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莎拉威廉森(Sarah Williamson)歡慶自己當選為男兒之城的第一位女性首長,1991

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「男兒之城」
地方性遺產

您或許聽過男兒之城,但您知道那是什麼嗎

1917年時,一位名為佛納甘(Father Flanagan)的神父為了幫助無家可歸的男孩,決定要在內布拉斯加的奧馬哈市附近興建男兒之城社區。而到了1936年時,該社區成為一座村莊。男兒之城持續救助無家可歸及困難小孩,現擁有農場、教堂及專供小孩上課的校園,而男兒之城的管理者為孩童本身;事實上,他們最近才投票將其名稱改為男兒及女孩之城(Boys and Girls Town),因為城內也住有女生;1991年,女生到達後的第12年,他們選出了他們的第一位女性首長。

多年以來,男兒之城的標誌為一位手抱年稚小男孩的男生,這個影像的故事是佛納甘親眼所見。某個夏日午後,一些來自於男兒之城的小男孩決定要去游泳。有一位小男孩因為腳上的支柱不利行走,所以無法同行並對此感到心煩 。但一位名為吉姆愛德華斯(Jim Edwards)的男生卻將他抱起,放在背上 。佛納甘神父鼓勵其他小男孩幫忙,但吉姆說道:「他不重,神父,他是我的兄弟」。佛納甘神父聽到他的回覆後深受感動並將這件事轉告其他小男孩;他利用這個故事來警惕大家並要求他們「隨時照顧您的同儕」。


You may have heard of Boys Town, but do you know what it is?

In 1917, a priest named Father Flanagan decided to help homeless boys by establishing the community of Boys Town near Omaha, Nebraska. It became a village in 1936. Boys Town continues to help homeless and troubled kids and now has a farm, churches, and a campus where children attend classes. The children themselves govern Boys Town. In fact, they recently voted to change the village's name to Boys and Girls Town, because girls also attend. In 1991, they elected their first female mayor, 12 years after the first girls arrived.

For many years, the symbol for Boys Town has been that of a boy carrying a younger boy. This image comes from an event that Father Flanagan witnessed. One summer day, some of the boys from Boys Town decided to go swimming. One little boy was upset that he couldn't go because he had a brace on his leg and couldn't walk easily. But a boy named Jim Edwards picked him up and started to carry him on his back. Father Flanagan encouraged the other boys to help, but Jim said to the priest, "He ain't heavy, Father, he's my brother." Father Flanagan was very moved by what Jim said and told all the boys about it. He used the story to point out, "Always take care of your fellow men."

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