The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1921-07-21
INTERESTING DATA CONCERNING GOOD
WILL FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
Somerset CountJs Great Institution a Blessing
To Needy Young People

cuss IN those days of small begin
nlhss. there seemed to be no reason
LOT attracting ridicale by telling of
dreams OF great things for God and
humanity when only dimes and mic
kies We're available, and when at best,
tne project was in its primeval stage.
NY dream was based on faith in God 8
power; upon the belief that the conn
try is the best place for boyhood
ana development of character; upon
the conviction that TO make philan-
| thropy effective In Young life, change
OF environment is often necessary !;
upon the theory that in laying foun-
dations for future citizenship there is
no substitute for family life. and that
an old-time New England family Of
ten consisted Of fifteen children, but
not often of larger number; upon
the persuasion that in the develop
ment of character neither a home nor
a school nor industry nor discipline
nor religious training Is in itself SUI
hcient but that all are needed.
| MY BELIEF
| l believed that anything worth do
ing is worth doing well; that moth
|
in any other way than by long con-
tinued persistent effort; that when
philanthrophic people fully under
stood the plan and its possibilities,
| they would rally to it's support and
development, and that l would be al
lowed to see to some extent, the plan
mature and fructify.
NV TNtcpIp ATTnAT
| 1t seemed to me that any person
who could see a stated fact as clearly
as | could see it, would be as willing
to devote money to the project as
was to devote my life to it. The state
ment of fact was this
IF, through disaster and unfortu-
nate environment, boy ia in danger
of Joining the forces of evil and IL,
through change of environment
and opportunity, that boy joins the
forces of righteousness, the world is
saved from all the evil the neglected
or unfortunate boy would have done,
and 1t will be benefited by all the good
he will accomplish"
DEVELOPMENTS
| Gradually, but steadily, until the
| outbreak of the great war, the plan
| has unfolded and developed. In 1899
was made, a home for fifteen boys
was opened still later in the same
the year in which the first purchase
year, the Good Will Home Associa-
laws of the State Of Maine, and 1t
holds all the property. There have
| ton was incorporated, under the
been eleven purchases Of real es-
tate aggregating one thousand acres ;
one hundred and fifteen acres is a
separate tract, and is the foundation
for the Girls Homes and Schools.
| There are ten homes for boys. each
| for family of fifteen. The buildings
on the boys farm are school-build-
| ing, museum, library, chapel, admin
shop, four barns, FIVE dwelling houses
istration building, woodworking
and other structures. On the girls
farm there are three homes, priv
/ ate dwelling house, and school
building. The Association owns more
than thirty buildings
FARMING OPERATIONS
| The Association owns a herd of
about thirty-five mich cows, dozen
horses and other live stock. About
one hundred acres are under the
plough annually. The farm products
in 1920 consisted in part of two hun
| dred tons of hay. two thousand bush
els of potatoes and other vegetables
and quarts of milk.
INDUSTRY
Blessed is the boy who has some
| thing To do, and someone near to see
| that he does it, The fact that most
! OF the house Is done by boys
! there is a woman in each cottage
called the Matron-and that fields are
titled, cows MIXED, horses groomed,
| laundry done, groceries put up and de-
| liyered to the cottages and many 9TH
err activities conducted. ia proof that
| Good Will offers abundant opportu-
nifty for the acquiring OF habits of
| industry, as we'll as chances to as
sumo responsibility and to take the
! initiative.
EDUCATION
The Good viii Home Association
conducts a boys Grammar School. a
girls Grammar and a Sewing School,
and a mixed High School, Boys and
girls have free access to the library
which numbers over fourteen thou
sand volumes-a library added to an
nually by the income from the Tut
tie Library Fund Of ten thousand dol
lars. Much attention is given to both
vocal and instrumental music; an or
chestra contributes much to the in
terest of many public occasions; a
splendid pipe organ is powerful
factor: there Is a small collection of
paintings by well known artists
nucleus. l believe. of a still larger
and more valuable collection; nat
ural history mHseum-which is des-
tined to grow. Free lectures are pro-
vided each year. made possible by the
income from the Mayhem Lecture
Fund, of five thousand dollars.
RELIGION
Any system OF education which ig-
nores the spiritual side. will in the
long run prove unsatisfactory. both
to educators and to pupils. The re-