WORK AMONG BOYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21114, 23 February 1932, Page 11

WORK AMONG BOYS.

ACTIVITIES OF Y.M.C.A.

MOULDING OF CHARACTER. BIG BROTHER MOVEMENT. The activities of the Boys' Work Committee of the Y.M.C.A. were outlined by its chairman, Mr. H. G. Fountain, at the. Auckland Rotary Club's luncheon held in Milne and Choyce's Reception Hall yesterday. "There arc to-day thousands of boys unable to find employment and in their homes there are fathers, brothers and sisters also out of work," said Mr. Fountain. "The boys hear talk of present-day conditions, and they speak of changing this condition of things and of what is being done in other countries, such as Italy and Russia. This is a menace confronting us. It is a psychological principle that boys are possessed of the "gang" spirit. Boys meet always in gangs, and it depends upon the leadership which way a gang goes." A tribute was paid by Mr. Fountain to the work done among boys by the Boy Scout movement, by the Bible classes and by schoolmasters, referring particularly to the influence of the late Mr. .T. W. Tibbs, formerly headmaster of the Auckland Grammar School. The Boys' Work Committee of the Y.M.C.A., he said, started in 1910 with a membership of 50 boys. To-day there were 800 members between the ages of 12 and 18. Upon reaching the age of 18 the boys went into the Young Men's Division. About 80 different trades and professions were represented in the boys' families. Boys wero taken of all grades, of any nationality or none, of any denomination or none, and all were treated exactly alike.

An attempt was being made this year to enablo any boy to take a gymnasium course without payment of a fee. Lifesaving, swimming, cricket, football, debates, public speaking and entertainments were among the other activities. The boys were encouraged to give expression to their thoughts and to entertain the:r fellows at concerts and in other ways. During the holidays visits were paid to various industries around the city and the boys were given vocational talks. Some stock was taken of the suitability of the boys and suggestions were made of the lines they should follow. "The Big Brother movement is one of our-most important activities," said Mr. Fountain. "It is easy to fine boys coming before the Children s Court, but it is difficult to know what to do to prevent them from coming back. A 'big brother' is found for every delinquent, and he reports to the Child Welfare officer at intervals upon what the boy under his charge has been doing. Under this scheme the Y.M.C.A. has had charge of 471 delinquents, and in 96 per cent, of the cases has been successful." There was a hostel at Mount Albert, for wards of the State, not delinquents. There were 15 boys at the hostel under the charge of the matron and her husband. The hostel was financed by the Government and the Costley trustees. "We are not told where the boys come from, and we do not ask," said Mr. Fountain. Appreciation was expressed by Mr. Fountain of the great help given by the Rotary Club in establishing the camp at Hunua by collecting between £9OO and £IOOO for the erection ot the lodge. He said that 3600 bovs had been in the camp. For character-forming the camp provided the best opportunity, as the boys were there for six weeks at a time.