New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-02
WORK at GORDON HOUSE.
A BOYS and Mems Club with Five Hundred
Members To Be Formally Opened.

Gordon House is a mass OF brick and stone
piled together for the sole purpose Of being
instrument for work. said William A. Clark, the
headworker. at the Settlement yesterday after
roog To Mr. Clark was given entire charge of
the arrangements for building. and every article
that he has put in has some good excuse for being
there.
Gordon House. named by the founder. the late
Theodore 6. White. Of columbia for General
Chinese" Gordon had its ur2iunng in the year
1901 in a stable AT 80. Il West Seventeenth-st-
on Mr.. Whites death ~ i,tt part of his fortune
10 the house. and when Theodore b. Starr his
cousin, who had been made trustee. turned over
10 the house the money inherited by him from Mr.
White. il became possible To pat up tho handsome
building Nos. 355 and 80 West S,vonteenth-st
which has been in WORKING order for six weeks
now II has not been formally opened yet how
ever but appropriate dedicatory services will be
held in February.
4 somewhat unusual feature of Gordon House is
that more than half Of the five hundred members
workingmen The difficulty OF getting laboring men
to become interested IN clubs. rather difficulty
which Settlement workers seem ind all the
city does not apply here The basement. which
is divided into a pool room. bowling alley and
smoking room. is set apart for the men. except
twice week. when boys over eighteen are aIloweo
The young men between sixteen and twenty-one
belong "a clubs tat have rooms on the ground
moor OF me nous. aonf - ~ b e ., \ we.
enough ettract almost any boy from the streets.
The walls done in red burap, and around the
four sides are low cases OF Flemish oak nled with
hundreds Of the books that boys Ike
The boys under sixteen years OF age are put at
definite work-woodCaTViuE. clay modelling.
willow weaving. cabinet making. or Venetian iron
work For each Of these handlCratts q room has
been apart and OF Mr. Clarks pet ideas
which he has worked out here - the little In
dividual locker for each boys work.
The youngest boys pay annual dues Of 81 TO the
club for mem bershlp; the boys from sixteen to
twenty-One pay So year and the men over twenty
pay s. Besides this all pay a bit extra Tor
bowling and pool OF course. these dues merely
nominal, but however slight. they teach the boy
10 be q ''sDOnEeT.
The use Of the money given the house for organic
purposes Is restricted TO men and boys. but women
are soon TO be admitted also. in limited way.
such as the formation Of mothers clubs and classes
and clubs for young girls.
on the fourth floor f. the gymnasium, 20 by 50
everything necessary for gymnastic exercises and
Just above the roof. IS feet high has been
erected, so that the boys may get the benefit OF
outdoor gym"
In the near future male training shops to he
started, lectures 70 be given I'm the big hall on
the second floor music department viii be added.
and The Gordon House Chronicle Is 20 he pub
ished by the boys themselves. Just now they are
"hustllng" to get advertisements for the paper
must be self-supportjng The university extension
idea viii also be applied.
At present the residents Mr. Clark his mother
and four who DO not give their entire time to
Settlement work. Mr.. Clark was for eight years
headworker at Lincoln House. In Boston.