THE BOYS' FRIEND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11028, 17 March 1914, Page 2

THE BOYS' FRIEND.

ARRIVAL OF MR W. H. BABCOCK'S SUCCESSOR. A CHRI ST CHURCH MAN. Mr P. iVL Velvin, the new director of the Boys' Gordon Hall, who is succeeding Mr W. H. Babcock in Christchurch, has arrived in the city from 'the United States. Interviewed by a "Lyttelton Times" representative, Mr Velvin gave an interesting account of his experiences in America, where he has been for about a year. Mr Velvin is a native of Christchurch, and went to the United States to be trained in the work which his predecessor, Mr Babcock, aptly called " taking an interest in the lads." After attending the Boys' Workers' Conference in Indiana, which was attended by 260 delegates hailing from thirteen different countries, Mr Velvin went to Pittsburg, where he engaged in ''community work," the term used m America for that branch of work which consists in getting in touch with the incoming foreign population and imbuing its members with American ideals and educating them in the principles of American citizenship. Here he also did a good deal of work in connection with the boys' branch of the Pittsburg Y.M.C.A., which has 400 boy members. While in America, Mr Velvin met Mr nabcock, and the latter stated that it "as probable that he would return to kew Zealand in the near future, since he thought that his activities would be more effective in the dominion than elsewhere. Mr Velvin was particularly impressed with the thoroughness of the Americans in the field of athletics and sport, generally, and he conceived a genuine, admiration for the gamo of baseball, v.hich he proposed to introduce to New Zerdrmd, through the medium of the Ciiristchurch Gordon Hall, if he considers it desirable to do so after he has had experience of the boys here.

Another feature of the work among the boys in America that Mr Vclvin said had impressed him was the r,cope which' was found for the work in the secondary schools. Circles were formed amongst the boys Cor religious study and talk of an improving character, and the results were- found to be most beneficial. The schoolboys wore dealt with separately from the lnds who wore at work, hut occasionally Hk-v \vn»« all circu opportunities of frnternisi-iy.