The Winslow mail., 1925-08-04
THE SINGING BOYS.

they believe, and in providing sup
port for projects which have for
their objects the bettering of moral
conditions. especially among young
people. Always have they given
sufficiently to the Boy Scouts, and
last Sunday evening at the concert
of the Whitney Boys Chorus they
again responded to the appeal of
the leader, in way which drew
out his comment that it was the
largest per capita contribution he
had ever received in his many
years work with boys organiza-
tions, and the largest he had ever
heard of being given to any cause
Few people in Winslow knew of
the Whitney Boys Chorus, or the
work of Mr.. H. E. K. Whitney. The
Winslow Mail didn't know, until
after the arrival of the chorus Sun
day afternoon, and an interview
with the leader.
A few years ago Mr.. Whitney be-
gan with four boys in Spokane,
Wash. The quartet in a. few
months grew to chorus of nearly
1000 boys. No church in the city
could hold any audience. Leaving
his boys there under the care of an
assistant, Mr.. Whitney went to
Portland, Ore, and undertook the
training of similar group in the
larger city. His success was
equally as eminent. Two years ago,
leaving his second chorus in COM
petent hands, he went again to d
larger city, Los Angeles, where he
has under training a third group of
1000 boys.
Mr.. Whitney's boys are not gath
cred from the homes of the we'll
to-do, nor even from those families
who can afford to pay for musical
training for their sons Rather are
they the products of the streets,
the tenements, and, in many cases,
orphans without resources of any
kind Included in the dozen prin-
cipal performers Sunday evening
were eight parentless boys who had
been gathered up from an unprom-
ising environment in the coast city,
and trained by Mr.. Whitney
Nothing need be said to the peo-
pie into whose homes these young
boys entered as to what that train
ing has led them. Forty-nine boys
were entertained here over Sunday
night, and forty-nine perfect little
gentlemen entertained the audience
in return.
Mr.. Whitney is now starting a
nationwide movement to provide
his training to boys. Winslow
may have a Whitney chorus, the
agitation for which was a part of
Mr. Whitney's purpose in stopping
here.
The germ of his idea is that if
boy opens his mouth to sing he
opens his heart at the same time
to the reception of the best influ-
ences about him. That his theory
is right is proven by his few years
of work with boys. His method is
based on love and helpfulness' His
charges reverence their leader as
few hcildren do their own parents.
Their trust in him is manifested
by their loyalty to his work, and
their willingness to deprive them
selves that his work may go for
ward.
Hard times have lately visited
the organization, and the long
jumps across the southwest cost
more than was anticipated. AS a
result every boy in the outfit turned
his pocket money into the general
fund Tor transportation ana meals.
Some of the little boys had not one
penny left to buy the little GIN
cracks dear to 10-year-old heart
Others had few dimes, and one
lucky chap had Ole, from which he
just had to buy pair of tiny In
dian moccasins on a card, at a cost
of zoe, to send to his little sister
for her doll.
Winslow will watch with a keen
er interest, for having befriende6
in a critical moment, a movement
that promises within a few years tC
sweep the country as no altruistiC
movement has ever done before.