CLUB FOR CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19720, 20 August 1927, Page 8

CLUB FOR CHILDREN.

BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS. FREEMAN'S BAY EXPERIMENT I DIVERTING THE " GANGS.** FUNDS AND HELPERS NEEDED. In the queer . old octagonal building •which used to be the Napier Street public school the Play Association is doing a most useful work for the boys and girls of Freeman's Bay. a . A couple of months ago it established what is called a "community club" for children who, in the ordinary way, would probably be playing on the streets at night. To-day the club is in use every evening of the week and has a clientele of about 200 boys and 60 or 70 girls: The association, through the kindness of the Auckland Education Board, was given free use of the old school, pending its demolition, which has been fixed for next December. Although having only a few months' occupancy, the workers in charge have made it very fairly comfortable. A downstairs room has been made into a gymnasium, and three rooms upstairs havu been knocked together to form a hall with a small stage. Next door is a reading room and library, and other classrooms are used for various activities. Girls have sole use of the club on Mondays and Wednesdays, and boys on the other five days of the week. The idea of starting it grew naturally out of the as sociation's work in conducting organised play in the parks on Saturday afternoons and at other times. It was found that many children from poor homes in Freeman's Bay had no place of resort after tea except the streets. One result of this was that boys of various ages congregated in gangs and eventually found themselves in the Children's Court for petty offences. Formation of "Tribes." When the club was opened about the beginning of June these gangs promptly invaded it with the object of joining in whatever fun it could provide, or failing that, of making some fun themselves Those in charge wisely accepted the boys for the young ragamuffins they were, gave them the run of the building, and suggested they should devise a means of carrying the organisation on. This plan succeeded perfectly. It was agreed the boys should divide themselves into four "tribes," according to age, each with its leader. One tribe was to use the club on one night of the week, another on another, and so on. An initiation ceremony, such as boys love, was invented and put into use. The fireplace in the hall was declared to be the campfire, and every new brave was required tp write his name on a piece of wood and put the latter into the flames, in token that his old name was out of nse and he belonged henceforward to the tribe. Up to 60 or 70 boys now use the club on an average evening. There are boxing, gymnastics, ping-pong and other games, "and a start has been made with classes in boot repairing, signwriting, and .woodworking. On Sunday evenings some of the boys like to sit round the fire and read. Discipline is maintained by the lads themselves simply by a natural adaptation of the team instinct. They realise that if there is to be fun there must be some sort of order. Amusements for Girls. The girls, who are divided into four age-groups, have folk dancing, little plays and concerts, basketball and needlework. For both boys and girls there is a buffet at which a cup of cocoa and biscuits may be had for a penny. There is also a penny bank, which allows interest, on sums of 10s and upwards. A subscription of Is a year to the club is fixed for school.children, and one cf 2s 6d for those who have left school. An endeavour is made to keep' in touch with the parents, and visits are paid to homes when sickness is reported. The Play Association's immediate problem is to. find, more voluntary helpers and more funds for carrying on the work so well begun. After December it will also have to move to a suitable new T building. To raise monev it intends to hold a fair in the Drill Hall during the last week in October. This, it is hoped, will bring the project more under public notice, besides yielding something in hard cash.