Page 28 - March On! God will Provide by Brother Aubert

Chapter 2

WAITING FOR A SOLUTION

T ust wnr,nr oR wHEN oR How, Mr. Ryken conceived
J the idea of founding a Brotherhood is not known.
Ho*euet, something is known about his activities from
the time he concluded what he refers to as "that aposto-
late of elementary Christian Doctrine" to the time that
he went to Rome and presented his proposition to Pope
Leo XII.
For several years, probably from 1823 to 1826, he
was associated rvith a-sort of boarding school for small
boys. It was called "Meer en Bosch," the Dutch for
"Sia and Woods." This was a pet project of Joachim
George Le Sage, the famed Dutch convert, and was lo-
cated at Loosduinen, a suburb of The }Iague.2
The Le Sage idea was to help poor boys to become-
good, indust.lors, obedient, and useful members of
iociety. The conditions for admission were "gteat need
and a request from parents or guardians." Founded in
1823, the-school or Institute had a very short existence,
six years at most. The total of boys accepted did not
exceed twenty.
At "Meer en Bosch" were several men to teach the
boys the trade of tleir choice or the one wished ofi on
them. Theodore Ryken was one of these instructors. He
taught shoe-making. He also served as duty-master, and
this-gave him a general supervision of the boys. Tor-the
*o.k* in the clasiroom there was a teacher who lived in
the town. This was a measure of prudence. In 1823,
only State-operated schools had a right to exist in
Holland.