Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-26

roster ana tne NUMBER was SIduudiiy
increased until March when there
! bred boys enrolled and it became
necessary to close the membership
books.
When the club reopened in Sep
TENDER after the summer vacation,
membership was made open to all
who cared to join and today there
are SS5 members. For the first five
months that the club was open there
was daily average attendance of
1876 while for the last four months the
average has been 1913, making the
daily average for the whole time that
the institution has been open, 100.
Last Tuesday it is thought more
boys we're at the club at one time
than on any other day in it's history,
$50 being the number. On this oc-
casion the facilities of the club were
taxed to the last extreme, especially
in the gymnasium, but in spite of this
all appeared to have the time of
their lives.
The Physical Department
The gymnasium and the various
branches of athletic activity that the
members indulge in make up bua a
relatively small part of the many
phases of club life but to many they
are of by far the most interest. In
charge of the club is George Bern
hardt of Methuen, Mass, a student
at Colby college and an athlete of no
small ability. Before coming to this
city Bernhard gained much valu
able experience in playground work
in his home city and with the boys
of the club he enjoys the greatest
of popularity.
The major sport at the club is bas-
ketball and already the clubs senior
team is in action. On this team any
boy up to II years of age can play
and the aggregation is capable of
i holding it's own against any of the
, smaller high schools or other boys
organizations. Games are scheduled
| with Oakland and Vassalboro and
games with Clinton and Albion are
pending.
The junior team is not as yet in ac-
! ton but it will be by the first of the
new year.
Still another branch of the basket
ball program is the tournaments that
are played within the club. Last year
there were six teams in the junior
division and four in the senior, and
| the probability is that the number will
be increased this year.
Besides basketball, volleyball, hand
ball and indoor baseball are played
with much gusto and many of the
boys have become experts in these
games 1t is planned to have tum-
bling team in the near future. And
| when the gymnasium is not being sed
| for classes of scheduled games it is
at the disposal of any members who
wish a turn of strenuous exercise.
The number of boys who have taken
mart in some branch of the activities
| of the gymnasium during the last year
| totals 29,111.-
Another thing about the club that
| has been delight to many a mother
| is the fact that more than 1000 boys
have awaited themselves of the chance
| to take a shower bath under the show
| ers in the basement of the building.
| Large bath towels and soap are fur-
nished free by the club and the water
| is always hot.
| The physical exercises at the club
have done much for the health of many
| Of the members and practically all OIL
| the visitors show much interest in the
| facilities. From time to time moth
ers have come to the building and they
| have spoken of the great good that
| has been done their sons by the super.
| vised play. Various teachers in the
| public schools have also noticed that
some boys who are playing each day
| at the club have improved in their
| school work and seem to take more
active interest in life.
| The Supervisors
| At the head of the clubs activities
| is j. Frank Goodrich. Mr.. Goodrich
made for himself an enviable reputa-
| ton as a football player at Coburn
| Classical Institute and later at Colby
College and he has natural ability
| for seeing the needs of boys and of
| appealing to the younger generation.
| He looks after all the affairs of the
club with the closest attention and the
| members look up to him with respect.
Another man to whom much credit is
| due for the success of the club is A.
; +. Armstrong, who supervises the
playrooms and library.
| There are large playrooms for both
| the junior and senior departments of
the club and these are always well
| filled with happy boys. They are
! supplied with pool tables, carroms
and other games. In the near future
! pool and carromS tournament is to
| be carried on ana the members are
| looking forward to this with much
anticipation.
For the boys of a more serious
| trend of mind there is the library.
| in part of the building where there
| is little noise and where there are
| far more books than any one young
f! ster could hope to own. Here also
are the latest boys magazines.
In the parlor of the club is large
graphophone which is for the use of
all members. Recently the fratern-
| tiles at Colby college turned over all
their older records to the club so
| that now there are some $50. To the
members of the club these are all
new and the graphophone is source
of delight at all times.
From time to time the club has
| been the recipient of gifts from local
| friends which have proved to be very
useful. A number of stores have
given clocks and there is not corn
err Of the building from which the
time may not be known. In the par
| lor are three beautiful pictures, the
gift of a local furniture store. A
few days ago a substantial check was
received by the management of the
club from George Song. manger of
| the Chinese American restaurant of
/ this city and it was much appreci-
ated.
| Visitors are welcome to the club
at any time. Last year there were
about 45G interested people who Wis
tied the building and many who came
once were glad to return. What