The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-28
BOYS CLUB not
AN EXPERIMENT.
IDEA HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY
CARRIED OUT ELSEWHERE.
Boys Club in the Heart of New York's
East Side Furnishes Interesting Elk
ample Of What May Be Accomplished
in Minneapolis Projects Meets With
Universal Appreciation.

The boys club idea-meaning old
boys as well as young boys-is taking
hold Of Minneapolis rapidly. The sew
eral articles in T he Journal on the
proposed plan and the offer made to
Unity House, have aroused much inter
est, especially among heads of families
who have boys and young men under
their care. Unanimous approval of
the idea is a marked feature of the
tuition and, as Judge =. F. Waite says,
several Of them, is conceded without ar
gument. The idea is seized as the so.
luton of a subject that has had grave
consideration from the best citizens,
especially since Sunday saloons are un-
der legal ban.
Prosperity from the first seems to be
promised the club, from the experiences
Of similar institutions, in other cities
that have passed thru the experimental
stages and are recognized as established
features Of metropolitan life.
Daniel T. Pierce's Views.
Daniel T. Pierce, editor Of Public
extensively. His contribution to the
World Today in April, speaks volumes
for the success Of the adaptation in
New York and Chicago, of a London
idea. Ignorance Of what such club
should be, Mr.. Pierce assigns as explain
alton Of failures and instructed eff
forts in many cities. The Minneapolis
promoters Of the idea will profit by Mr..
Pierce's, suggestions. ......
- boys club he says in the
World Today, meaning such organiza-
tions as the Boys club in the heart Of
New 'York's East Side, and Gordon
II 0ncn nnl Tho Mast CtJo "oro, oY,,l,
and nothing else.' ...L.. ~
The Boys club cost about 100000
complete. It is five stories high, with
basement. Baths, locker rooms, car
penter shop and printing room, where
the Boys Club Record is issued, are in
the basement. On the roof are tennis
and squash courts. The street floor is
reserved for the auditorium. which is
dances, card and game tables. On the,
second floor are the seniors large
restaurant and small rooms for small
subclubs, the football and the baseball
teams. The library occupies the third
floor and is handsomely furnished. It
has also the natural history museum
Small rooms and the gymnasium take
up the fourth floor, the gymnasium ex.
tending thru the fifth floor. The super.
intendent lives in the remaining space
on the top floor. ~.
Il. Costs $4,000 a Year. ...,l
a year. The building was given by q
railroad man to be managed by a self
perpetuating board; the running ex
pense is met by several hundred con
tributors. The dues, ranging from moth
ing to 70 cents q week, do not pay even
| the lighting bills. 1t is found thai
when q board must collect $4,000 E
year, the interest does not lag, as il
might IN n a =thoroly endowed institu
J. tlon. The question, of endowment i!
more or less unsettled. Gordon House
described yesterday, is partially en-
4 dowed. g.. - -. ID. - I :
I But. the Boys club is not looked
! upon, by its members as a charity af
fair any more than they regard thu
parks that have been given to the pub
lie as "charity.' The leader is usu
ally a college man who drops in twice
a week to settle. any difficulties ant
suggest plans for amusement, He be
comes, one Of the boys and his visit
are looked forward to with eagerness.
1t was found that the organization
! of small clubs brought members clos
together that were interested in specia
1 aims or amusements.- The carpente
shop and the printing room are no
used by the boys to acquire familiarit,
with either trade as form of amuse
ment: Says Mr.. Pierce in his article:
Now, an, opportunity to play ma.
not seem to be a very important thing
but as a matter of fact, it is somethin,
that the man and boy who cannot af
ford and would not be admitted to tn
OF dinary social club most needs. H
i needs it because the opportunities 70
amusement he finds there are open t
HIM in no other place, including hi
home, and because club life is instruc
= tion in the, rational and profitable us
| of 1eisure.'' -
Mending gEureau-Cnllaro or cnff hand