ASSOCIATION FOR BEFRIENDING BOYS. iTo THE EDITOR OF THE "
SPECTATOR."' Sint,—We think that your readers may like to hear from us, as representing the Association for Befriending Boys, the results up to the present time since August, 1914, of the general training and lessons in duty and patriotism given in the excellent schools belonging to the Poor Law Guardians of London. Our Association has the privilege of undertaking the after-care of boys discharged from the Poor Law schools from the time they leave the schools, usually at the age of fourteen and a half, until they reach their twenty-first year. Out of two thousand four hundred boys whose names are on our books, upwards of four hundred of military age have left civilian employment and have joined H.M. Forces ; four hundred at the outbreak of the VAT were serving in the Army either as bandboys or bandsmen or as ordinary rank-and-file; three hundred were in the Royal Navy either as bandboya or as ordinary seamen—that makes a total of eleven hundred—a really wonderful record, if it is remembered that many of the boys now in civilian employment are too young to enlist, and of those old enough to do so many are physically unfit.
As far as possible we keep ix touch with these boys by corro. spondenee, and we receive many letters from the fighting lines reflecting the good sense, cheerfulness, and good temper of those lads, no one of them making any complaint. From time to time they ask us to send out comforts for them—including the inevitable cigarettes—and we make every effort, to the extent of our extremely limited resources, to supply their needs. The position of this established charity is unfortunately precarious. We consider that it fulfils a great need, for there is no other similar charity for Poor Law boys. We think that it would be a misfortune for these boys if this Association disappeared or were crippled with debt, especially having regard to what may happen after the war, when workers will be numerous and work probably scarce. We hope, therefore, even at this time, to obtain help for our general fund, and also to obtain resources which will enable us to satisfy to some extent the needs of those who have certainly a claim to be considered specially by us.—We are,
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