Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-08-20

Dense black clouds all the western sky,
The storm will soon begin;
The thunders roar, the lightnings hash'
| ! hear the great raindrops dash
| Are all the children In?
The future days are drawing near
They'll 20 from this warm shelter here
| Out In the worlds wide din;
The rain will fall, the cold winds blow,
I'll cit alone, and long to know
Are all the children In?
II He should call us home before
The children to that blessed shore,
| Away from care and sin,
| l know that shall watch and walt
/ Till He, the Keeper Of the gate,
| Lets all the children Unsolicited.
FRANCES e. WILLARD SETTLEMENT
LOYAL TEMPERANCE LEGION.
At number twenty-four South Russell
Street, Boston, is to be found one OF the
unique temperance organizations OF the
country, the Frances E. Willard Settle
ment Loyal Temperance Legion. This
is almost entirely legion of children
of foreign parentage. The Hebrew
children predominant; then follow the
Italian, the colored, and other nationali-
ties.
The legion numbers four hundred and
thirty, and each of this number paid
state and national dues, thus emitting
the legion to the beautiful prize flag
with its bright red, white and blue;
colors which these foreigners are taught
to love and honor through song and
story. Every child who comes to the
Settlement knows that the colors "stand
for strength and purity, and the truth
we love 80 well.''
These boys and girls do not attend
their Loyal Temperance Legion en- masse
but are divided into group classes of
twelve to twenty-fi according to age
and ability. Recognizing the fact that
attendance at temperance society is
never compulsory, great effort Is put
forth to make these weekly meetings as
Interesting and as attractive as possible,
that the boys and girls may want to at
tend. Hence the variety in methods.
The little children from four to seven
years are taught principally through
motion songs and little temperance and
Band of Mercy poems and stories. Songs
like "We'll turn our glasses upside
down." and "We all love one another"
will never be forgotten; for songs, by
some magic charm, remain longer In the
mind and heart than mere spoken words.
Since we know this to be true, every
legioner at the Settlement sings, and
sings temperance, kindness, love and
purity into his or her heart and in turn
sings it out again in home and street.
] One little girl said, ~ always used to
I sing street songs, but now, since be.
long to the Settlement love to sing my
club songs all the time at home and do
not even like the old street songs"
For the children who are older, aside
from the monthly manual lesson, occa-
sionally conducted by the professor OF
temperance" a child chosen from the
class, there are dialogues, simple debates,
medal contests, drills, temperance games,
physical culture, and 80 forth.
Interest also has been shown In writing
competitive compositions on various
temperance and Band Of Mercy topics.
Here is an extract from the pen of lit
tie eight-year.old: "The man who does
not drink or smoke and is kind to all liv-
| ing creatures is the man we call tenn
perance." Then from poet of eight
years:
"Do not drink whisky,
Do not drink beer,
What's that, don't hear?
Do not drink whisky,
Do not drink beer.
That's good, / never heard 80 good thing
That's good hear"
For the still older boys and girls, from
D twelve to twenty, industrial classes are
formed. So there are the temperance
| cobblers, the temperance basket-makers,
the temperance carpenters, the temper
ance helpers, and many little temperance
girls who make their own aprons and
dresses.
One great encouragement to q temper
ance worker Is to realize that "infiuence
is a power whose operation is unseen"
As one L. T. l.. boy said, when spoken
to about influence, "Gee, Miss Hill, you
don't know how many fellers we've
made like us!" Thank God that these
same little fellows we're trained In the
truths of the Loyal Temperance Legion.
Words like these from young man OF
eighteen make one think 1t is all worth
while: "If you could only know all the
dreadful temptations have been in as a
messenger boy! I tell you my club has
| Just been the saving of me!'
| The Settlement believes in good read
] ing, as is shown by the four hundred
\ children's books in it's circulating library,
| including many temperance, Band OF
Mercy and nature books.
Do the children love nature? One lit
tie boy of ten said while out walking,
'It's true, isn't it, Miss Hill, that God
sees the flower where we only see the
bud?"
Fresh air is imbibed in the Settlement
play ground, one hundred feet square,
which accommodates three hundred
children at play. At the close of each
days play, as we'll as at every l.. /. l..
| meeting, good literature is. distributed.
The play ground is said to be the finest
private one in Boston. An interesting
feature is the self.government system,
and this system is also practiced to
large extent in the legion meetings.
A few following original rules show
the spirit:
every boy that enters this club must
sign pledge not to drink any intoxicat-
| ing liquors or to smoke or chew tobacco.
"Any boy wanting to belong to this
club will have to bring note from his
parents or guardian stating their con-
sent.
"No swearing OF any kind Is to be used
| by member of this club.
"Any member breaking the rules or
being disorderly three times is to be
fined one cent.
every member is to try to abstain
from using slang"
Christmas and the summer time are of
especial interest to the Settlement legion
ers. Every boy and girl who has not
been absent from meetings three times
| In succession during the year enjoys the
Christmas festivities and the summer
outings. Christmas at the Settlement
lasts whole week, usually with fifteen
Christmas trees, which always bear
plenty OF fruit 10 satisfy the heart of
every faithful boy and girl.
One hundred dollars a year Is saved In
the stamp saving station depart ment.
Thirty-six copies Of The Crusader
Monthly visit the legioners. These are
passed around in the various clubs.
When you come to Boston visit the
Settlement, and the children will shout
with one accord that the Frances E. Will
lard Settlement stands for
Temperance, temperance, 70, 70, raj
Settlement, settlement, 70, 70, raj
Temperance settlement, Temperance settle |