Date: May 30, 1931
Location: Northampton, MA
(Original document available here)
During the first four days in June the Boys’ Club Federation of America will celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary in Washington. This national movement is sponsored by over forty of our most prominent business men. It includes about 250 clubs which have doubled in number in ten years. They are located in 132 cities and have a membership of over 250,000, with an investment of over $20,000,000. The object of this organization is to provide opportunity through wholesome activity under trained supervision for normal development of underprivileged boys.
These clubs are purposely located in congested centers where, without them, the street would be the gathering place for the boys. They are open to all boys at a nominal cost and provide such recreation facilities as gymnasium, shower bath, vocational training and libraries. By means of holy charity they carry light into otherwise darkened lives. Through their influence boys are taught that they can be active and courageous while being law-abiding, manly and straight. As a source of character building and preparation for citizenship their influence is beyond calculation. This is practical philanthropy.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge Says: Dispatches Written by Former-President Coolidge and Syndicated to Newspapers in 1930-1931 (Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation)
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Greg Harkenrider who prepared this document for digital publication.