Youth Home Near Valentine Nebraska
Traveling through Nebraska offers numerous opportunities to visit unique attractions that showcase the state's rich history, culture, and natural beauty. One such place is a Youth Home located near Valentine, a city situated in the north-central part of the state. The Boy's Town of Valentine, as it is sometimes known, was an unusual facility. Founded in the early 20th century as part of the overall 'Girls and Boys Town' effort this was specifically designed to care for delinquent boys and those who had committed crimes in a unique facility that would care for and educate these youth.
Established as the companion facility to the original Boy's Town located near Omaha, the main difference here was this contained a Boys Ranch. What this equates to is traditional classrooms were forgone for large portions of education, rather children would receive more hands-on learning. These 'modules' or 'shops' have had offerings that ranged from metalwork to shoe making. Being located within a rural setting near the Niobrara River was certainly beneficial for their livelihood, in addition to teaching a myriad of skills that would benefit them for years. The Boys Ranch is reminiscent of the "village" approach taken by founder Father Edward Flanagan, at Boy's Town.
Despite the unusual living conditions for residents the facilities across the grounds would normally include dining halls like a traditional boarding school setting, athletic fields, recreational areas and a mix of dormitories so the boys would always have the structure and normalcy they needed for individual growth. Like Father Flanagan's facility it not only cared for delinquents but also orphaned youth in need of guidance and shelter to be given their second chance.
The facilities purpose would continue operating with a focus on rehabilitation through self-sufficiency throughout the early to mid-20th century though operations ceased in the early sixties. In the years that followed it was reopened with a different viewpoint, focusing its facilities more on adolescents and teenagers, containing smaller populations so residents are provided closer contact with facility professional staff.
Even though educational facilities like these aren't as sought after as popular vacation spots their merit as destination is invaluable and can remain a hidden gem in any states history for many that passed through its portals as an influential stop on a journey. Offering the proper mixture of real life social guidance mixed with discipline only adds to these rewards of traveling through Nebraska.
Offering a window into understanding the past and the initiatives that strived in aiding in successful personal transformations and molding positive lives for its residents is a reminder for one and all about why historical places like these should be on every travelers list. The amount of ways that the facilities modeled an independent environment will remain one of American most enduring social experiments.
Established as the companion facility to the original Boy's Town located near Omaha, the main difference here was this contained a Boys Ranch. What this equates to is traditional classrooms were forgone for large portions of education, rather children would receive more hands-on learning. These 'modules' or 'shops' have had offerings that ranged from metalwork to shoe making. Being located within a rural setting near the Niobrara River was certainly beneficial for their livelihood, in addition to teaching a myriad of skills that would benefit them for years. The Boys Ranch is reminiscent of the "village" approach taken by founder Father Edward Flanagan, at Boy's Town.
Despite the unusual living conditions for residents the facilities across the grounds would normally include dining halls like a traditional boarding school setting, athletic fields, recreational areas and a mix of dormitories so the boys would always have the structure and normalcy they needed for individual growth. Like Father Flanagan's facility it not only cared for delinquents but also orphaned youth in need of guidance and shelter to be given their second chance.
The facilities purpose would continue operating with a focus on rehabilitation through self-sufficiency throughout the early to mid-20th century though operations ceased in the early sixties. In the years that followed it was reopened with a different viewpoint, focusing its facilities more on adolescents and teenagers, containing smaller populations so residents are provided closer contact with facility professional staff.
Even though educational facilities like these aren't as sought after as popular vacation spots their merit as destination is invaluable and can remain a hidden gem in any states history for many that passed through its portals as an influential stop on a journey. Offering the proper mixture of real life social guidance mixed with discipline only adds to these rewards of traveling through Nebraska.
Offering a window into understanding the past and the initiatives that strived in aiding in successful personal transformations and molding positive lives for its residents is a reminder for one and all about why historical places like these should be on every travelers list. The amount of ways that the facilities modeled an independent environment will remain one of American most enduring social experiments.
