Norwich bulletin., 1916-01-10
FUTURE MANHOOD
 OF THE DUTCH NATION.
Ideas from America Are Basis of
 New Movement Among Boys.

The Hague, Netherlands, Jan. 9s- Ideas from America are the basis of a new movement among the boys of the Netherlands which. under the direction of Miss Hendrick von der Flier and the patronage of the prince censort, is rapidly exerting an influence on the future manhood of the Dutch nation.
 Miss von der Flier, who is a daugh- ter of the last court chaplain who per- formed the marriage ceremony of Queen Wilhelmina, visited the United States eight years ago and there in- spected some of the boys clubs in va her with the idea of raising the status Of Dutch boyhood-more especially the boyhood of the poorer classes. She began in the slums of The Hague, where the youthful raGamuffins in their wooden clogs swarmed in the narrow alleys, where they smoked cigar butts rescued from the gutters, insulted passersby and generally in- dulged in rowdyism.
 Miss Van der Pliers efforts at first were ridiculed. The boys when asked by her to come to her home, replied by running away and pelting her with rotten fruit. Her friends in Hague society, where the stiffness and old century still prevail, were scandalized by her mixing with the lower classes and refused to support her efforts. Her own capital consisted of four dollars gold, but she was determined to succeed. She obtained from an old lady the use of a room, and this she called the clubhouse. Eventually she succeeded in getting ten urchins to venture in. and after gaining their con- fdence began to teach them the use of paints and gave them instruction in fretwork. Soon they brought others and Miss van der F'lier rented a small house, where she started classes in home industries.
 At the end of a year Miss van der Flier had eighty boys under her wing and was obliged to take larger prem ises, with a garden. which the boys laid out in plots.
 The idea then began to spread rap idly and as the friends of Miss van der F1ier saw that she was succeeding in what they had considered an ec- centric project they began to take in- terest in 1t until she was able to form from among them a committee of help CTS. The club was baptised Ernst, Nut and Ontspanning" (Earnestness. Usefulness and Relaxation) and is now known as the E. N. O.
 Prince Henry's interest was attract ed and the good work done by the l club became so well known that boys f1ocked to it. Then real clubhouse was built and in this classes are held
 
 and chair making, carpentry and gar dening, besides numerous educational subjects, including languages and singing. Then there are football, hockey and cricket teams and a gym pasium and fencing hall. Outing camps have been formed where the boys go in summer with their own brass band, and convalescent home for weakly youths also has been established. Since the flight from Belgium at the beginning of the war. Miss van der Flier has taken 100 Belgian boys un- der her guidance. She is going to America early in January to obtain further ideas for the development of her work here, which Is now spread ing to various Dutch cities, and whose progress is watched closely by the queen, who constantly inquires about it.
 On a recent occasion the members | of the American legation visited the | club and the boys treated them to a | performance of American melodies | played by their own brass band.