The Barnwell people-sentinel. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1925-current, July 16, 1936, Image 3
N
Thie Barnwell People-Sentinel, Barnwell 8. C- Thnreday, July 16, 1936
BOYS GOVERN THIS NEBRASKA TOWN
1 • r ^
Its Name Is Boys Town, and Its Guiding Star, Father Flanagan, Has
Given 4,000 Homeless Urchins a Fair Chance in Life.
Only half of these boys were
Catholics. They came from 38
states, the District of Columbia,
Canada, Alaska, China and Mexico.
The boys are taught trades or
business pursuits or farming, as
their abilities and ambitions dic
tate. -Tennis, baseball, football,
track and other sports, as weH as
sanitary and hygienic education, en-
By WILLIAM G. UTLEY
l
T EN miles west of Omaha, Neb., there is a community with the
romantic name df Boys Town. It is just as romantic as its
name, for, with the exception of a handful of supervising old
sters, it is peopled entirely by boys of sixteen or less. It has a
boy mayor, a boy chief of police and it is governed by an elected
commission of boys who live there.
Boys Town! It sounds like something manufactured in a dream!
It is.
“Upon entering Boys Town* a boy realizes that he is stepping
into a new world," says its high school sophomore mayor, Dan Kam-
pan. “And," His Honor adds, “that<$.
boy realizes that this new world
will be just what he makes of it."
The dream that became Boys
Town had its beginning some twen
ty years ago, in the mind bf a
young Catholic priest, Edward J.
Flanagan, then newly ordained. He
became interested in the derelicts
and misfits who were inmates of
the Omaha city jail and, with the
spirit of the true humanitarian,
practiced such kindnesses upon
them that they began to confide in
him. In the pity of their life stories
was born the mission to which Fa
ther Flanagan has since commit
ted himself.
Fed Hungry Misfits.
He visited more sinners against
society in the police courts, until
he decided to help the miscreants
keep out of jail by providing them
food and shelter in the cold winter
months and trying to steer them
back to the ways of righteousness
and happiness. It was an over
whelming task, for many of them
were hopeless drunks and dope
fiends and some even criminals.
“But in our working men’* ihrlter, a
hungry man was just a hungry man.”
soys Father Flanagan. “IT# asked no ques
tions. At times u-e sheltered and fed as
many as 500 of them in a single night.
The aceommodahant see were ahle to
fire them seer* pitifully inadequate.
There ju*t Hasn't the money. Humanity
so easily forgets that men are their broth
ers' keepers. It ho* discouraging seork,
but with the aid of Cod wo persexered.
Funds to carry on seer* scraped together
sekoeesrer see could get them ~
The priest and his friends began
to study their guests, in an attempt
to discover the causes that lay at
the bottom of their troubles. Com
plete case histories were kept on
1.000 of them, until it became ap
parent that most of them were the
result of neglected or homeless
childhoods. Father Flanagan and
his sasociates concluded thst if
they were to save men of this type
they must begin with the grass
roots and save them as children
That was the beginning of the
dream of Boys Town.
With • borrowed capital of fOO
the first month's rent was paid on
a bouse in Omaha, and in it to live
went Father Flanagan and five
boys, two of them newsboys who
had been sleeping in the working
men's shelter and the others boys
who had been entrusted to his care
by the juvenile court. With amaz
ing quickness the news of the new
haven for homeless boys spread and
in practically no time it was filled
beyond capacity.
Donations Finance Work.
It was hard going in the early
days, for Father Flanagan’s Home,
then as now, was supported entire
ly by the donations of friends and
sympathetic persons. Then, as now.
it admitted boys regardless of race
or creed, and gave them the best
it had. The best, on the first Christ-
veloped into an institution made up
of 10 large buildings, amongst
which are a modemly equipped
gymnasium containing a swimming
pool, handball courts, boxing ring,
stage, and an auditorium which
has been rated as one of the best
in the Middle West.
Many Help Work Farm.
“Our farm, of 320 acres on which
four bams are located, produces
partial upkeep of the boys. It is
equipped with machinery to plant
and harvest its produce," Dan con
tinues.
“The print shop, which is part of
the office building, contains enough
machinery to publish 110,000 copies
of the 16-page magazine published
monthly by the boys. All other
printing necessary for the main
tenance of our Home is done by the
boys.
“The recreational section of Boys Town
IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
UNDAYI
chool Lesson
Br aav. y.-». fitzwater. d. d.
Member of Faculty. Moody Bible
Institute of Chicago.
© Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for July 19
SOCIAL SERVICE IN THE EARLY
CHURCH
LESSON TEXT — Acts 4:32-35; 11
Corinthians 8:1-9.
GOLDEN TEXT—He aaid: “It la more
blessed to alve than to receive."—Acts
20:35.
PRIMARY TOPIC—How Jesus’ Frltnds
Shared.
JUNIOR TOPIC—When Christians See
Others In Need.
'-INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPIC—Chriatlans Sharing With Oth
ers.
YOUNO PEOPLE AND ^ ADULT
TOPIC—Christians and* Social Service.
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Beys T*wb Makes This City Waifs Dream Ceme Tree
•f e
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Mayer Tells His Story.
Only II months ago. the unusual
community was incorporated at a
village. It has a second-class post
office, and If you write a letter to
anyone there, your reply will come
postmarked "Boys Town. Neb.**
The mayor of Boys Town faces
problems daily that few mayors in
the land become acquainted with
very well in an entire term. You
would expect Mayor Den Kampan
to know as much about the town
as any of its 217 inhabitants. 1 have
invited him to tell about it as he
knows it:
“First," says Dam Kampan. “let me call
yotsr attention to the spirit of the home
less boy. best poetarsed by the athletic
teams which are trained by conchas at
Boys Town.
"Every instructor at Boys Town
realizes the spirit of co-operation
involved in the making of good ath
letic teams. Last year this spirit
was brought out by the splendid
f i
football fwld tennis
a cinder
strong
Social service in the early Church
was a by-product of the gospel and not
the gospel Itself. Those who are saved
by the gospel will show their concern
for their fellows, especially those who
are fellow members of the body of
Christ.
I. Characteristics of the Primitive
Church (Acts 4:31-35).
1. It was a praying church (▼. 31).
The early Christians for every want and
need betook themselves to God In pray
er. Their faith caused them to go to
the living God, believing that their
needs would be supplied.
2. The Spirit-filled church (v. 31).
When they prayed, the place was shak
en wherein they were gathered togeth
er and they were all filled with tho
Holy Spirit.
3. It was a church which had great
boldness In preaching the Word of God
(▼. 31). The ministers of the Spirit-
filled church will not offer any apology
for the Bible, but will preach It
4. It was a united church (v. S3).
They were all of one heart and aouL
5. It was a generous church (v. 32).
They held nothing back from thoaa
who had need. The needs were sup
plied from a common fund. This was
not Communism any more than when
the church today helps from a com
mon fund those who have need.
6. The ministers bad a powerful tep-
tlmony (v. 33).
7. It was a church whose members
possessed unblemished character (v.
33). Great grace was upon them alL
II. Genaroua Act of Barnabas (Acts
4:36. 37).
He sold a piece of land and turned
over all the proceeds to be used foe
those la need. It la not said that Bar
nabas sold all the land he had. His
act. therefore, cannot la say real aei
he used as a precodent for a comi
ally of goods la the church.
III. ttsphen the Dsacon (Acta6:1-9).
As soon aa the church had relief
from external troubles, difficulties sr
withla. Up t# this time It would as
that tho problems of tho church wi
la tho hands of tho apostles. A c
gregatloaal meeting was called, the
case placed before tho church, and
tho church Instructed to select see
sports see fad that the
lor are football, baseball, tennis, bosket
bell end ell muter sports.
Jaa. IS Is Election Day.
"Tho band, which Is known all
over the United States, Is made up
of SO pieces, all boys under the age
of eighteen. The popularity of our j ea men of good reputation and Spirit
musical organizations is proven by | filled, to administer the
the mvUaiions for persona) appear
ances A our neighboring states,
such as banquets, picnics, parades
and sport programs.
"On January 15. 1936. Boys Town
held its second annual election, for
the purpose of electing a governing
body.
"In the voting booths Installed,
each boy voted a straight ticket for
one of the two parties, the Help
Boys Town and the Build Boys
Town. After this the votes were
counted in the presence of both
candidates for the mayoralty. When
the results were announced it was
found that the Help Boys Town
eS
Desperate Measure
She—The doctor has forbidden
me to cook.
He—Why, are you ill? /
She—No, my husband is.
Worth a Battle
Magistrate—For two years you
two men fished together peace-,
ably, and yet you had to fight)
over this fish. *
Prisoner—You see, sir, it was
the first one we ever caught I
His Proxy
“Who’s the girl I saw you say
ing good-by to just now?”
"Er—the sister of an old friend
of mine."
“Any reason why you should
kiss her?"
“Yes. I'm awfully fond of
him."
Mayor Dan Kampan of Boys Town (Holding Paper) Presides Over a Meeting of the City Council.
mas day, that of 1917, was a barrel
of sauerkraut. Together they all
knelt and prayed that a nation
would forget the hatreds and ex
citements of war long enough to
help them to live a real, American
life.
Their prayers must have been answered,
for shortly afterward Father Flanagan was
successful in financing the purchase of
1.60 acres of farm which had lain idle
and neglected for years. The farm had a
few flimsy frame buildings, but they
promised shelter, and food could ba se
cured from the land.
Today, through Father Flana
gan’s untiring efforts and the finan
cial help of thousands of friends,
who gave what they could, however
little it was, them are 10 fine, mod
ern buildings and the well-operated
farm covers 360 acres. Nearly 4,000
boys, once homeless and friendless,
have been built into good American
citizens with every prospect of a
fair deal from life.
records our teams established, often
having to overcome odds that were
thought invincible. Our football
team often came from behind in
the last minutes of play to over
come their opponents.
Boys Are Happy Lot.
“The boys in general are a happy
and very appreciative group of
vboys. They, at all times, are willing
to jump at the opportunity of help
ing their friends and boys who have
no friends.
“From all parts of the United States
homeless and abandoned boys receive
shelter ana food at Boys Town," Dan
goes on. “In this manner they are brought
together and after spending a few months
at Boys Town they understand some of
the boys, and learn many facts of that
part of the country that this or that boy
came from.
“When Father Flanagan rented a
building for his first Home, it was %
simple structure located in Omaha.
Through the past 18 years it has de
party was the victor by nine votes!
The party consists of a mayor and
six commissioners, each having his
various duties and assignments to
fulfill.
“Among the most important of these
duties is that of disciplining the boys,
which is accomplished through the City
Council and a Board of Advisors headed
by Father Flanagan, which meets twice
a week to discuss various points concern
ing the welfare of the boys. This is but
one of the chief duties of the governing
body. Other duties are taking care of
minor infractions of rules and boys who
causa disturbances by fighting and con
tinuous disobedience.
Father Flanagan and Boys Town
insist “there is no such thing as a
bad boy." They have seen too many
youngsters, once characterized as
“bad boys,” grow, after given a
home, fMcnds and a fair chance in
life, into men who have become
leaders in the business and social
world.
9 WMtera N«wap*p«r Uatea.
(l««. giving tto apostles time for
prayer sod (be ministry of God’s Word.
Among the seven deacons thus rbosso,
Stephen had* first placs. While en
gaged In hla duties aa s deacon, he
• trang Into the light aa an eloquent
and powerful preacher.
IV. The Good Deeds ef Dorcas (Acts
9:36-43).
Dorcas was a practical Christian
woman. Shs was full of good works
and almsdeeds which aha did, not what
she talked of doing. Her death was a
real loss If all professing Christian
women would use their needles as Dor-
ca.» did, there would be mors real tes
timony for Christ.
V. Christian Stewardship (11 Cor.
8:1 9).
1. Examples of true Christian be
nevolence (vv. 1-5). The liberality of
these Macedonian churches exhibits
practically every principle and motive
enter’Into Christian giving.
a. The source of true giving (v. 1).
is said to be the grace of God.
b. They gave from the depths of
their poverty (v. 2).
c. Their willingness surpassed their
ability (v. 3).
d. They were Insistent on being al
lowed the privilege of giving (v. 4).
e. They first gave themselves to ths
Lord (v. 5).
2. Emulation of Macedonian benev
olence urged (vv. 6-15). r
a. Not as a command (v. 8). Ac
ceptable giving must be spontaneous.
b. As proof of the sincerity of lovs
(v. 8). Sincere love Is benevolent ac
tion toward the object loved.
c. As the completion and harmony
of Christian character (v. 7).
d. The self-sacrificing example of
Christ (v. 9).
e. The true principle upon which
gifts are acceptable to God (vv. 10-12).
The motive of the giver determines the
value of the gift.
f. Every Christian should give some
thing (vv. 13-15).
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Foreign Words f
and Phrases
Ad unguem. (L.) To the finger
nail; to • nicety.
Au di alteram partem (L.)
Hear the other side.
Chapeaux baa! (F.) Hats off!
De novo. (L.) From tho
ginning; anew.
Errare humanum est. (L.) To
err is human.
glows (L t., goes on actively).
Homme d’eeprtL (F.) Man of I
intellect; wit.
Id est. (L.) That is (abbrevt-l
a ted l. «.).
Jeunesse do ret. (F.) Gilded
youth; wealthy young men.
Lusus naturae. (L.) A freak of
nature.
Malgre nous. (F.) In spite of us.
Noblesse oblige. (F.) Nobility |
compels.
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V rue
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the one. Indeed, on whose Inductive
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Waato of Life
The true waste of life consists la the
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