New Britain herald., 1917-02-02
TO RUSH WORK ON
 BOYS CLUB HOME
Work Will Be Started When
 Weather Permits

Work on additions to tho New Brit ain Boys club home on East Main street. whereby gymnasium build ing. a swimming pool and shower baths will be added, will begin as soon as the weather permits, accord ing to decision Of the directors at their annual meeting held yesterday afternoon at the National Bank E. w. Christ, G. w. Traut, A. Y. Corbln and Howard l.. Platt~are the building committee in charge and they report ed that the present Boys club build ing will accommodate zoo hoys every night. When tho new additions are completed the club will be able to ac- commodate 800 boys @ night. This will make the New Britain club car ing for the largest percentage of boys of any New England organization.
 Educational and Uplifting.
 The directors also plan to make the new club as homelike and upllftlnS as possible In the game room spe- cial pictures will be purchased, the selections to he made with a view of influencing the boys. One picture will be The Breaking of Home Ties. It was this picture that was awarded the first prize at the Chicago fair. It depicts boy leaving his home and mother and is very impressive. An other picture will be "Mother,' one of WhistieT's masterpieces. The walls will also have on them pictures Of Washington, Lincoln and other noble Americans. The plan at present is to organize clubs within the club, giving to each some distinctive name, such as the Lincoln or Washington club. This afternoon the directors vent to New Haven to purchase games to be installed in the game room prepara- tory to the opening of the club about the middle of the month.
 Plans are also in mind for the or ganization of educational classes a. the club and at intervals prominent men will address the boys. The boys will be divided into two groups, classified by their size. The seniors will occupy the first floor and the juniors will have the second floor. The third floor will be divided into class rooms. The young people of the Methodist church will have a class in sign painting. Hammock making Will De taught unQer the ulreCLlOu Ol the First church young people and the young people from the First Baptist church will have a class in basketry while the South church will have clay modelling. The. Swedish Bethany church will have classes in cobbllng. Another important feature of the club will be the library Already there are 200 volumes and more have been promised. Interesting and edu- cational periodicals will also be on file here The social side of the club will not. be neglected and the base 1 lnent is to be equipped with gas 1 range in order that informal dinners 1 can be prepared and served there for 1 the boys.
 Summer Gardens, Improved.
 1 Superintendent R. H. Crawford was
 given assurance by the directors that
 his summer gardens this year will be
 better than ever. made possible by ad- l ditional equipment. An innovation
 will be a special instructor from the l Connecticut Agricultural college at
 Storrs. This specialist will divide the young gardeners into classes and will i instruct them in the best methods of l garGening and will explain to them 1 the care of plants and how to protect them from bugs, and insects.