Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/458

 444 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

provide a center for higher civic and social life ; to initiate and maintain religious, educational, and philanthropic enterprises ; and to investigate and improve conditions in industrial districts of Chicago." Without dwelling upon the indirect influence upon the liquor problem of a body of people living in a community for the above purposes, whose influence, though unconscious, can hardly be overestimated, we will consider what they are doing in the line of direct substitution. As before hinted, some of these settlements have taken existing boys' clubs as a nucleus for settlement clubs. When Harry F. Ward became head-worker at Northwestern Settlement, he found in the community a club of young men calling themselves the "Keybosh" Club. They met in saloons, played billiards, and told stories. Mr. Ward became interested, and the settlement furnished A room in an adjoining store, with a combination billiard- and pool-table, and here the " Keybosh," now the Kingsley Club, meets. They were glad of the opportunity. Regular business meetings are held, and men of standing invited to discuss before them various sociological problems and topics of current interest. As one of their members said : "We used to think and talk of nothing but the girls, crack jokes, and plan how to have a good time. Now we have something serious to talk about." It gave them a new view of life. They planned their picnics with Mr. Ward's advice, and seemed proud of their newly developed ability to conduct "regular business meetings." What has been done in this settle- ment is being done in others. Some have gymnasiums, nearly all have boys' clubs, accommodating from one hundred to two hundred every week. Usually the boys spend here one evening every week in games and indoor sports.

There are but twelve settlements, and the boys can spend but one night a week at them ; hence they are not a serious menace to the liquor traffic. But such as they are, and as far as they go, they are direct substitutes, and working along very practical lines.

AMUSEMENT ENTERPRISES.

Not least among the factors that enter into the development of the character of young people are the kinds of amusement