New Britain herald., 1921-06-28
BOYS CLUB HOME IS
 BUSY INSTITUTION
Visit to Building Shows Many
 Lines of Activity

With all the various movements il.
 the interests of public welfare, espec.
 tally along the lines of caring for the
 health and education of the younger
 element in this city, it is refreshing
 to know that more than 1900 boys are | being started upon the right road to becoming upright; useful and well
 trained citizens. by the New Britain
 Boys club. No matter who the boy,
 or what his circumstances are. ne
 always is welcome at the Boys club.
 The real object of the club, however,
 is to reach the boys who. for economi-
 cal reasons, are unable to pay for
 mem bership in the Y. M. c. A., the T A. B., and other organizations
 1,2OO On Membership Roll. Three times each week the entire twelve hundred and fifty boys, now on the membership enrolment of the
 cl db. are permitted 10 minutes inhthe shower baths. There are eight show CTS, so arranged that Is boys can take baths at the same time. Of course it would be impossible to accommodate the entire 1,250 on one day without running the baths continually for 12 hours, but the boys are entitled to the privilege and many take advantage of it. Just as soon as school closes for the summer vacation Superintendent M. R. Cook has agreed to permit the boys the freedom of the building iron, g a. m. until 9:30 D. m. Those who are slightly more advanced are per ,nitted to remain until 10 o'clock Every Saturday afternoon the baths of the club are thrown open to any boy, whether he is a member or not All he has to do is to get his soap and towel and go down and have a good cool shower.
 Efficiency In Training.
 Efficiency in training, is the key note of the method in vogue at this club. It is not a vocational school in the sense that boys can go there and learn d trade, yet it is a vocational. school on a small scale, inasmuch as 1t starts them on a vocation which | may develop into finished trade in later years. Any boy who has heach- l ed the age of 10 years and who is not | more than 15 can become memb | without any cost to himself. All he | needs to do is to make application by | giving his name. address. date O. | birth, church utilization. if any. the | name of his school or employer and | the names of his parents. He then is | registered and is regular member.
 Courses Offered.
 Embryo carpenters, cabinet mak CTS, printers. newspapermen, public | officials, hunters, orniehalogists, nat uralists, moving picture operators, po- lieemen. judges, lawyers dental hy- gienists. sculptors, artists, expert | marksmen, musicians, etc, are being started upon the road to become fin ished artists in their chosen vacations at this club.
 This club does not pretend to teach | trades to boys. except to give them some of the fundamentals of the trade in a small way. There is d | rrint' shop where the Boys Club News little four page booklet, is printed once month. A taxiderm- ist hes dozens of specimens of wild birds and small animals to mount for the nature students. In a glass cas- at the club are found squirrels, red and gray, an owl, a chipmunk,a a hawk, a woodcock, a woodchuck and a mud turtle. already mounted. At the tax iderists. along with other speci- mems, is large snapping turtle prob ably foot in diameter.
 Other Subjects Taught.
 In the class room on the third floor of this club, which is located on East Main street are taught, at diff ferent times. such studies as dental hygiene anw the making of clay models. Pastel classes also mees here as does the Junior Winchester Rifle club. Every night in the week this room is occupied, either by one of the classes or by one of the two troops of Boy Scouts
 In the basement are found the shower baths, the print shop and the rarpenter shop. Both these shops have many specimens of the skill of the youthful artisans. Another room on the third floor is fitted up like a lodge room. Here the O. B. A., as it Is known, meaning the Older Boys as- soeiation, holds weekly meetings. This association, numbering 35 in its membership, is composed of boys of i6-17 and IS years of age, who have grown up in the club. The associa- ton is the guardian of the club and IS responsible. to the mana 7. ment fo~ the behavior of the younger boys Each member of the association is held personally responsible for five younger boys.
 In another room, the Boys clu5l band. said to be the best boys band in the state, holds weekly meetings | student musicians. who aspire to join The band. also meet here once . week fer practice. The band has on dis