ELTHAM BOYS’ HOME.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 32, 12 May 1916, Page 6

ELTHAM BOYS’ HOME.

VISITORS FROM STRATFORD. ! j . j i (By Motor Car.) The unfavorable weather of yesterday morning bade fair to spoil the prospects of visitors to the Elthum Boys’ Horae ) but gradually the sun shone ; out, the rain clouds scattered, and by noon the weather was about perfect. At two o’clock -cars began to

I appear in front of the Stratford Post Office, and soon there were five wellIk'den - l , 3t* i ihatn. | Arrived at the gates of the I Home, .tlje p’erh, jpet. by- a eptnpany of (boys^Jipfed, up' ofi '%f|fer (side pf thpitjdibk, and as the visitors passed' jtfyrpugh thciri-pijcbty cheers oh welcome |-is#g out- ; Adjutant.-and Mrs-Scpifiey -ppeftiyed j'jthe uvisitdi&p' escorted .thehi ,tp jilie-ijpliiiidid tlinih'fr room of Kfoine 1 , where Adpitant'Cook brief--' ly, welcomed the '-gueyfjs,'' . and stated jthaif the- manager wife would have gfeat pleasure in answering any question relative to the Home and its work. Adjutant Scotney then spoke of his pleasure at seeing so many Stratford friends present, and expressed the belief that they had- not come

merely to see so much timber bfil the prospective citizen represented by the boys in training and under Army care. He mentioned the fact that the. Home was not an industrial # homo- in iho sense of receiving boys of the incorrigible order, but rather that they were orphans or serai-orphans,, and while some had patents living, they wore dpi’ such undesirable domestic surroundings that they were worse off really than if the parents were both dead. • An inspection was then made of t!iK

fine dormitories, apd when the? lacliffe qt’vthe party saw the beautifully smooth beds with their snowy white quilts and spotlessly clean bedding, ami were told that the, boys had dope the work they expressed great delight,, and Were not slow to emphasise the fact to certain of their own friends—- “ Done by boys, mind you!” The question was often heard, “Where do they keep their clothes?'’ The answer was found when they arrived at the “dressing room,” where, beneath neatlyhanging red curtains, were the boys pyjama suits i each on its particular hook, everything pointing to strict attention to neatness and order. The schoolroom and the kitchen next claimed attention, and the admirauon of the ladies for the range and general appointments of this part of the house was great. When the guess assembled in the dining-room again, it was to hear the boys sing the National Anthem of the Allies— Belgium, Italy, France, Russian and British were each sung—everyone standing at the singing of “God Save the King.” The manager then asked the Mayor of Stratford to say a few words to the boys, and Mr Boon gave a very pleasing talk to the hoys, who afterwards gave three ringing “hip, hip, hurrahs.” The hoys then retired to the schoolroom, after which the visitms were,served with afternon tea. Looking over the grounds (ten acres altogether) under cultivation, it was very noticeable that much is being done towards self-support by strict attention and intense cultivation.

By. four p.m. the cars began to move homeward towards Stratford. Among the visitors were: The Mayor and Mayoress of Stratford O.fr am! M rs J. \\ Pronb Mcstlauios F. Foley. Wilson, Reid, McMillan, Sang,stir, and Hip

Misses Petrie, Stavelev,Sangster.Boon, and others whose names were not known to the writer. Messrs G. X. Curtis. A. W. Reid, G. Sangster, and J. McMillan pronounced the visit as most pleasureahle, and all of ibo visitors were loud in their praise of the cleanliness of the Home, the healthy appearance of the boys, and the good Christian work being carried on.