Boyville: A History of Fifteen Years' Work Among Newsboys

An interesting case came to the president showing how one family can disgrace an entire neighborhood; can give a bad name to a whole street. On one of the small narrow streets w...

Do you believe a boy that is good at home, one who is cared for and loved as we often see an only child, could possibly do anything bad on the streets, away from home influence?

The membership increased so rapidly and the detail work became so extended, that it was found necessary to increase the number of officers, from two boys to eleven. The constitu...

The more experience the president had with the street-boys, boys who spent most of their time in selling papers or shining shoes, the greater his desire to keep in close persona...

The reader will observe that when Boyville was well organized no boys were admitted to membership except those who sold newspapers or shined shoes. But later, after many years o...

“Boys,” he said, “rain or shine be at your post, at your corner. Never be out of papers, and never be out of change. Many a good boy who needs money loses a sale for want of hav...

Among the great number of boys who called at the office, none cast such a ray of sunshine about him as a little seller known as Sunny Willie, on account of the smile he always s...

An old lady was standing on the corner waiting for a street car. In her hand she held a small package, a Christmas present for someone. A boy, about fourteen years of age, darte...

On the corner of one of the principal thoroughfares, in a very large city, there was located, fifteen years ago, a small grocery store. In front of the building the enterprising...

The first public appearance of the boys, aside from auxiliary meetings, annual Christmas dinners, attending theatres, entertainments, base-ball games, picnics, etc., and where t...

The individual interest in the monthly auxiliary meetings developed into schools of instructions. The boys began to learn how to debate, how to make a motion, to discuss any sub...

There is no subject that has received so much attention and has worried so many good people as the liquor question. Saloons and drinking never cease to be problems for our well-...

Commercial men, some of our best merchants, sometimes, in their eagerness to make money, forget the first principles of honesty, and often make assertions that upon second thoug...

This incident recalls another case of swearing, and the peculiar method adopted to correct a boy, as well as to influence a family to train their son in the right path. One reas...

The problem of the boy is a great one, and the more we have to do with his life upon the street the greater the task of solution becomes. It is said that two great factors make...

The question is often asked: “Do you want us to go out upon the streets and bring those ragged, dirty boys with us into our churches, and have them sit in the same pew with us?”

Under the great trees were a dozen little boys and girls, and the air was filled with their merry laughter as they excitedly gathered into their baskets the hickory-nuts that Ji...

To the gentleman this was a revelation. The power one boy can have over a gang of boys ought to be used for good. Such vital energy, such quick action, such nerve and endurance,...

On the afternoon, of Tuesday, August 16, 1904, in the magnificent Festival Hall, at the World’s Fair, where were present hundreds of newsboys, representing nearly every State in...

Between sobs and tears they both tried to tell why they were fighting. While telling their story, a boy about fourteen years of age entered the office. He was also crying, but m...

Before Boyville was thought of, a personal investigation into the home-life of over a hundred boys was made, and this covered a period of three years. Of the one hundred who wer...

In the Boyville Association it has always been the rule that, no matter how great a wrong committed by a boy, and the fine or sentence be what it may, if the boy looks forward t...

A few months’ experience with boys who spend most of their lives upon the street, and pride themselves on being tough, will teach one a great lesson. You will learn you cannot r...

Noisy, loud talking, several answering questions at the same time, some turning over books, papers, investigating everything in sight. Sharp, shrewd, busy at every moment, quick...

After more than fifteen years’ experience among the newsboys we can say with considerable force, that the only way to give substantial assistance to the poor boy is to give him...

At almost any time of the day can be seen a man with a two-wheeled cart, slowly circulating around newspaper offices, especially about the time the dailies are out. The newsies...

A dozen or more newsboys can be seen at almost any hour of the day, dodging here and there around the corners, down alleys, or playing in the rear of the circulating offices of...

From the very beginning of the Boyville association there has scarcely been a day without something of importance transpiring among the boys. It has been gradually building up,...

It is hoped that the preceding pages have given the reader some idea of the workings of Boyville, of the self-governing plan carried on successfully for many years. It has demon...

There is a city ordinance in Chicago which prohibits fishing in the lakes of the city parks, and persons caught doing so are treated as trespassers. No one would blame a boy for...

Bundle was a little round, red-faced boy, who always wore a large scarf around his neck, and in most any kind of weather. The sellers were not surprised at any of their number f...

So great became the interest in the success of the Boyville Newsboys’ Association that many additions were made to add to its prosperity, through which the association became fa...

How many prayers have been offered for the salvation of the slums; how many sighs and expressions of regret and sympathy have been given, by well-meaning people, for the “poor a...

Men often lose great opportunities to assist their fellow-men through neglect, through carelessness and indifference. It is so easy to say, “you have my sympathy, you are doing...

Christmas morning came without a cloud in sight. The sun was warm. It was an ideal Christmas day. The boys were to meet at eleven o’clock, but fifty newsies were playing around...

Boyville has made itself known to all classes of citizens, and has attracted intelligent attention throughout the country. The newsboys have learned to work together harmoniousl...

A question is often asked, why young men do not more frequently attend church services. May not one of these reasons be traced to neglect and carelessness on the part of the par...

Newsboys are students. From the necessity of knowing the special happenings of the day, as soon as they receive their papers they quickly read the head lines. First, they can be...

“IF you are going to do anything permanent for the average man you have got to begin before he is a man. The chance of success lies in working with the boy and not with the man....

At one of the auxiliary meetings the question was asked a carrier, why the association “kicked against drinking whiskey when my father drinks four times a day.” In a talk at the...

The membership cards were given first, to show the boys some of the written rules; and, second, that the boys might have something official to show in case they lost their badge...