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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 13, 1907)
THE SUNDAY OREG0X1AN, PORTLAND, OCTOBER 13, 1907. Bbotheb Barnabas unique Home where BOYS ABE HOSTS AND SUNDAY BASE BALL AND BILLIARDS AfcE ENCOURAGED THE SUNDAY AFTERNOON BASEBALL GAME. ISAM ENCOURAGED INSTITUTION OF" THE HOME- ; te' M- :U?:m 7 - r i . awi WmM vffrr f ::"crv l IJ P 1 ; - K'ajt'' (X " ' 'WlR5Bl NO WHOLESOME FORM OP REOSOTOM I . V- AN V '-'w8Wlnr i'TTrr, baeeeo from st. THE "HOME IDEA IS V. j Ol ZM& Q IfeXlr EFFECTIVELY EXPRESSED . IN THE mpM-- f?' "r -Vfe ' -l PINING ROOM - j " lhft KX GAME "OP.. BILLIARDS- LJl ypi . Th rmarkable but little known uceesaa of the most unique home for walfe In the Vnlted States, aa Man and graphically described by Mrs. Burton herewith. In of direct and special Interest here In Port land, for It shows how a problem that la still to be solved completely In this city has been met and con quered with aplendld results In New York. BY a. MARION BURTON. THERE were boys as we entered the massive Iron gate; bovs In the broad shady avenue leading to the mansion; boys on the piazza; boys here, boys there, boys everywhere; the place was alive with them. And such merry boys, such riotous, happy boys, and. above all, such well-mannered boys, that we stood amazed as we thought that but for the father of the little flock these splendid fellows might be creatures of the street, sleeping In doorways, on wharves, crawl ing into any miserable coverlneT for the night and all through no fault of their own, but through the pitiless poverty that so often' fairly drives the homeless lad to a life of crime. What other oc cupation is open to them? Who will step forward and help them to an honest po sition T Who, in the great vast city, really cares or even knows what becomes of the poor waif? Who cares, did I ask? Why, the Rev. Brother Barnabas c&res, a shrewd, spare little man with love for his fellow be ings glowing from every feature and the milk of human kindness flowing In every vein. I do not deny that there are many men and women in every city of the Union who are earnestly endeavoring to help the friendless, but In all my so ciological investigations I have yet to And as sane and practical a method as that adopted by Brother Barnabas, who In 1902, established St. Philips Home for Industrious Boys, with headquarters in a commodious four-story house at 417 Broome street. New York, where enter tainments are enjoyed In a pleasant as sembly hall and games played in recre tlon hall and billiard room, and evening classes held when the boys return from work in useful studies. Home Versus Institution. i When 1 os"ed Brother harnahas what the Idea of his home was and wherein it differed from other Institutions to help the friendless, his eyes twinkled and he answered: "Why you have Just said it yourself. The terms you used 'Home' and 'Institution' exactly express the Idea. Our desire and one in which 1 fancy we are unique, is to Inculcate In our boys a love for borne and home life, lor in that aione lies the primary strength of the nation. Thousands of friendless boys have passed through the various institutions of the cities in the effort to reolalm and educate them. Considerable time and money have been spent In raring for them. Of ne cessity institutions cannot limit them selves to small numbers of children at and given rime we try to have not above 40 In our home at once, hence In insti tutions, the impossibility of dealing with the boy as an individual and fitting him for the social life of the community after lie leaves the Institution. When he has reached the working age, which is about 14 years, he starts out his new life handi capped when placed alongside the boy who has grown up in the outside world with all the culture and training of fam ily life. At this point In his life, places like St. Philips Home for Industrious Boys would afford the solution of his problem. Then he would find the home conditions that it is impossible to give him in a mere institution, and would re ceive that individual attention to guide him and fit him to take his place in the world according to his gifts of mind and character." No Restrictions. I noticed that the boys at St. Phil ip's Home seemed to be as free aa air and on a visit to their Summer quarters the magnificent Dykman hist ate at 218th Street and Broadway. I &;ked both Broth er John, whom I first met, and later Brother Barnabas, if there were no re strictions placed upon them. Both an swered that they only required the boys to comport themselves as gentlemen, and this they did not attempt to inculcate by precept but by example. They never cen sure the lads, not even about smoking cigarettes, but trust to the subtle influ ences around them to instill the feelings of courtesy and manliness and suggest to them that certain habits are injurious to health. In this connection Brother Barn abas told me a funny story: "There came a boy her not long ago" he said, "who seemed at first to be a hot-blooded little rebel against all the forms of a breeding gentler than that of the streets. At dinner, tha Unt even lug, h looked THE HOME GABDEN IS CULTIVATED WITH INTEREST. AND THOROUGHNESS with disgust upon the napkins, 'Nap Ins' he said. 'Napkins Gee. what a Joint.' No notice was taken of this out burst, however, and by the end of a week this same boy was using his napkin with as much satisfaction as his companions. Source of tbe Recruits. "But where you you find your boys?" I asked. "Oh, here, there . and everywhere," answered the Brother. "Some we are told of by other boys already in the home, some are recommended by the protector ate, others we ourselves find wandering homeless about the streets, and still oth ers come to us through the Influence of our patrons and directors. Although we are a Catholic Institution, we are also "catholic" this with a smile "In that our boys may be of any denominations. We have no enforced religious observ ances save the grace before the meal, and It matters not in what condition a boy comes to St. Philips' Homes, al though only those of good moral char acter and industrious habits are retained. If a boy. no matter what his past, be willing to take advantage of the oppor tunities here, both educational and ethical, but a short time elapses until one sees a decided change in the street waif. He shows a new ambition, owing to. the raising of his standard of living and evinces a very practically demonstrated desire to become honest, self-supporting and a useful member of whatever his station in life." Sunday Baseball. The first time I visited St. Philips' Home I was met by the disappointing news that Brother Barnabas was away, but a red-cheeked boy of 14 offered, most politely to conduct me to the ball field, where he said I would And Brother John umpiring a ball game. ' What!" I exclaimed. "Baseball on Sunday?" "Oh, yes, indeed," he said. "We al ways are allowed to play Sunday after noons." And I soon found that the Brothers con sider there was nothing better for the growing boy after a week of labor than Innocent and hearty exercise in God's good air. The walk was a fairly lone one, as the ball field lay down the river, and the boy,, seeing that T was interested, waxed enthusiastic over the various teams, of which he explained there were four,, from the, -seniors down . to the midgets, as the smallest lads were can nily named. I questioned him on many points, and he told me that all the boys paid their own board, differing in amount accord ing to the wages earned, thus, of course doing away with any idea of charity and Inculcating In them a spirit of self dependence and self-respect and an eager ness o achieve good positions for them selves on their own merits. Each boy also pays for his own clothing, no matter how small a sum, and a more neatly clad, fresh-looking set of lads I never beheld. No uniformity of costume prevails. Each boy selects his own clothing, thus downing any Idea of institutionalism and developing Individuality of choice even in small matters. The boy also told me that they had "no end of fun at the home, and were Just like one great, big family." and that when the boys left the home to board with some family either in town or country, as best suited to the nature of the employment they chose, they felt "awfully homesick at times" and came back to visit Just as often as they could, to see the boys and the Broth ers. In fact, he spoke of it as I have often heard men refer to their college reunions. He said: "When a boy comes back, if he has been getting on well he often adds to the bank account opened with Brother Barnabas when he was here. If things hare gone badly with him, why, he al ways knows he can get help here and a new start that is, if he's been good," he added, reflectively. So I went down to the ball grounds and, meeting Brother John, watched part of a well-played game. ' The Ruling Spirit. It was left for a second visit to meet the ruling spirit of the home Brother Barnabas. He said It would be a better way for me to get a real idea of the boys' life and their satisfaction in it to come and dine with them some evening, right as one of them, than to go by any data concerning the work with which he could furnish me. "But would It not embarrass them," I asked, "to have a stranger, and particu larly a woman, come informally among them?" "Not at all," he replied. "We have vis itors all the time, for one of our chief aims i3 to accustom our boys to the usages of polite society so that they may feel at ease in any company. Come un expectedly at any time and bring any friends you wish." So on a lovely September day two friends and myself entered the Dykman estate grounds and. walking up to the house, inquired of a group of boys for Brother Barnabas. All looked at us with polite, well-bred Interest, but wlthout curiosity. Just as any group of little gen tlemen might glance at strangers entering private grounds. The brother was very- pleased to see us, and, as he was at the moment en gaged, had one of his assistants and a couple of boys to show us over the magnificent estate. It 1b said that beautiful surroundings tend toward some culture, and if this true, , one could not wonder that the boys were so uniformly courteous and not with that forced courtesy that comes from being told "how to behave." but with a truly easy grace. They showed us the conservatory, the picturesque rustic bridges, the walks through a maze of shrubbery as any host might show his guests, aiyi when we admired some-of the flowering trees, gallantly filled our arms with blossoms. Show me an institution boy who could so . deport himself or even any boy of good fam ily from fashionable boarding schools! The Home Iilfe. . , Returning to the house, Brother Barnabas . took us in charge and we went from garret to the chefs de partment In the. basement, where ev erything was as neat and clean aa could be. . We saw . the airy bedrooms furnlBhed with army cots,, and the more luxurious beds In private rooms - for any sick member of the family. We saw the laundry tubs of the great mansion, each with an Ingenious shower attached for the boys to -use after exercising, and Anally we were led to the large dining hall, where my friends and I were separated, each be ing put at a different table with three or four boys of various ages.. The plain dinner was most excellent, a good, thick soup, a roast with vegetables they grow them on their own grounds and finally a heaping plate of ice cream and a generous piece of pie, fol lowed by coffee. In our honor Brother Barnabas treated us and all the boys to "St. Philips' Champagne." No, I am not going to tell you what It was. Tou must go for yourself and see. "A11 Interested friends are welcome!" as Brother Barnahas sayaT Suffice It to say that It was sparkling and delici ous. "It is our object." said Brother Barnabas, "to give each boy our in dividual attention; to train hiB own particular eye In the way best fitted to make him an estimable and useful citizen. The boys come here and we find them positions, and they live here in the home until we think them fitted to be received into some respectable home, which we have found suitable as a boarder. Some have learning to ward country occupation those are sent there. Others cling to the city, and we save them from being cor rupted by vicious boys of their own age, by giving them a happy home to live in, with clean, wholesome pleas ure for a nominal sum not In excess of what they can afford to spare from their incomes. We have ah earnest board of directors in Mr. Frederick W. Floyd, Mr. Richard A. Gowan, Mr. Robert J. Hogart and Mr. George B. Robinson, - and it shows what stand ing our boys attain when you find them in. good positions with prominent firms. Since 1902 about 500 boys have passed under the influence of our home and of this number 75 per cent are doing well, leading self-respecting Christian lives. - Of the balance some are doing but indifferently, but verfcr few have gone "entirely away from the teachings and principles we endeavored to have them Imbibe here." Whence the Financial Support. I. asked him if they received many that 229; rank and file, 117; total, 14S2. Amonir the colonial troops 16 officer and 195 men perished. When Adam found that he was lata I wonder what excuse he made? He could not blandly tell his. mate while presents of books, pictures. w" n Te" E aey.a; Because acme clerk had gone away, contributions and he told me When Adam Got Home Iate. Chicago Record -Herald. WhAti Eve nat in the shade at night And waited while the momenta passed Of course she did not have the right When Adam come in haste at last To call him names or pull his hair Or turn her back to pout or pine. Because her loving: husband n'er Brought any strangers home to dine. games and outings were gratefuly re ceived, he preferred any other dona tions to come in the form of a person joining the home as a patron. To be come such costs $10 and no single sub scription is allowed to exceed that. By becoming patrons people visit the home and show a personal Interest i the work and the boys, encouraging them by friendly intercourse. Presently we adjourned to the music room, where an altogether unexpected pleasure awaited us. Under the direc tiop of an able musical director the boys had assembled with every sort of Instrument, and very creditably per formed several selections and ended with - a rousing song;, "St. Philip's Home' in which everybody joined with enthusiasm. The thought of what was and what "might have been" In the lives of these boys so earnestly sing ing was enough to bring tears to one's eyes tears of rejoicing. We were all so pleased that w entirely missed an engagement we had In the city and took our departure In haste, escorted to the subway by several of the boys. If, every city in the United States would adopt the St. Philips idea and model a home of Its own along- the same lines, what blessings might re sult. Aa Brother Barnabas says, "the field is larsje and there is room for many such." Germany's War Losses In Africa. - London Express. Germany's war in Southwest Africa has cost $50,000,000, which has been spent overcoming the resistance of one or two native tribes. The losses in action were heavy. Eighty-six com missioned officers were killed and the non-commissioned officers numbered There was a lack of lodges, too, In good old father Adam's day. He could not tell her that a train . Had Jumped the track and gone smash. Nor that he had remained to gain A little extra bunch of cash ; He could not hand his wife a check To be for her exclusive use, Thus making her fall on his neck Without demanding an excuse. Tet Adam's case was not so bad. He had no boss to serve, 'tis true; The extra duties that he had Were far between and very few; But If upon his sleeve a hair By any chance was ever blown. Eve never atked how It got there. She always knew it was her own. The Ideal Ho tees. Fuck. Tou are not greeted by the maid. SHE opens wide the door: Buch warmth her we 1 com trigs pervade they thrill you to the core. Tou step into the living-room (Familia non est). One lamp relieves the tender gloom, ana Johnny is suppressed. Perhaps a tire Is burning bright; before aa easy chair; Or bettar still, a softer light is shea from, two eyes there. At first you "talk of many things While slip the moments by; But soon Time swiftly, softly brings The talk of "you and I." The light is dim, the fire Is low. No doubt you guess tlw rest; A pensive sigh the ember's glow You do what you think best. "Good night." "Don't go! That clock U fast." (The tale is quickly told.) ' "NoJ No!" "Oh come, this is the last! . . "My, but your nose is cold!''
