The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-27
First Annual Affair for Work.
ing Boys of the Club.
THEY WILL CONDUCT AFFAIR
The Club Has Been i'm Exist
ence for a Year.
Working Boys Need a Y. NJ.
c. A. Building.


Is years of age will be given treat
at the Providen. association in the
form of a banquet Thanksgiving ev-
ening at $50 o'clock. There will be
an abundance of chicken with mashed
potato and gravy. aside from such del
icacies as cranberries, sherbet and
cake that will almost melt in ones
mouth.
It will be the occasion of the first
annual banquet of the Topeka Boys
club, which is under the general
supervision of Emery Trull of Wash
burn college, and which includes in its
membership boys who have no place
to go for social entertainment aside
from the streets.
The discipline on this festive occa-
sion will be entirely in the hands OF
/ the boys themselves, the officers of the
I organization taking full charge of af-
fairs. The boys are even having a
hand in the preparation of the feast.
A number of the members volunteer
ed to bring chickens, and many or
the members brought dimes. In fact,
1 although there are no set rules, large
| percentage of the youngsters chose to
| bring a dime apiece each month 10
partially defray incidental expenses.
The club has been in existence about a
year and is growing in popularity. 1t
meets a long felt need, for the
churches and the Y. NJ. C. A. do not
get the hold on these boys that they
f.The Y. NJ. c. A. does not reach this
class of boys" said lIr. Trull, the
leader. land the reasons are clear.
''These boys do not mingle with the
BOYS who ordinarily attend the Y: M.
c. A, and they could not afford to
pay the necessary membership if they
cared to do so.
Church Does. Not Meet Need.
THE church, too, does not solve the
problem because these boys simply
90 70 school after
have attained to the age of thirteen
or fourteen years This problem might
be simplified if older young church
men would realize the opportunity to
church and teach them the real
significance of the Bible study and
Sunday school work. In my own per-
sonal experience and observation
least conception of the church and its
real mission. I have attended the
churches where some of my mem oers
have gone and no one could blame
them for a minute for leaving the
church and going to the woods and
playground.
''The- churchgoers are sincere but |
they have not the least conception of |
street boy nature; they do not seem |
to know how to interest the boy in |
Sunday school work. These remarks,
however, are not intended as a crlt1- |
cism of the churches, as they do |
great work, but I am trying to show |
why it is that this particular class is |
not reached.
Working Boys Y. NJ. c. A.
II believe that there should be a |
newsboys or working boys M. c. A. |
built and maintained in the bottom |
districts of the city. 1t should be car
ried on much the same plan as is
the work at the Central Y. NJ. Q. A. |
In this way we would reach every |
young man and boy in the city. To-
ledo, Ohio, has such a building and it
has worked wonders This class of |
boys has a great influence on the fu-
ture of our government. They are a
live bunch of misdirected energy.
Many of these boys will go to the
penitentiary simply because they do
not have a chance to make good.
mo boys appreciate attention more
than do these fellows. When one has
once gained their confidence there is
hardly a thing that they won't do for
him. The reward for doing this work
is the true friendship that grows up
between the superintendent and the
trusted orderly members.
There are several well equipped club
rooms for the use of the members of
the Topeka Boys club on the third
floor of the Provident building. A gym
nasium is at their disposal, ana there
Is library of books and magazines.
Two pool tables furnish amusement.
Regular meetings of the club are held
from to $50 o'clock on Monday, We'd
nesday and Saturday evenings. Ere
quently special social times are had
when light refreshments are served.
In the last two months members have