New Britain herald., 1922-01-06
RECORD CROWD
 AT BOYS CLUB
Almost 1000 Boys and Parents See PeTl0rInance--Band Plays

Hurrah. Yay, Hip! Hip, came from the lusty throats of 7S3 boys under l6 years Of age, while l04 parents held their hands over their ears and imagined they felt the foundation of the Boys clnb gymnasium shake, ast night. It was the first oi series of public entertainments nr- ranged by Superintendent Marshall R, Cook of the club.
 92i People Present..
 Mir. Cook had extended an invita- ton to all boys under lG years Of age in the city to be present and bring their parents. The invitation was accepted so enthusiastically that the spacious gymnasium housed a larger crown than ever before.
 The 400 chairs placed there prior to the performance, were contemn- tuously ignored by many of the boys who, in true boy fashion squatted on the floor leaving the chairs for older brothers and sisters. parents and guests. It is figured the room, which is the largest gymnasium in the city, was about two-thirds filled.
 Compliment From Dow.
 This is the kind of thing that is keeping the boys out of juvenile court remarked Commissioner Charles F. Dow, of the Bureau oi Child Welfare, as he stood in the doorway and gave the crowd the "once oycr." while the band struck up a military march. Superintendent Cook was justly proud of the attend ance and made no apologies Tor boasting of the fact that the young sters were very well behaved and there was no real disorder.
 An Eaglc-Eycd Audience.
 It was a sight well calculated to stir the emotions to see almost SOD boys sprawled out on the floor ana watching the performance With ln- terest. So keen was this interest that w. C. Smith, of Hartford, comedy magician, who has me especially for boys, had to be on ms guard every minute to see that some smart young man with an eagle eye did not trip him up on one or ms tricks. And. much to the amuSc- ment of the boys, he did get trlpped m once The old time hat trick, where the magician holds a derby . i
 wards of ribbon or twne, as the case may be, slipped a ocg' when d future presidential possibility not only pulled the end of the twine, but to expedite matters, calmly took the en- tire ball right out of the hat
 "Hurray, you got stung that tune, came d spontaneous shout from the crowd
 Bows Were Pleased.
 And then it was that the building seemed to rock with cheers and yells. Boys howled and shouted anu whistled. They clapped their hands and stamped their feet until the noise was so deafening one could almost see lit. And the louder the boys hoWled the broader became the smile on the face of their superintendent. Time after time MT. Smith delib- erately made an error in his trlcks' or stopped to ask a question, and al most as quick as lightning shouts from all over the room told him o1 the error.
 Band and Orchestra Music.
 The performance opened with three | selections by the Boys club band, | after which a two reel picture Of soap making in modern factory was shown. Mr. Smith gave two perfor- mances; a two reel picture of Charlie Chaplin in "The Bank" was shown. | This was followed by a two real pie l ture of swimming stunts in various speeds which illustrated the different muscular movements, and a nature picture of well known birds. The Boys club orchestra played between l reels.
 Souvenir cakes of soap were given to the parents and Welcome home watch fohs,' donated by the Cham ber of Commerce, were given the |,