BOYS' INSTITUTE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 195, 13 May 1919, Page 6

BOYS' INSTITUTE

ITS AIMS AND ITS SUCCESS. The 'annual mooting of subscribers and friends of the Wellington' Boys' lnstituto and S. A. Ehodcs Home for Boys mil lie held to-night. . The report' to bo presented to the meeting gives a very complete account of the activities of tills very useful institution, the objects of which aro to train in ways of rectitude boys of all classes, by. giving them healthy recrca- • tion, by encouraging them to take up such hobbies as music, and even by boarding and lodging those without homes in, the city; aud so keeping them from the evils that may come in the way of boys spending th'eir spare time aimlessly aud out of control. Following are two extracts from tna annual report, which show with what suc< cess the work of the Institute is attended:— "Our members range torn nine to eighteeu years of age, and about 800 have signed on 6inco this new building in lasman Street was opened. Of this number we have retained about 500, which speaks well for the popularity of the institution. Every night we have irom 150 to 200 boys engaged in soino sort of pleasure pt n healthy nature in placo of being in tho streets' open to their many temptations. On Sunday evenings, at our religions service, from fifty to eighty boys are generally present, many of whom never enter anv other place of worship. "The /boarding department was comrnenced at the beginning of the year, and is now in full swing. It is proving ot especial benefit to working boys aud sous of fallen soldiers, as we board, lodge, wash and mend lor the boys for from 10s. to 15s". per week, according to what (hey earn. 'There is a monthly loss of about .620 on this department, despite the strictest economv, but this loss must bo expected in view df tho low charges. During the late influenza epidemic the v holo of the bovs and most of the staff were down at some time or other, and.it speaks well for the care that was shown them that not one succumbed, although numbers were dying every day in the same street around them."