On this Day in 1889, a dinner at Faneuil Hall
On this day, in 1889, the Newsboys Reading Room Association reserved Faneuil Hall for a “dinner for the Newsboys and Bootblacks” of Boston.
The Newsboys Reading Room Association was an active social welfare organization. It served working boys of all stripes.
The above photo shows young working Bostonians in the Association’s reading room, in 1909.
We’re not sure how many newsboys and bootblacks attended the 1889 dinner. We suspect it was a large and boisterous gathering!
Citations:
“In the Newsboys Reading Room. Boys seated at tables playing games. Boston,” 1909 October, Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print, Digital ID: (b&w digital file from original glass negative) nclc 05433 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/nclc.05433, Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-nclc-03350 (color digital file from b&w original print) LC-DIG-nclc-05433 (b&w digital file from original glass negative)
City Council dockets, 1889-0280-I Proceedings of the City Council, Collection 0100.001, Boston City Archives