1892 Article about Albany Club

This post is about a Club article printed in The Argus, which was a newspaper published in Albany, NY, with various iterations, including: The Albany Argus & City Gazette (1825-1827), The Albany Argus (1828-1856), and The Argus (1865-1999).

The Albany Boys' club article appeared on page 8 of the November 19th edition in 1892. It is presented in its entirety below with bolded elements added for emphasis.

The Argus, 19 November 1892

GOOD WORK BEING DONE BY THE BOYS' CLUB

Some Facts and Figures That Indicate Succuss to a Marked Degree in the New Organization - A Committee Appointed to Learn the Workings of Other Clubs.

Many know that there such a thing as the Albany Boys' club in existence, but very few are aware of the good work it has done and is doing, though it is struggling through the first days of its existence. Could the public see the small army of street arabs gathered at the rooms each evening, they would conclude immediately that such a club was a need in this city. Secretary Cyrus C. Lathrop is heart and soul in this humanitary work and his labors have not been entirely without the reward of satisfactory result. It is safe to say that he has reclaimed from the street a large number of lads and placed them under influences they have never felt before. He is desirous of giving them opportunities for educational development in a practical way and should receive every assistance. Mr. Lathrop has just issued a report to be a general answer to the query, "What have you done?" The report scarcely needs comment, it follows:

The board of managers of the Albany Boys' Club wish to place before you a brief record of the results of their efforts along the lines of the plan for prosecuting a boys' club

work. Before entering upon this work, the most careful inquiry possible was made as to its need here and the results attained in other cities. The work as planned and executed aims to cover a field for which absolutely no provision was heretofore made; hence it conflicts with no work philanthropic, religious or educational, but reaches below, and seeks to be a feeder and helper for all. Its work is among boys under sixteen years of age, who are upon the streets through lack of home or home restraint.

It must be borne in mind that this is not a work of days or months, for the changing of habits and of lives for good require sometimes years, nor can we always behold results. Just five months have elapsed since the opening of the well adapted rooms at Nos. 19 and 21 North Pearl street, during which time the rooms have been opened ninety evenings. Eleven hundred and seventy six different boys have been curolled and have made 7,631 visits. The first result in the matter of cleanliness. Where fifty wore wont to wash in an evening, only ten require it now. Then there is a grand improvement in manners in general, in the rooms, and in particular boys on the street. Obedience to three rules is required: Cleanliness, order, kindness,

The dally visits of the superintendent to Police Court have been productive of much good. Full record is had of fifty-seven boys who had been arrested, fifty-one since September 7; twenty-five have been drawn into the club. On June 26 one boy was returned to his friends in Now York, and an honest life. Six boys have been in the care of the superintendent during a probationary period and thirty others are still being looked after. Forty-four were discharged; five cases are pending, and eight were sentenced to reformatory but are still within reach of regular monthly letters from the superintendent. One hundred and twenty seven boys have opened accounts in the savings bank, to which has been deposited over forty dollars. Work has been secured for ten boys. Innumerable Individual cases could be cited. One has joined the Y. M. C. A., another brought to attend night school, while a third has been influenced to engage in some regular work, while there have been changes in the manners and dispositions of numbers.

One father, unsolicited, spoke of the good the Influence of the club had done his boy. Two brought their boys, and nine parents have asked the superintendent's advice and influence for their boys. Not a parent of the many who have bean visited, but has been glad of the opportunities, and hoped, for the sake of their boy, for its continued success. The library, thanks to the thoughtfulness and generosity of the ladies, is being well equipped. Twenty-five hundred dollars is needed for this first year's work; $800 has been subscribed. Now we want to start the classes and go forward with the higher part of the work.

Secretary Lathrop has just returned from a convention of Christian workers at Boston. After this an informal convention of eight superintendents of boys' clubs was held and the work discussed, Mr. Lathrop was appointed a committee to look up all boys' clubs west of the Hudson river, with a vow of forming a federation, in order to consolidate the work. Mr. A. A. Wordell, of Lynn, Mass., was appointed a like committee for the territory east of the Hudson.

Mr. Lathrop desires to acknowledge the following contributions: J. Townsend Lansing, $20; E. Countryman, $10; Frederick Townsend, $10; John V. L. Pruyn, $5; Col. William G. Rice, $5; C. E. Persons, $1. Numerous contributions of books for the library have also been received. Messrs. Edward Wheeler and Percival N. Bouton have been recently added to the board of directors. The officers of the club now are: Charles R. Knowles, president; Charles Gibson, vice-president; Herbert W. Stickney, treasurer; Cyrus C. Lathrop, secretary and superintendent; directors, Oscar D. Robinson, Robert W. Shannon, Charles H. Turner, Edward J. Wheeler, Albert Bessberg, Alfred B. Haested, George H. Thacher, William H. McClure and Percival N. Bouton.

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