New Britain herald., 1924-03-25
FIRST DAYS DRIVE
 IS NEARLY S9,OOO.
Lions Stage Mock Funeral--
 Speaker Advised SiOO,OOO Goal

The 1924 United Community cor poration drive went off with a fly ing start. when the reports of the team captains for the first day Of the drive. totaled nearly s9,UoO today al the luncheon Of workers in the Burritt hotel.
 The program was somewhat cniiS- ened bS a mock funeral staged by the New Britain Lions club. which acted as host to the drive workers. IL was during the meal. when the orchestra suddenly struck up well known funeral dirGe and group of silent marchers. armed with shovels. head ed by an "undertaker" and six pail bearers carrying q coffin marched in and placed the coffin on table plac- Cd tor the purpose.
 Rev. John l.. Davis was called upon to preach the funeral sermon and the announcement Was made by William Goidthwaite. president of the Lions club that the drive was being given its right start by burying 'Old Man Gioom."
 "Death is the greatest aide to pro- gress," began the minister, as he an- nounced that it gave him great pleas ure to preside at the funeral. No community can make ral progress until it has a few first class funerals" he said. "Old Man Gloom has a large family. We hope the rest of the fam ils leaves town right after the funeral. We cannot raise any funds as long as Old Man Gloom Is about, so we bury him with rejoicing"
 Ono of the most eloquent addresses heard in this city for some time, filled with inspiring features was that giN- on by Fred Stevenson. for lG y"urs director of the Boys club of Spring field. Money can always be raised if the people have faith in the thing they 90 after" began MT, Stevenson.
 He took as his theme the under is Of the typc who never have a chance to make the most Of their pos abilities. He showed how the under privileged boy is the boy who is brought up under demoralizing influ- cncos. neglected and in the wrong en- v!ronment. He neyclops the gang spirit and admires that boy who boasts the loudest of his contempt for the school teacher or how he can out wit the policeman. He develops an admiration for the boy who becomes the neighborhood torment, who has n slick way or avoiding the law anu is clever al petty thefts.
 llo said that out of iSS Eunmcn. mail robbers and sluggers arrested in Chicago everyone said Inc had son" wrong by following out his "ariN training. "rhe under-prfilegcd boy.' he said, "is thc boy who is always in danger of becoming the rotten peach in the basket uf ripe fruit"
 lie told how most Of the lnbor comes from inc ranks of the under privileged boy, stating that there are 6, ,eoa 0en such boys in ihe United States, and that these boys usually prove fertile soii for tho labor nei- tnior. "The only way for industries to get efficiency is to train these boys in stability and honcsty Of pur- pose"
 Ilc said industry and commerce spend much money in training these boys when they enter Their ranks. bnt the money should be expended bc;ore that period.
 Dlyrrgins 10 the lbcai drive hn said New Britain is spending ohit 70 cents per capita in iis drive Tor sap.n60, while liolyeke, city or the san ne size. is ont to raise sao.pon, md ibaf the sba.0n0 in this city is only 4o per cent or The average amount per capita usually needed.
 .ponf go after sj0.0od." he sad. Co after :leo,0do. and youll get It."
 Iio said thc- boys clubs and etrls' clubs and scout organizations help To lessen inc problems Of the under privileged boys and girls by teaching them honesty of character and habits of industry. and that these same or- ganizotions arc teaching coialn"f"r. and industry that these traits have s money value.
 Ifc teld some siori"q that were actually thrilling or how boys. "ho accepted challenge. of big bnsin'Fs- men in Springfield put across all sorts of big projects under tho most discpuraging circumstances.
 "If yon and 1 will giv" our boys and girls 2 squcrc deal. they will build grca;tr New Britain than we ever thought of." he said.
 The first reports of Inc drive were as follows: