Minerd.com Memoir: Keep Sweet! How the Lives of Philadelphia Orphan Boys and Their Teacher Were Forever Changed, Part 9

Keep Sweet!

A Memoir by the Late Dr. Roy Sheppard Minerd - Part 9 of 12

Philadelphia skyline, early 1900s

Last month: Some of the more troubled orphan boys at the Northern Home in Philadelphia (seen here) have deep and life-threatening problems which even Roy's teachings cannot overcome. Dick, for instance, leaves the Home to work on a farm, but becomes alcoholic, and freezes to death in a deep snowfall. Tom squanders his money on wild trips to Manhattan and Atlantic City. Jim, who works in a local bakery, threatens to quit. Their mentor, Roy S. Minerd, seeks to dig deeper to get to the root of the problems.

And then, in contrast, comes Jim. Jim's parents he can scarcely remember. He himself knows no home practically but the Northern Home. He has an older brother in the navy and two younger brothers in the Home. He began working in the Ivin bakeries in the fall of 1915 -- rather, in the early winter. He was put on a delivery truck which delivered goods over a large suburban route. He started to night school but, as he told me, "I had to give it up because, altho I went to work at 6 a.m., I never got away from the bakery till 7:30 or 8:00 in the evening."

One evening I saw Jim at the hospital when I dropped in to see Tom, and he walked home with me. Continuing about his work, he said:

"I almost freeze these cold days. I can't wear an over-coat on the route because I'd trip getting on and off the truck, and have it torn to shreds, and handling the big rough baskets wears out a pair of gloves or mittens every day or two," which of course he could not afford.

He stayed at his work, however, enduring the long hours and intense cold, till spring. Then, just as it began to warm up and the outdoor work was becoming more endurable, his foreman wanted to change him to indoor work, and oven work at that, for the summer. Not only that, but the pay for that work was very much less than the route work. He objected, naturally, and said he'd give them notice then and there that he'd quit. At this the foreman, before other employees, taunted him:

"No you won't quit either. Seems to me you're mighty independent for an institutions boy. I'll call them up at the Home (with a sneer) and they'll take care of your case alright!"

Jim naturally is of a very quiet turn and it takes a lot to arouse him, but at the public fling into his face of such an insult as that he fired up as any live boy with spirit and an ounce of brains would have done, and after a few words, left the bakery immediately instead of working out his notice as he said he would. But it was only a few days till he was given a better position with the Vim Motor Co., where he is still employed.

The calibre and manhood of the boy are shown well in the circumstances leading up to his change of room about this time.

When he told me first about his long cold trips on his route, he told me he lived at a boy's boarding house on Sixth above Green and did not like it at all. He was not complaining, and perhaps he would have not said a word had I not walked down with him while finishing a certain topic of conversation. Seeing several questionable and suspicious happenings, I mentioned them to him and then he told me about it. In brief, he said:

"We are a few doors from the corner, and on two of the corners are saloons, directly across from us are three houses of shame, and there are drunken brawls participated in by both sexes at all hours of the night (he sensibly refrained from saying "men and women"). It is nothing to be awakened at four in the morning by screams and yells and oaths and crashes of broken bottles and windows. And when I go home from the bakery, the last half of my walk is past girls not much older, if any, than I am who make all sorts of lewd, vulgar, suggestive remarks and more than one has caught my arm or pulled at my coat in an effort to get me to talk or notice them. I am simply insulted every night before I can get into my room as I have to pass those creatures."

Conditions inside were very pleasant. I was in my self to see what sort of surroundings and companions he had. I was very kindly shown over the whole place by a young student who was in chare that evening. The rooms were neat and comfortably furnished and had single beds, a large room on first floor with a victrola, a piano and several large cases of books with plenty of magazines. But the boys weren't Jim's type. He said in connection with the boys:

"The youngest of them (about 12 years of age) knows every fast house in the city and all about them, and these houses and the burlesque shows and the gambling joints form their chief topic of conversation. I don't want to be with such a crowd. It's not that I'm afraid of myself, but it's disgusting and as we have nothing in common, I get so lonely."

But why was he there? The one in charge of such work at the Home had for some unknown reason misjudged the place, altho one would have thought that one of her experience in such work as hers would know the shady localities of the city, and this was certainly one as I can testify from observation on two different evenings. In fact, Jim said he was ashamed to tell anyone where he lived. The house was provided by the city as a home for slum boys and, as someone put it, it is a decided step up for slum boys, but a decided step down for one of our Home boys."

I immediately began to investigate and reported immediately to Miss S. at the Home. She in turn reported to the Board and an investigation began. Mrs. W. got in touch with Mr. Klees of the Y.M.C.A. and he met with the Board and told practically the same story of conditions that I had told -- so much the same, in fact, that someone wanted to know if we had talked it over, when as a matter of fact, we were introduced to each other three months later. However, through his efforts aided by Mrs. W., Jim was soon given another room and another position, which has been mentioned before.

I wish it were possible to bank on all the boys as we can bank on Jim. He is manly, gentlemanly, clean, has high ideals, and infinitely more a man than the petty snob who thought to take advantage of him at the bakery because he was a "Home boy."

Another boy of his type is Arthur, who is now about 25 years of age, and with whom I have not had the privilege of an acquaintance. However the following was told me by one of the ladies connected with the Home and who has known and admired him for years.

While in the Home he was one of the old stand-bys. After leaving he enlisted I the navy and shortly afterward to everyone's surprise, he deserted. Returning to Philadelphia sometime afterward, he was apprehended and in some way or other, which does not enter into this narrative, had the matter adjusted.

One evening this summer he met the lady mentioned above, for the first time in years. Her greeting was most cordial, but his first expression was:

"Yes, Arthur, I did hear something about it," she replied, tactfully refraining from inquiry further.

And then, to regain or retain her good opinion of him, he fearlessly, with his brown eyes flashing, and his handsome, manly face flushing with the shame of its recollection, made an accusation that flashed through my mind every time I see a blue jacket or think of our navy.

What a commentary on our nation's navy! But what a tribute to the manhood of the boy, who would face a charge of desertion, and its accompanying disgrace and punishment, rather than yield to what he in his manhood knew to be wrong! "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself." How like Daniel's of old was his stand against the wishes, the desires, the demands of his superior officers, to do that which would destroy his self respect and lead him to despise himself! I take my hat off to Arthur, and pray that the God of Daniel who shut the lion's mouth, may continue to be the strength and helper of such a man.

He is now in the employ of a large manufacturing concern in the city, and bending every effort toward obtaining a college education.

Arthur knows nothing about himself or his people. He was left on a doorstep near the German Hospital, or rather in the hospital itself, when he was but an infant. He does not know who his parents were or if he has any relatives or not. He has heard that he has a younger sister, but can find out nothing reliable about that. He has searched carefully and repeatedly the records at City Hall, but is still in the dark. He has often remarked, "If I only know who my parents were and what their reason was for deserting me I'd have some heart, but why, Oh why did they do it?"

As the fall season opened, it became impossible for me to spend every Sunday evening with my boys, and on looking about for some help found two very willing helpers in the persons of Mr. John Sanborn and Mr. Jay N. Newcomer, both of Grace Sunday School and young men of sterling Christian character and deeply interested in boys. They had both been present previously at our Sunday evening meetings and were anxious to help out. They have been assigned certain evenings and have already won the love and staunch allegiance of the whole bunch. I take the second Sunday of the month, Mr. Newcomer the third, Mr. Sanborn the fourth and the fifth and first are still to be provided form. After the first of the year, Miss Hubbard, who is very much devoted to the Home and its work, will take the first Sunday of the month.

Next month: On Visitors Day at the Northern Home, appreciative parents provide Roy Minerd with positive affirmation for all that he is doing for their children. Various boys are released into private homes in the greater Philadelphia area. Roy is devastated when one of his pupils dies after a serious illness, yet rejoices that the boy had committed his life to the Lord. Price, another pupil, makes his own spiritual commitment after hearing a talk on "Turning Points in Life."