The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-19
Boys Dime Starts Building Fund For
 Cooper Institute

A dog, a dime and boy of 12, each unconscious of the effect they would have on the activities of many well-known men and women of New York City, are responsible for one of the biggest civic movements ever be- gun in Central New York;
 The coin never would have attained prominence if it hadn't been for the dog. The boy would still be among the thousands of youngsters whose lives shall remain a closed book to the world except for the dime. The dog would not have become factor in "a great philanthropic effort, if he had not needed a bath. Y As a result of combination of the three, the lives of more than a hun dred dependent children are likely to be made brighter, and more than a score of leaders in society and an equal number of Wall Street men are spending the remainder of their va cation helping to raise quarter mill lion dollars for the benefit of the children,
 To Herbert Kneeland, the ambitious boy, who is being prepared for a ca reer of usefulness by the Susan Feni- T known vocational school here, belongs the credit of setting the dime scurry- ing along toward distinction.
 Herbert heard the head of the school which is training many boys and girls who have no parents to di- rect their preparation for life, remark that the institution would have to put up a new building to protect the lives of the youngsters in its care. The present structure, which is almost dil- apidated, was built 40 years ago through the efforts of Susan Fenimore Cooper, daughter \of the novelist. It is regarded as fire trap.
 The boy reasoned that money was needed. He determined to do his share toward raising building fund.- Having no money of his own, he tried to earn some. His first appeal for work was made to a woman living near the school. She engaged him at non-union piece work scale. His assignment was to wash the family fdog. That member of the household reluctantly consented and soon emerged shivering from a tub. Herbert's fingers we're not dry when he ran back to the foundation waving a 10 cent piece. I{ "This is to help put up the new building he said as he gave the coin to the head of the in4 4titution
 That dime, preserved in a frame, vas shown last week to 300 men and women, organized into a volunteer ar my that is seeking to raise $25O,OO0 as building and endowment fund for the institution in a 10 days campaign. The dogs bath and the coin paid the boy have started a quest of 2,499,999 other dimes to be used in making good citizens of the companionship of Herbert
 In a week the volunteers, number ing such widely known men as Mar GUS T. Hun of Albany; James Feni- more Cooper, Henry L. Wardwen of New York; Harris l.. Cooke, William Truslow Hyde, New York broker, and l Charles E. Hotchkiss, attorney of New York, have obtained $116,00O, nearly half the amount sought.
 Besides, the dime has diverted the activities of fashionable New York women with summer homes here from their usual vacation diversions to ac- tive participation in the money rais- ing movement. Miss Florence Ward we'll Miss Angelica L. Gerry, Mrs. Arthur Ryerson and Mrs. w. ". Ca pron have been among the leaders in the work of carrying the fund to the quarter million dollar goal.