Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/866

 846 THE AMERICAN JO URN A L OF SOCIOL OG Y

by. The German family from which he came was rather noted for indulgence in the use of wines and highly spiced foods. The little Arabs of the club laughed at this boy's obscenities, but passed them by as matters not particularly interesting to them.

The boys' club in our cities supplements, and in some cases takes the place of, the uncomfortable, unwholesome, unhomely home. "Home" for the street boy too often means a crowded room or two into which he may creep, late at night, and with fear and trembling if the day's business has been bad. In such a place he seeks but to crawl unobserved into some corner where, without washing or removing his clothes, he may rest his tired body and lose his troubled young soul for a few hours in the unconsciousness of sleep. Even when his home is fairly clean and comfortable, blessed with motherly love and fatherly care, there is usually so much privation, such stinting of whole- some childish joys, such gnawing anxieties, such grinding, inces- sant toil, that the boy craves some cheering, brightening, social life outside. The same need that drives his father, after a day of monotonous, uninteresting toil in the factory or the rolling- mill, to the saloon, drives the boy to the club-house ; and there the lover of childhood may find him, and find that he will tax all the patience, all the love, that can be brought to bear upon him there.

I have talked with many people on the subject of boys' clubs, and have found that one great barrier to their multiplica- tion is the belief that nothing can be accomplished in them without great expenditure of money. This is, I think, a mis- take. We have in this country a few well-known club-houses for boys, reared and equipped with great outlay of money, and also with great care and wisdom, I am sure. Those who are privileged to work with the appliances of gymnasiums, bath- rooms, manual-training rooms, and libraries which these provide, are happy indeed, and should do effective work under such favoring conditions. But these things, desirable and helpful as they are, are not indispensable. Have them if you can you who feel moved to take a hand in this noblest rescue work; rejoice over them with exceeding great joy, if they come to