New Britain herald., 1917-12-19

c. A. secretaries in France. It is ex- pected they will leave for the war zone within two weeks.
 Ever since America entered the conflict, Superintendent Crawford has been anxious to get nearer to the sound of the big guns as a Y. M. c. A. worker. Those who are we'll ac- Quainted with him realize that tenn peramentally he is well suited for the position and can make any boy in khaki stop longing for a piece of mothers pie or a sight of Main street in the old home town. As whole sale slayer of the blues, MT. Crawford is a past master. His friends feel that the hardest task of his superiors will be to prevent him from grabbing a, gun and making a dash for Berlin.
 Worked Among Boys 20 Years. Almost since he can remember, MT. Crawford has been engaged in social uplift work, principally among boys. To him a boy in g. gutter is a living thing with a heart and a soul, a price, less object which needs only g little | kindly buffing-not rebufhng-and polishing to let the true metal shine | through. MT. Crawford was one of the first sociologists to begin work among boys. Twenty years ago he started a boys club in Fall River, Mass, and for two years was also in | charge of the Y- M. c. A. shop work. Then he went to Boston and through his powers of persuasion collected ] $1OO,00O with which he erected 8 home for the Boston Boys club. His next stop was at Portland, Maine. where he remained year and, de- parting, left new building as a mon- ument to his love for boys.
 In New Britain Six Years.
 Six years ago MT. Crawford came +o this city. His success hardly re- ouires detailed accounting. He has been before the eyes of the public in one way or another. A business man once said to him: Crawford, you've always got your hand out for some l thing. Why not give us something | once in a. while?" To which MT. | Crawford replied: ''1 am giving you the greatest thing in the world good boys, industrious boys, on whom you depend for your future citizens" :" The business man was struck by the force of the argument and rep1ied: '"That's the best speech and the truest speech I ever heard. Put me down for fifty dollars"
 People used to tn1nK that OOyS thrived on dirt. MT. Crawford doesn't agree with that theory. Soap and water, judlciously applied, he believes, give a boy g. spirit of industry and better prepare him to tackle his work, whether that work consists of whittling 8 ship out of a block of wood or learning how to mend shoes. As soon as he was able, MT. Craw- ford removed the headquarters of the New Britain Boys club from Lafay- cite street, an environment that did not inspire the boys to higher things, and gave the youngsters a suitable home at the corner of East Main and Center streets. If you want to learn what real joy is go there any even- ing. No one is standing over the youngsters with g. club but they know what is expected of them and they do 1t. When MT. Crawford sails away the boys of New Britain will lose the best friend they ever had, their foster daddy"
 Directors of the club have been in-
 formed by MT. Crawford of his in-
 tentions and they will meet within
 a few days to take action. It is prob
 able the superintendent may be
 granted a leave of absence, with per , mission to return and take up the
 Continued On Seventh Page).