and reading room in the city hall for boys and young men will realize a fruition of their plans. The women who are interested expect favor able action on the part of the city au- thorities No recent appeal has been more strongly endorsed, and those inter- ested in the plans have received encour- agement on all sides. The women who first called attention to the matter brought to the authorities such strong arguments in favor of opening reading rooms that it was at once recognized that no movement could be fraught with greater significance or be more fruitful of good results
 To open a reading room with its night school for boys will be step in line with the greater cities which are seeking by this method to promote a better citizen ship.
 In the appeal to the building committee of the new city hall the conditions to which their attention was called were:
 "The city of Birmingham Is growing rapidly and many boys and young men who have come to the city seeking em- ployment are without home influence, liv- ing at boarding houses and over stores, with no place of resort for recreation when off duty.
 Second-Many of the young wage earn CTS in this city are supporting widowed mothers, and younger brothers and sis- ters, ana have no time to attend the public schools, and no means to expend for private tutors to instruct them at night.
 Third-It will greatly promote the eff ciency of all our boys and young men to have daily access to a library or reaS7 ing room supplied with the latest and best literature along the lines Of up to date business methods. Besides the in- tellectual growth and HIoral culture of the youth with such fortunate opportun- itiec there would be given strength Of character and the making of a good citi- zen thatlwould be attained in no other way. When we remember that great re- suits have come from small beginnings we must feel that it will be well 10 nourish this scheme into a strong and successful development
 Cooperating with this movement IS | Judge N B. Feagin, who realizes that | 1t is one of the most important matters ever brought to the consideration Of the municipal authorities. He is deeply inter ested in this matter, and there are many
 other prominent men who realize it's im-
 portance.
 It is understood that the members of the building committee are unanimously in favor of setting aside room in the city hall for the public library. A definite conclusion will be reached at the next meeting of the city council and as soon as a favorable decision is announced steps will be taken towards furnishing and equipping the reading room.
 Already there have been offers to fur nish the room and supply 1t with books There also seems but little doubt but that a night school will be opened. The sub iect has become so widely discussed that several young boys of the city have volun- tSered to pay the expenses of tutor, so anxious are they for the advantage to be derived from the night school Among the strongest appeals sent to this department urging the opening of the reading rooms was the following received yesterday from Mrs. Samuel Wii- John, who, at the request of Judge Feagin, says A timely word for the homeless boys of the city:
 Editor Woman's Department, The Age | Herald:
 The movement of obtaining from the city "a reading room for the city's homeless youths" now being agitated, is one that should meet with the hearty CO., operation of all fathers and mothers. Not to one class alone does this appeal, but to the rich and poor, the tender and the harsh. Beneath crusty exterior lives often a big, responsive heart which, If approached, would cheerfully respond to this most humane call. Those wnose business carries them into the pitiless world know only too well the temptations that beset the path of the boys. Sin appears in gllded, alluring form upon every side to catch the eye, then the spirit of the boy and man who idly strols along in recreation after the days toll There being no admission fee, no monthly payments to a saloon or card table, the boy and man feel like-"why, to stop here will not draw from my slender purse" so he enters for an evening, then another. till the soul and body become ensnared. Iris exceedingly hard for those who are sheltered by a happy, luxurious home to conceive of the evil of the rabble. The question has often arisen, no doubt, to many minds: Why will one deliberately select the evil, know ing 1t to be degrading, when 1t could be avoided? The answer comes from way back from the creation of man. If chill dren are left with servants while father and mother are having pleasant evenings at parties. theatres, etc.; left to grow up in total ignorance of the only true and lofty standard of christianity as taught in the Bible, how could their infantile minds recognize sin when presepted? It is this class that must float on the streets looking for rest and amusement.
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