Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-02
IS DEVELOPING MEN
WORK OF THE WASHINGTON BOYS
CLUB.

moved into its new quarters at 1920 N
street, where its operations will spread out
over two floors Of a commodious house.
For more than a year this organization,
which has proba bly, done as much to plant
the seeds of good citizenship among the fu-
ture men of Washington as any organiza-
ton in the District has carried on its work
in a room over a corner grocery store IN
Georgetown Here six nights of every
week in the winter months, were gathered
from the street corners hundred or more
boys for a gentle social rough house" or
to amuse themselves with games or
stunts on the gymnasium apparatus.
No effort is spared to furnish these boys
with healthful amusement, good books,
and higher ideals, but never is any oSten-
tatious sanctity thrust upon them, nor are
they ever allowed to suspect that any at
tack is being made upon their moral status.
The National Boys Club Association, I'M
der whose auspices this work is DONE was
incorporated in Springfield, Mass. branch
was organized in this city in December,
1893, and since that time has been conduct
ing the work at Club No. !, on NJ street,
Georgetown. Prof. John w. Chickering is
president of the board of directors, and Mr..
Eugene E. Stevens its secretary. The finan-
cial end is looked after by Mr.. Pfiefer,
financial secretary. On the roll of sustain
ing members are found the names of Mrs.
George Dewey, Mrs. Stephen b. Elkins,
Mrs. Thomas Nelson Page, Mrs. w. S.
Schey and a host of others whose names
are well known in connection with
Washington charities as with Washington
society.
The actual work of the association is
carried on by the superintendent, Mr. AL
fred G. Sharp, formerly of the National Jul
nior Republic, and by volunteer workers
who come in each evening to care for the
younger boys. Many of the older boys act
in various capacities assistants All the
work is under the general supervision of a
committee on club administration, headed
by Mr., r. l. Geare of the United States
National Museum.
There is sufficient to keep all the officers,
the committee and the volun teer workers
constantly Oh the move. Long before the
opening of the doors, at O'clock, the lit
tie iron stairway of the old room was
crowded with boys of all sizes waiting to
begin where they left off the night before
They are all supposed to be between the
ages CT eight and sixteen, but the superin-
tendent has to view many of them with
the lcnient eye of the railroad conductor
collecting half-fare tickets. Whether not
there are $40 eligible boys in Georgetown is
d matter for St3tiSticianS. but that is the
number enrolled and Mr.. Sharp is signing
AleXander-like, because the immediate
neighborhood is now exhausted. The aver
age number present in the evening is 49,
many of whom are regular attendants.
resources seriously TAXED.
AS might be supposed, gathering of this
size seriously taxed the resources of a sin
gle room. The committee on finance, I'M
der Mr. Otto Luebkert, after long search,
decided upon the present quarters. There
are eight rooms, each of which serves a
special purpose. On the lower floor are the
cloak rooms, reading room and assembly
room for the congress-. The rooms on the
second =
dustral workshops. While awaiting time
to move, coy little reading room, where
absolute quiet IS maintained, and a music
room were fitted up in an adjacent build
ing. These rooms were furnished through
the efforts of several of the ladies, added
| to by several of the public-spirited mar
chants of Washington.
This additional space made it possible to
install some gymnastic apparatus-parallel
bars, vaulting horse, mats, etc.-in the main
room of the club, and to devote it more eX-
clusively to the rougher and noisier amuse-
ments.
fittings comes the question of order When
a hundred healthy boys are gathered under
the same roof something is almost sure to
happen. Small tussles and friendly horse
play create connections in remote parts of
the room. In the crowded condition of the
old room it is impossible to maintain per-
feet order, but each boy was given to I'M
derstand that he must observe certain SIM
the club The order is much improved over
last years, and the feeling of pride and the
spirit of personal responsibility for the
good name of the club is much more gem
eral than formerly. The organization of
the members into congress" with a set
of laws and officers of their own creation
subject to the veto of the Superintendent
has had useful effect in this direction and
the boys have elevated monitors, who have
afforded assistance in maintaining proper
decorum.
Duty of Monitors
The service of these monitors is only re-
qured when the milder forms of amuse-
ment are under way. When an impromptu
wrestling match or go with the boxing
gloves is on they forget their dignied po-
sition and cheer with the rest. But let no
one suppose that the club and its rooms
are devoted to roughness and horse play;
nothing is further from the truth. Games
of all kinds are provided from small bill
lard tables for the older boys to blocks and
toys for the youngest. A checker tourna-
ment was held recently with great success.
A number of boys have been interested in
the cutting and artistic mounting of pic
lures; others are learning the elements of
typography, and some very creditable burnt
work is turned out. Glasses in basket work
are now well under way.
In the music room two mandolin clubs
began practice. The senior club, composed
of the older boys, many sf whom played to-
gether last year, is constantly rehearsing
new pieces The younger members of the
junior club are now working under vol
unteer instructor. The library has recently
been increased by generous donation, and
several boys take books home regularly,
while others are beginning to learn what a
book looks like. Enter tainmentS of various
kinds are given from time to time.
Summer Work.
Although tho have, IL. intended he
for the boys in the winter season what the
public playground is in the warmer days OF
summer, 1t does not confine it's attention to
indoor work By late fall of last wear the